The Miraculous Medal

ONE

November 27 is the Feast of the Miraculous Medal.

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 is 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.’”

TWO

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.

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.”

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 be 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.

THREE

The Miraculous Medal has brought the grace of many conversions.

Alphonse Ratisbonne grew up in a family of Jewish bankers in France in the early 1800s. In 1842 he became engaged to a young woman but before they were married he took a pleasure trip to Rome where he stayed with a Catholic family who were business partners with his father. While staying in this home, the Catholic husband and wife began to speak with him about faith in Jesus. Alphonse, being Jewish and very worldly minded, wanted nothing to do with God. Finally, the couple promised they would not bring up the subject again if he would agree to wear the Miraculous Medal around his neck and say the words on the medal “O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to Thee.”, every day for one week. To shut them up, he consented.

Shortly after, the Catholic businessman and Alphonse were passing by the Church of St. Andrew of the Woods in a carriage when the man informed Alphonse he needed to go inside to a funeral wake of a friend recently deceased. Since it was January 20, it was cold in Rome, so Alphonse waited in the back of the Church in a side chapel. There Mary, the Mother of God appeared to Alphonse, showing him the dire state of his soul, how he was headed to Hell for his unbelief and selfishness. He converted and in an instant Mary taught him everything he needed to know about Jesus and the Catholic Church. Ultimately he became a Jesuit priest and founded a Religious Order, Notre Dame de Sion, (Our Lady of Zion) which operates many schools around the world.

FOUR

St. Maximilian Kolbe was ordained on 28 April 1918 in the same chapel in which Mary appeared to Alphonse Ratisbonne.

Kolbe made the wearing of the Miraculous Medal an essential part of his Militia Immaculata, calling it the silver bullet to bring down the enemy and he gave one to every person he met.

St. Maximilian 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.

FIVE

On November 27, 1989 Our Lady spoke to Marija, one of the visionaries of Medjugorje with these words; “These days, I want you to pray in a special way for the salvation of souls. Today is the feast day of the miraculous medal, and I want you to pray, in a special way, for the salvation of those people who are carrying this miraculous medal. I want you to spread the devotion and the carrying of this medal, so that more souls may be saved, and that you pray in a special way.”

I wear a big blue miraculous medal so that everyone may see and I always carry a few extra. Finally reaching the head of a long line at a coffee shop in Laguardia airport, and many people still behind me, the young barista noticed my medal and inquired. I brushed her off and she insisted I tell her about it, so there in front of everyone I did. Then she begged; “Where can I get one for myself?” I had one in my backpack, asked for the chain of the neck of a friend and gave it to her and she put it on then and there. I offer this decade for this young woman. Wherever she is.