The topic of this post will be in 2 parts; the first part ” What is? How does a Miraculous Medal Work?”, will focus on the Role of Mary in the Catholic Church and what is her Miraculous Medal all about and the second part is my reflection on what this all means, entitled the “Miraculous Medal, CONSIDER that the Miracle has already happened!“
” What is? How does a Miraculous Medal Work?”
Devotion to Mary
Oh Lordy! I’ve just had a deep Spiritual moment listening to the powerful testimony of Shane Page, a Methodist Minister, who in Sept. 2021, announced his conversion to Catholicism, because of his devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. I’ve included several clips of one of his interviews, to share his perspective of his Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary is a key feature in order to understand the power of the Miraculous Medal. This is because the Miraculous Medal is not a magical device, where it possess a certain power, that if touched to a person, it magically transforms the person it touches. Rather it is a Sacramental device, that serves as a symbol, a badge of sorts, of a person’s Marian Devotion and reminds them of Mary’s Promises. Wearing the medal, reminds the person, by virtue of its’ history and symbolism, of their connection to Jesus, through His Mother. The Medal “kickstarts” the wearer to prayer, and a formation of an interior attitude, a belief, an act of Faith, in Mary’s Promises, to intercede on our behalf with her Son, Jesus, as the medal states, “Oh Mary Conceived without Sin, Pray for Us who have recourse to thee.” The very act of Donning the medal daily around one’s neck can remind us to pray to Mary, to talk to Mary and ask for Her intercession with her Son on our behalf, with the faintest of glances at the front of the medal. Donning the Miraculous Medal, this simple action with this simple medal is an external action that reflects the setting of an interior attitude about Mary and Her medal that we will carry forward with us throughout our day.
A sacramental such as the Miraculous Medal tells the outside world as we are seen wearing it, that we belong to Mary and She belongs to us, and like a soldier wearing the badge of his “A” Company, says I walk with my “A” Company, I belong to my “A” Company, the Miraculous Medal says to the world, I belong to the “BVM” Blessed Virgin Mary, I walk with the “BVM” Blessed Virgin Mary!
I normally believe that the value of my Blog journey, is my witness to a few simple facts that this Blog is built around, Prayer Penance Eucharist, and now GodMindfulness. With respect to these facts, this Blog is not meant to repeat the plethora of information available in print and online, by experts more learned than I, on these topics, but rather share reflections on a few prorities with integrating these Faith practices in our daily life, today! Although It is hard to talk about many of these topics without some instruction on these topics, but in most cases the liturgical detail in this blog are more of an enhancement to our understanding of these topics as opposed to a definitive guide. In the case of my reflections on the Miraculous Medal of Mary, there are 3 topics that have to be addressed: Devotion to Mary, Where the Miraculous Medal Graces come from and How the Miraculous Medal works?
It is not my intent to convince others to be devoted to Mary, or to embrace Mary, if they either aren’t looking to do that or struggle with it because of their belief system. Although the title of my blog posits that Mary leading us to Jesus, is the best path to follow, many say why don’t you walk the direct path, i.e..embrace Jesus directly? In an earlier post I already hinted that in my own case when I was a growing-up I needed a Loving Mother, a protector more than a stern God the Father, with His potential wrath over my failings day-to-day; and Mary was the perfect answer. I knew Mary Loved me, andI knew her Son did as well, and she would help me be in communion with Her Son forever. I was raised Catholic from childhood, and when it came to Jesus and Mary, I didn’t question much, I had Faith and I Believed!
In college I studied theology, and across my life I have collected and read some important spiritual and theological works. My Devotion to Mary across my life, has never wavered, and only deepened. As outlined previously, I believe Mary has been responsible for many signs and miracles in my life, I have it on Faith! My relationship with Jesus, God the Father and Holy Spirit, has also grown, and today I see Him as the Loving Father, but He does require reparations for sins, and I accept that from Him. There is no more Fear, because I know He Died for me, Blesses me and Loves me, and I can only Love Him in Return! In the last 2 years this relationship has grown more intense and I find myself focusing on the Love and the Sorrow that emanates from His Sacred Heart. Also in the last 2 years, my Devotion to Mary has exploded with my Consecration to Jesus through Mary, my enthronement in the Brown Scapular, reading of Mary’s life as told by the mystics, and especially reading the life of St. Catherine Laboure, who had the mission of bringing the Miraculous Medal into the world, and a deep devotion to both Mary and Jesus herself. I’ve worn a Miraculous Medal for years and I have never doubted its’ Miraculous Properties and wear it 24/7.
