The Miraculous Medal
"All who wear this medal will obtain great graces. Abundant will be the graces for those who wear it with confidence."
The Miraculous Medal is a sacramental recognized by the Catholic Church, an external sign with an internal effect. Sacramentals do not act by themselves, but through the intercession of the Church and the pious use of the faithful. Therefore, before being used, the medal is blessed by a priest, God's blessing is invoked upon it.
The medal is a sign of our Heavenly Mother's love for Her children. When we wear the medal as a sign that we are children of Mary, and trusting that Mary will grant us Her protection and blessing through this medal, the medal also becomes a sign of our love for Mary.
On November 27, 1830, at the Motherhouse of the Vincentian Sisters in Paris, the Most Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to the novice Catherine Labouré (pictured next to the text). Under the foot of the Most Blessed Virgin, who was standing on a globe, a snake coiled. This is obviously a reference to the 1st book of the Bible, the Book of Genesis (3:15), where God says to the satanic serpent, "Enmity will I put between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; she shall bruise thy head."
On Her fingers Our Lady wore glorious rings; from their precious stones emanated rays so luminous that the whole figure of Mary was enveloped in light. She explained, "The rays are the symbol of the graces I pour out on all those who ask Me for them."
Then an oval frame was formed around the Virgin, on which were written in golden letters the words: "O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who take refuge in Thee." At the same time, the sister heard a voice telling her: "Have a medal minted according to this design! All who wear it will obtain great graces. Abundant will be the graces for those who wear it with confidence."
Then the sister saw how the back of the medal should look: an M (for Mary) surmounted by a cross. Underneath the two hearts of Jesus and Mary. The whole framed by 12 stars (see Rev 12:1). In another apparition, Our Lady repeated the order to have the medal minted.
The medal quickly conquered the hearts of the faithful, and the people gave her the nickname the "Miraculous One " because from the beginning there were many miracles through her. The many striking conversions and healings contributed mightily to the spread of the medal. By the time of St. Catherine's death, more than a billion of them had been minted. Mary kept Her promise. Without number are the graces She has already distributed through the medal of Her Immaculate Conception. Conversions of sinners, miraculous cures of all kinds of illnesses, help in great difficulties and afflictions, salvation from dangers of life.
Freemasons celebrated their 200th birthday in Rome in 1917, loudly expressing their protest against Pope Benedict XV (1914-1922) and the Roman Catholic Church in St. Peter's Square. Another historical highlight that year was the beginning of the October Revolution in Russia. Also in this year, the Mother of God had shown Herself in Fátima (Portugal).
At the time of these historical and religious events, the young Polish Franciscan friar Maximilian Maria Kolbe (Minorite, 1894-1941, pictured next to the text) was studying theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. A student at the time, he believed in the power of Sacred Scripture, in the dogma of the Immaculate Conception, and saw in the apparitions of Our Lady at Lourdes (France) a sign of defense against unbelief. From this Kolbe developed the idea of founding a "Knighthood of the Immaculate". As a sign of recognition, he chose the "Miraculous Medal" and founded the "Militia Immaculatae" (MI) with six other Franciscan friars on October 16, 1917 - three days after the apparition of Mary in Fatima.
A prayer what is associated with him is:
O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who seek our refuge in Thee, and for all who do not seek refuge in Thee, especially for the enemies of the Church and those who have been commended to Thee. Amen.
This second prayer of the Miraculous Medal deals with the sacramental itself and also has some beautiful MI overtones:
O Virgin Mother of God, Mary Immaculate, We consecrate ourselves to You under the title of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. May this medal be for each of us a sure sign of Your affection for us and a constant reminder of our duties to You. May we, while wearing it, be blessed by Your loving protection and preserved in the grace of Your Son. O most powerful Virgin, Mother of our Savior, keep us close to You at every moment of our lives. Help us, Your children, to the grace of a happy death; that in union with You we may enjoy the bliss of heaven forever. Amen.
It is also important to note that the Miraculous Medal, as with all sacramentals, is not a "good luck charm". Remember also, when we express our devotion to Mary, that we are not worshipping Her as many Christians in other denominations, especially some Evangelicals, believe, but honoring Her in her devotion to our Lord! As the saying goes "to Jesus through Mary".
Remember also Her last words in Scripture, in which She told the attendants at the wedding feast of Cana, "Do whatever He [Jesus] tells you" (John 2:5).