This is a story by Dr T Marshall:
When I was still Protestant, I remember reading St Ephrem the Syrian. I was amazed by how often he spoke of the Mother of Christ and how much he praised her in his poetic hymnody. Ephrem was a Syrian Christian living from AD 306 – 373. He is early and he undoubtedly teaches that Mary was without stain, unlike other humans. He is probably the earliest and most explicit Patristic witness to the dogma of the Immaculate Conception.
As a Protestant, I got it. I was never really bothered by the
fact that Mary would be sinless. In fact, it made sense to me. I was
suspect of the doctrine simply because Paul said that “all had sinned”
but I could see how the doctrine could be preserved and read in context.
I also learned about the Miraculous Medal – which is a small medal
that commentaries the Immaculate Conception. It’s really called the
Medal of Immaculate Conception, but so many miracles have been worked
through it that it is now simply called the Miraculous Medal. Wearing it is a sign that you are particularly devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary as the Immaculate Mother and Enemy of Satan.
Here’s the story about the medal and why you should wear it:
On July 18, 1830, Saint Catherine Labouré awoke hearing a voice of a
child calling her to the chapel located in the Rue du Bac, Paris. The
Blessed Virgin Mary said 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.”
Catherine reported that the Blessed Mother returned during evening
meditations. She displayed herself inside an oval frame, standing upon a
globe, wearing many rings of different colors, most of which shone rays
of light over the globe. Around the margin of the frame appeared the
French wordsÔ Marie, conçue sans péché, priez pour nous qui avons recours à vous (O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee).
As Catherine watched, the frame seemed to rotate, showing a circle
of twelve stars, a large letter M surmounted by a cross, and the
stylized Sacred Heart of Jesus crowned with thorns and Immaculate Heart
of Mary pierced with a sword. Asked why some of her rings did not shed
light, Mary reportedly replied, “Those are the graces for which people
forget to ask.” Catherine then heard Mary ask her to take these images
to her father confessor, telling him that they should be put on
medallions, and saying “All who wear them will receive great graces.”
One of the most remarkable facts recorded in connection with the
Miraculous Medal is the conversion of a Jew, Marie-Alphonse Ratisbonne
of Strasburg, who had resisted the appeals of a friend to enter the
Church. Alphonse Ratisbonne consented, somewhat reluctantly, to wear the
medal, and being in Rome, he entered, by chance, the church of
Sant’Andrea delle Fratte and beheld in a vision the Blessed Virgin Mary
exactly as she is represented on the medal; his conversion speedily
followed.
I , Pinksunset, have some stories of favors and protection I received because of wearing this medal! I am preparing to write my experiences and will share them with you soon on here.
I , Pinksunset, have some stories of favors and protection I received because of wearing this medal! I am preparing to write my experiences and will share them with you soon on here.