The purpose of this post is to deepen our understanding of Mary’s Miraculous Medal, and I’m not sure people that aren’t devoted to Mary, will understand any of this. So rather than quote from my own readings, I turn to a most unlikely source, a Protestant Minister, Shane Page, who recounts his becoming Devoted to Mary. I have several Clips here that highlight his witness he exclaims in his video testimony. I think his Biblical references outline his forming a Devotion to Mary leading to a heart afire with Love for Her, so much so he converts to Catholicism. I hope this is helpful to set the stage for the content and refection on the Miraculous Medal to come. Listening to Shane Page talk about Mary, deepens my Faith and sets my heart afire with a great desire to Love Her as Jesus does.
Protestant Minister expounds on Mary’s Relationship to Jesus>>>
Mary is the New Eve and Jesus the New Adam, Mary is an active collaborator in our Redemption>>>
Jesus Comes To us Through Mary>>>
Learning how to Love Jesus as Mary Loved Jesus, Transformed my Life!>>>
” I love Mary because Jesus loved Mary… and I want to be more like Jesus Christ.”>>>
In case you didn’t notice, in the video clips, Shane is wearing a Miraculous Medal! Wow, what is that about? Please read on for a more official description below about the origin and meaning of the Miraculous Medal!
This Methodist Minister in these video clips, Shane Page, Converted to Catholicism about a year ago, Summer 2021, here is a lengthy video interview he did:
What is a Miraculous Medal?
“What is… and What does…Reprinted from St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary source…”
The Miraculous Medal is a sacramental, a means of disposing one’s soul to receive grace. The two main effects of a sacramental are to cleanse venial (lesser) sins by disposing the heart to sorrow for sin, and to help in overcoming temptations. A sacramental is not a good luck charm, or some kind of get-into-heaven free card. Rather, it is a link between earth and heaven, a physical manifestation of the spiritual reality of God’s love for us, and for the intercession of His Mother. Like a locket that contains the picture of our mother, the Miraculous Medal reminds us of her, and helps us to call on her and speak to her when we are in trouble. And because God wants us to use physical sacramentals to remind ourselves of spiritual realities, he grants his grace in a special way to those who use them in this way.
What does the Medal mean?
On the front of the Medal, Our Lady stands upon a globe representing the earth, and crushing a serpent representing the devil (see Genesis 3:15). The rays streaming from her hands signify the graces that she pours out upon those who ask her intercession with her Son. The date 1830 refers to the year of the vision of St. Catherine Laboure.
On the back of the Medal, the Sacred Heart of Our Lord and the Immaculate Heart of Our Lady are the symbols of their burning love for us. The Sacred Heart is surrounded by a crown of thorns. The Immaculate Heart is pierced with a sword, showing the grief of Our Lady, as foretold by the prophet Simeon (Luke 2). The Cross is a sign of the Redemption accomplished by Christ, and it rests on a bar which is the earth. The M stands for Mary, and the interweaving of the Cross and M show her role in assisting the Redemption. The twelve stars probably refer to the Apostles, who represent the whole Church, standing around Jesus and Mary (Apocalypse 12:1).
Where do the Miraculous Medal Graces come from?
Mary’s Shower of Graces Flowing to the person who wears a Miraculous Medal come from Jesus>>>
How does the Miraculous Medal work? It’s really a story about how a Sacramental works!
How exactly does a Sacramental work? As the clip relates here, Sacramentals work by their relationship to a sacrament or sacred person(s), “Jesus” and “Mary”, in this case of the Miraculous Medal and the interior disposition of the user /owner /wearer, in this case the wearer of the Miraculous Medal.>>>
So the Miraculous Medal came to the World through the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Catherine Laboure. Millions worldwide have testified to miracles they experienced while wearing the medal and as a result its’ following has spread quickly for the last several centuries. Let’s take a deeper dive though as to why when you wear a Miraculous Medal, the miracles it brings may already be happening in your life as you don your medal! Please read on to the next post “Miraculous Medal, CONSIDER the Miracle has already happened!” Coming Soon!!!🙏🙏🙏
Front and back of my Miraculous Medal
Fiat!