St. Michael Novena — Day 7: Conversion

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Day Seven. Tonight, Saint Michael, we pray for conversion. Saint Peter writes in his Second Letter, chapter three, The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. Not wanting anyone to perish. Including the ones we love who are far from God. Including the ones we have prayed for so long we sometimes lose hope. Including ourselves, where we have grown lukewarm. Saint Michael, the same archangel who defends souls also calls them home. You are part of the heavenly host that rejoices over one sinner who repents, as Jesus said in Luke fifteen. Tonight I bring you the names of those who need conversion. I bring you the family member who has walked away from the faith. The child or sibling or cousin who used to pray and no longer does. The one who has hardened against God for reasons I do not fully understand. (Name them.) Saint Michael, intercede. Place yourself between them and every spirit that has stolen their faith. Send the right messengers, the right circumstances, the right wake-up call to bring them home. I bring you the friend who has rejected God outright. The one who calls themselves an atheist or simply does not care. The one whose intellect rejects what their soul still secretly hungers for. (Name them.) Saint Michael, work in the hidden places. The dreams. The crises. The chance encounters that change everything. I bring you the addicted. The ones whose chains keep them from coming home, even when they want to. The alcoholic. The drug addict. The person enslaved to pornography. The one consumed by an eating disorder. (Name them.) Saint Michael, break the chains. Stand against the spirits behind the addiction. Lead them to recovery, in body and soul. I bring you the public sinner. The leaders of nations who use their power for evil. The criminals. The traffickers. The abusers. (Name them, even if you do not know names.) Saint Michael, even they are not beyond the reach of mercy. Convert their hearts. And until conversion comes, restrain their evil. I bring you the lukewarm. The Christians who have not lost their faith but are not on fire. The Mass-attenders who go through the motions. The Catholics who have not been to confession in years. (Including, perhaps, me.) Saint Michael, send the fire. Wake us up. Make us saints, not just survivors. And I pray for one specific name on my heart tonight. The person whose conversion I have been begging for the longest. Maybe my spouse. Maybe my child. Maybe a parent. Maybe a friend. (Name them.) Saint Michael, do not give up on them. I will not give up either. I claim, by faith, the promise from Acts sixteen: Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household. I pray the Saint Michael prayer. Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly hosts, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan, and all the evil spirits, who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Day Eight tomorrow. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.