In 1830 a very special series of events happened at the
motherhouse chapel of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul in Paris,
France.
Mary came to visit a simple Daughter of Charity who was
still a seminary sister (Novice). Sister Catherine Labouré was a quiet and
unassuming sister. In fact, the directress of the new sisters wrote on
Catherine’s notes that she was “unremarkable” – nothing special. That’s how
Mary reveals herself. She so often appears to the lowly, the humble, the uneducated,
the simple, the unbelievable – and yet, that’s what makes them believable. We
can take a moment to remember some of those “unbelievable” visionaries – Juan
Diego, Bernadette, Francisco, Jacinta and Lucia. They were the most unlikely,
seemingly impossible people/children to be favored with such amazing visions
and visits.
On July 18, 1830, Mary invited Catherine to the chapel for a
time of sharing and “missioning.” Mary talked with Catherine about her Son’s
love for all, the hardships that were about to fall upon France and the world.
In that July visit, Mary also asked Catherine to implore her confessor to begin
an association for children – “The Children of Mary.” (This was in the days
long before youth ministry was a part of parish life.) We know it today as the
Vincentian Marian Youth – an international organization with over 100,000
members.
On November 27, 1830 Mary came once again to visit
Catherine. This time she continued to share the message of her Son’s love, our
duty to pray…but she also gave the world a special gift.
During this apparition, Mary stretched out her arms and
asked Catherine to have a medal made. On the front side, there was Mary with
rays of light flowing from rings on her fingers, the earth and serpent at her
feet, stars around her head and outlining the medal the words, “O Mary
Conceived Without Sin, Pray For Us Who Have Recourse to You.”
Mary stands on the serpent – representing that moment when
original sin entered the world. She reminds us of the ongoing struggle to
follow her Son – always remembering that we were made to be united with him,
not separated from him.
Mary claims her title as the Immaculate Conception –
encouraging the Church to do the same. In fact, the medal was originally called
the Medal of the Immaculate Conception. It was only after so many miracles were
attributed to the wearing of the medal that the people of God began calling it the
Miraculous Medal. After the medal began to spread throughout Europe and the
world, the Pope surveyed bishops from all over to collect feedback and thoughts
about the Immaculate Conception. In 1854, over twenty years later, the Church
declared Mary’s Immaculate Conception a Dogma of our Faith.
The rings on her hands have those beautiful rays of light
flowing outward – graces from her Son – graces that we must ask for. She
reminds us that in order for all the rays to be fully extended we need to
participate in the mission of intercessory prayer. When Catherine asked Mary
why some of the rays of light were shorter than others, Mary told her that
those rays represented the graces that are never asked for. WE NEED TO ASK! We
are not simply recipients of a fate that is assigned to us. We live and
participate in the mission of her Son Jesus Christ. We acknowledge that by asking
for his grace to come into our lives, the lives of those we love, the lives of
those who suffer and all others…into the whole world.
On the back of the medal is the image of the Cross over and
woven through the “M.” They are not just near each other. They are woven
together in such a way, that if the cross were to move, the “M” would move with
it. Not one in being, one in mission.There are two hearts toward the bottom of the medal – the sorrowful hearts of Jesus (with the crown of thorns) and Mary (the sword piercing her heart). These remind us of their unending love and generosity in giving it ALL. They know the pain of that unconditional YES – responding with a whole heart for the whole world.
The twelve stars we see on the back of the medal were around
Mary’s head – as a halo or crown – in the apparition. It wasn’t possible to
depict them on the medal at the time. The technology didn’t exist to make such
a tiny engraving. So, the stars were added to the back. They represent so many
things – the twelve tribes of Israel, the twelve apostles …they represent the
followers of the One True God, Jesus Christ, yesterday and
today – always striving to hold all that Mary and her Son have for us. Their
mission is our mission.
The stars also remind us of the woman in Revelations. The Miraculous Medal is such a gift to the Church – to the whole world. We see Mary
as the woman who stands on the head of the serpent – that original sin – that
event recounted in Genesis, the first book in the Bible. We see Mary crowned
with twelve stars – the woman revealed to us in Revelations, the last book of
the Bible. Mary’s presence…bookending the scriptural telling of the Christian
story. Mary’s mission IS her Son’s mission – always united. O Mary Conceived
Without Sin, Pray for Us Who Have Recourse to You!!!
Sister Lisa Laguna, D.C.
MI '92
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