Mary and the Miraculous Medal

As Catholic Women we like to wear Medals of Mary, I know I do.  I purchased the current one I wear when I completed a Consecration to Mary and it was part of the actual consecration where Father would bless all of our medals.  There are many different medals to Mary - each with their own story and inspiration of Mary.  The one I wear and want to share with you is the Miraculous Medal.

Before I completed the Consecration, I had heard of the Miraculous Medal, knew it was about Mary, and that is about it.  When you are a young mom - there is so much going on in your life, you don't have or take the time to really study different Medals.  You simply trust the one you are wearing (which usually was a gift) will do it's job and protect you and your family.  We always think, once the kids are grown, I'll take the time.  At least that is what I said to myself and to God.

Well, now is time.....

The Miraculous Medal was created by Saint Catherine Laboure.  She was a french Sister of Charity, who in 1830 was awoken by a child's voice calling her to the chapel.  At the chapel she heard the Virgin Mary say to her "God wishes to charge you with a mission.  You will be contradicted, but do not fear; you will have the grace to do what is necessary.  Tell your spiritual director all that passes within you.  Times are evil in France and in the world."  Later that year, the Blessed Mother appeared to Catherine, during her evening meditation, and displayed herself within an oval frame, standing upon a globe with rays of lights coming from each of her fingers directed towards the globe.  Catherine noticed that not all the fingers has rays of light from them; when she asked Mary about this, Mary replied that the rays of light were graces, and the fingers without rays were graces that no one asks for. She also explained to Mary everything that should be placed on the Medal.

Catherine shared with her Spiritual Director everything that had happened and exactly what the Holy Mother had said to her.  After a couple of years of investigation, the priest took the medal design to the Bishop for his approval.  Once receiving the Bishop's blessing, the medal was created.

Mary had said to Catherine "All who wear the medal will receive great graces."

Now, knowing all this let's think about the issue of graces not being asked for.  I ask, "how can this be?  With all the people in this world, there are still graces we are leaving on the table?"  This is a sad realization.  I've asked in prayer "what graces am I leaving behind?"  Well, I cannot change the pass and correct my lack of prayer and reflection from my earlier years.  Now, I can think about graces and Mary's blessings.  When I look at my medal, I am

reminded that I need to pray for ALL the graces the Father has for me - whether I know I need them or not.  Some graces are hard to receive - they challenge us to change and improvement.  Other's push us to do things for other people we would normally not have thought of doing.  All of this is good - really it is.

Oh, and that story I told myself of not having the time - was just that a story.  We all have a couple of minutes each day to pray - even if it is just as we lay our head on our pillow.  I wished I had realized that when I was younger - perhaps I would have been a better mother and wife.  But we cannot live in the past. We can only live in the here and now - and it is now I pray each day for all of God's graces.

Ode to My Lord

Jesus my Lord, my love, my joy

You are my brother, my father, my King.

You give Hope to the despaired

You bring Light to those in darkness

You bring Comfort to those in pain

You bring Peace to those who's hearts are troubled.

In you I have  found Love, Gladness and Mercy.

In you I have receive strength

In you I find rest.

I give you all the glory and honor!

For you have picked me up when I have fallen

You have fed me when I was hungry

You have heard my cries.

All the days of my life I will sing of your goodness,

And I will praise you holy name till the ends of time.

Waiting on God

I know I've heard many times - God's timing is not our timing; and that all things will comes as he ordains it.  That is all well and good, but it does not make the waiting any easier.  I will admit it - I can be a very impatient person, and waiting for God's time has me drumming my fingers.

Lately I've been reading a lot about St. Therese and St. Faustina and their desires of an early death, not wanting to remain in this world, but to quickly move into the next. to be even closer to the Lord.  This has been laying heavy on my mind and I have found myself also praying for God's deliverance.  I so look forward to standing before the Lord and have felt my time here on earth may be just biding my time to return home.

All this being said, a few weeks ago, while in Adoration, I was gently reminded that I am already in the presence of the Lord. (It's that tap of the Holy 2x4 to the forehead I like to refer to - "Hello Theresa - wake up - I'm talking to you.")  For God is in the essence of everything around me - everything I see, eat, feel, hear; God is already there.  He is also in every person who cross my path - whether in person, on the phone, or in the digital media.  He is there - He is with me - He is with all of us.  And even though I many not physically see that I am standing before the Throne of God - I am - actually, we all are.

God is a loving father - he would never leave us here alone to navigate these trouble waters.  And being here on earth is defiantly not a waste of time, but an opportunity to do his will.  We all have a (or more) mission(s) - and we may not even have a clue as to what that mission is - and that is okay; for if we continue to follow the path set before us - the Holy Spirit will lead us to it and help us to accomplish the task set before us.

So, does this help with my impatience - somewhat - I keep laughingly telling my husband - that God keeps giving me "opportunities" to practice being patient. It is truly a work in process.

Does the realization that God is constantly with us in everything we do, say, pray; give me any comfort -- that would be a definite YES.  I find I look at the world with different eyes since that day in the chapel of my Church.  And I am finding that if the Father can be in the smallest of details of nature - than I certainly can let go of my wants for the future and trust in his timing, no matter how long that would be - with no finger drumming.

Give to Caesar

As you may know, the Bible will speak to us with the message we need receive at that time.  The last time I read this Gospel (Mark 12:13-17) I found I was thinking about how everything belongs to God and my thoughts then went to many things including the people he has put in my life and the lovely nature outside my window to name just a few.  I found my prayers were ones of thankfulness for the bounty the Father has placed before me without even realizing it.

Today, though – my thoughts go to how everyone on this earth belongs to God – the good, the bad and the ugly.  We are all made from his love.  And I as I shared a few weeks ago, I feel an urging to pray for all the people of this earth.  Not just the saintly, but for all of us.

I envision the Father as a grandparent who is anxiously waiting for us to come home.  Perhaps there is a great feast in the process (I know my great-grandmother would cook for days before we would arrive.)  He has set a light in the window to guide us and welcome us home.  But he also sends out the Holy Spirit to walk every step with us.  And as we arrive his arms are opened wide ready to embrace us and a great banquet is set out to celebrate our home coming.  Yes, we have all sinned and we have all failed him – but this should not hold us back from receiving his love, for just as great is his love, is the greatness of his Mercy too.

So today, I pray for those who evil has taken a hold of – they have believed the lies whispered in their ears.  They are being used to try to destroy them and anyone that comes in contact with them.  What evil does not seem to understand is that it can destroy this body, but it can not change or destroy my soul/spirit.  I was created from the love of the Father, and no matter what happens here on earth – that fact will never change.  

I pray for those who have turned their backs to God.  For just as the lost lamb, they have wondered off without realizing it, and then they find themselves are too far away to make their way home without help.  That is where our prayers come in, for them to realize the Holy Spirit is right beside them, urging them upon the path where they can be found.  They just need to reach out and receive.

I pray for those who have never experienced the Father’s love.  They are unaware of what joy and love await them.

And, I pray for all the souls of this world, those who came before us, those who walk upon it now and those yet to come.  I pray for God’s love – a love so great, so grand it is unfathomable – to rain down upon this earth, that his light will brighten even the darkest of corners.  And that we all, everyone of us, find the path that will lead us home to his love and welcoming embrace.