An Unlikely Helper
The extraordinary story begins on the night of July 18, 1830, when a
mysterious child awakens Sister Catherine Laboure. The child leads her
to the convent's chapel. There, Sister Catherine sees the Virgin Mary,
sitting in a chair. She kneels beside Mary, and rests her hands in the
Virgin's lap. The two speak for several hours. During the conversation,
Mary promises she will return and give the young nun "a mission." The
child leads Catherine back to her bed. Catherine hears the clock strike 2
a.m., July 19.
A little more than four months later, Sister Catherine learns what Mary
wants.
During her evening meditation on Nov. 27, 1830, Catherine has a vision
of Mary standing in a position similar to the depiction on the medal.
Later, the vision changes to include the inscription found on the front
side of the medal.
Mary speaks to Catherine, saying, "Have a medal struck upon this model.
Those who wear it will receive great graces, especially if they wear it
around their neck."
Iconic Attraction
It was as Mary said. The medal's effects were immediate.
The first medals were made in 1832 and distributed throughout Paris.
According to the Association of the Miraculous Medal, the blessings that
Mary promised "began to shower down" on wearers of the medal. The
devotion spread rapidly. In 1836, a Church investigation declared the
apparitions to be genuine.
Since Mary asked Catherine to have the medal struck, devotion to the
Miraculous Medal has spread the world over, the image having achieved
iconic stature.
But what does the medal mean? In answering that, one discovers why it
works.
The Front Side
• Mary stands on a globe, crushing a serpent beneath her feet.
Describing the original vision, Catherine said the Blessed Mother
appeared radiant as a sunrise, "in all her perfect beauty."
• Rays shoot out from Mary's hands, which she told Catherine, "...
symbolize the graces I shed upon those who ask for them."
• Words from the vision form an oval frame around Mary: "O Mary,
conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee."
Seen as a matrix, the elements of the front design encapsulate major
Marian tenets:
Quality of Our Lady As Illustrated by the Medal
• Mother Her open arms, the "recourse" we have in her
• Immaculate The words, "conceived without sin"
• Assumed into Heaven She stands on the globe
• Mediatrix Rays from her hands symbolizing "graces"
• Our Protection Crushes the serpent (Gn. 3:15)
The Reverse Side
• A cross-and-bar surmounts a large, bold "M"
• 12 stars disperse around the perimeter
• Two hearts are depicted underneath the "M," the left lapped with a
crown of thorns, the right skewed by a sword. From each, a flame
emanates from the top. Again, employing a grid analysis, we can see how
the reverse-side design contains great symbolism reflecting major tenets
of the Catholic faith.
Design Element and its Catholic Meaning
• The large letter "M" — Mary as Mother, Mediatrix.
• Cross and bar — Jesus' cross of Redemption.
• 12 stars — 12 Apostles, who formed the first Church.
• Left Heart — The Sacred Heart, who died for our sins.
• Right Heart — The Immaculate Heart, who intercedes for us.
• Flames — The burning love Jesus and Mary have for us.
The Association of the Miraculous Medal, in Perryville, Mo., notes that
there is no superstition or magic connected with the Miraculous Medal,
nor is it "a good luck charm." Rather, it is "a testimony to faith and
the power of trusting prayer. Its greatest miracles are those of
patience, forgiveness, repentance, and faith." ( Association of the Miraculous Medal, 1811 W. St. Joseph St., Perryville, MO, 63775).
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