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.