The Miraculous Medal
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On this day in 1830, Mary appeared to St. Catherine Laboure in Paris. Our Lady was standing, clothed in all white while her feet rested on the earth. Under one of her feet was a green serpent, Mary was crushing the head of the serpent which represented Satan. Catherine relates, “All at once I saw rings on her fingers, three rings to each finger. Each ring set with gems which emitted rays. Mary said to Catherine, ‘This ball that you see represents the whole world…and each person in particular.’
In reference to the rays coming from the gems Our Lady said, ‘They are the symbols of the graces I shed upon those who ask for them. The gems from which rays do not fall are the graces for which souls forget to ask…‘Have a medal struck after this model. All who wear it will receive great graces; they should wear it around the neck. Graces will abound for those who wear it with confidence.”
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Catherine related the vision to her bishop, the medal was cast and they began to distribute it among the people under the title of the Medal of the Immaculate Conception; but so many miracles occurred for those who wore the medal around their neck with faith and turned to prayer with a sincere heart, that it took on new name – the Miraculous Medal. Many great saints made a habit of wearing and giving it to every person they met such as St. Maximilian Kolbe and Mother Teresa.
Maximilian Kolbe writes: Because conversion and sanctification are divine graces, the Miraculous Medal will be the best means for reaching our purpose. For that reason, it constitutes a first-rate weapon of the Knights of the Immaculata; it is the bullet with which a faithful soldier cuts down the enemy, that is, evil, and thus rescues souls. Let us contribute all our strength in bringing about what was already foreseen by St. Catherine Laboure…that the Immaculata be queen of the whole world and of each soul in particular as soon as possible.
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At the end of the Miraculous Medal apparition St. Catherine Laboure made a prophecy based on what was revealed to her. She said: “Oh, how wonderful it will be to hear Mary proclaimed by all people as Queen of the Universe... It will be a time of peace, joy, and good fortune that will last long; She will be carried as a banner and She will make a tour of the world."
It was revealed to St. Catherine, there would come a time in the future, hopefully soon, when Mary would be accepted around the world as the Queen of the Universe and through her Jesus would be the King of all Hearts. This is similar to what Mary promised on July 13, 1917 at Fatima, when she said, “In the end, my Immaculate heart will triumph…and an era of peace will be granted to mankind.”
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What is taking place in the world is part of God’s providential plan. God knows exactly what Satan will do at every moment in history he knows ahead of time all of Satan’s moves. Trust me, God is not caught off-guard by one of his creatures.
Knowing what Satan would do, God began to send Mary in a new and unprecedented way beginning with the Miraculous Medal apparition in 1830. This was the beginning of Mary appearing and working to crush the head of Satan. She appears to offer the Miraculous Medal in 1830; the she appears in La Sallete in 1846; Lourdes 1858, Pontmon 1871, Kock Ireland 1879; 1932-33 Beauraing and Banneux, Belgium; 1968 Zeitoun Egypt; 1973 Akita, Japan; Venezuela, Nicaragua, Argentina in the 1980s; well as Kibeho Rwanda; and from 1981 to the present in Medjugorje, Boznia-Herzegovina.
According to the prophecy of Genesis 3:15 Mary has the God given role to crush the head of the serpent, to overcome the pride of Satan. But before this time of the Triumph, there will a time of great trial. We are witnessing now the time of the great revolt of Satan against our Lady, He knows his time is short and that her Triumph is inevitable. Mary has her foot on Satan’s head. But Satan wants to take down as many souls as possible in the meantime, sweeping them into hell by his tail.
But even though God created us without us, He will not save us without us, as St. Augustine says. We must participate in our own rescue and help rescue the souls of others. That is why God and our Lady continually call us to help save souls by means of the Rosary, by sacrifice and friendship.
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Three weapons, Rosary, Sacrifice, Friendship,
September 18, 1986 Our Lady said at Medjugorje: Again today, I thank you for everything you have done for me in recent days. I thank you more particularly, dear children, in the name of Jesus, for the sacrifices you have offered this last week. Dear children, you forget that I rely on your sacrifices to help you and to keep Satan away from you. It is for that reason that I again invite you to offer your sacrifices to God with a deep reverence.
We can offer our prayer, work, joy or suffering as a sacrifice to God for the conversion of souls. Begin each day with the Morning Offering: Father, I offer you my prayer, work, joy and suffering, and I unite it to your sacrifice made present in the Mass and I offer it for the conversion of souls. Then renew this offering throughout the day simply saying, Jesus, I do this or accept this for the love of you and for souls.
Rosary
Fulton Sheen who will be Beatified in Peoria IL Dec 21 said: If you wish to convert anyone to the fullness of the knowledge of Our Lord and of His Church, then teach him the Rosary. One of two things will happen. Either he will stop saying the Rosary — or he will get the gift of faith.
There are souls who depend on you praying the Rosary every day. Do not let them down. Do not miss a day. It may not seem to matter today - but it will to you and to them in eternity. If you already pray the Rosary every day – pray more – I do. I will not retreat from the battlefield I will not let the sword of the Rosary fall from my hand until they have to pry it away when I’m dead!