The Miraculous Medal
A couple of months ago I felt inspired to give a blessed Miraculous Medal to a woman I met who was working at a department store. I’ll call her Louise. She seemed very touched to receive the medal. After accepting it, she began to tell me that she had been going through some really rough times lately and felt she truly “needed” the medal. As Louise was telling me this she began to cry. Her tears seemed to come from profound thankfulness and even relief. It was as if Mother Mary had come to Louise at that very moment in the blessed medal and Louise could now feel that everything would be okay. Louise’s whole demeanor changed when she accepted the medal into her hand. She continued to wipe her eyes with a tissue as tears continued to appear. Thankfully, for her sake, no one else noticed. I silently prayed that Mother Mary would profoundly touch this woman now holding the blessed medal. I had no doubt that she would.
About a month later I saw Louise again at the same store. She proudly showed me her beautiful medal which was now on a chain around her neck and hanging alongside two tiny opals. Louise said the opals represented hope. When she had come across the opals in her jewelry box she thought that she should wear them together with the medal, for the medal brought her great hope. My heart secretly soared. I was thrilled that she was wearing the blessed medal I had given her and that it brought her a renewed hope.
Louise also shared that her sister Mary was going through some very hard times. I don’t know what it entailed and I didn’t venture to ask. I didn’t need to know. But, I did ask Louise if I could give her a blessed medal for her sister and she gladly accepted my offer. I reached into my pocket and retrieved a blessed medal that I had placed in there that morning before heading out to do my errands. I kissed it, touched it to the one I wear, and handed it to Louise who teared up instantly. She sincerely thanked me.
Just recently, as the Advent season was winding down to the tail end, only a couple of days before Christmas, I went into the same department store to finish up my Christmas shopping. Earlier in the day, I had just completed a huge book manuscript and was happily relieved that I could finally finish up preparations for Christmas at the eleventh hour. I spotted Louise behind the jewelry counter and went over to say “hello” and to wish her a very happy Christmas. She was very eager to share a little story with me. Thankfully, there were no customers around the counter and she could freely speak to me. Louise said that she visited her sister recently and Mary told her that she was feeling very sad because she was sorely missing their mother who had passed away the previous Christmas time. Mary couldn’t stop thinking of her mother. When she heard the song “Ave Maria” playing, she broke down and cried. It was their mother’s favorite song.
So, at the visit with her sister, Louise pulled out the Miraculous Medal I had given to her for her sister and proceeded to tell Mary about meeting me and the gift of the medal. She also told her sister that I had touched it to the blessed medal that I wear that Mother Teresa had given me (a relic). Her sister began to cry and said she felt very blessed and thankful to receive the special gift. After that, Mary’s husband bought her a chain and she is now wearing the medal. Mary is now feeling comforted with a sacramental of the Blessed Mother who is with her at all times to bring her graces, hope, and encouragement.
As Louise recounted the story of her sister and their mother, she shed quiet tears once again. I was very touched too, upon hearing it, and I felt extremely blessed to have played a part in this beautiful exchange. We expressed to one another that we were so very thankful that God had clearly arranged all of this to happen. It was especially joyful and poignant to happen right at Christmas time.
I believe that God is so very good and takes care of our every need. He desires that we open our hearts to His whispers to our souls and that we be cooperative to His many graces so that we can help others around us who are struggling with hurt, loneliness, sadness, and pain. So many people are deeply wounded and need a loving touch. Mother Mary is always ready to assist us in getting closer to her Son Jesus.
“O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.” [words from the Blessed Mother that appear on the Miraculous Medal]
Will you reach out in love soon to someone you don’t even know? It could be a perfect stranger. Mother Teresa, whom I was blessed to know, considered that person to be “Jesus in the distressing disguise of the poorest of the poor.”
Venture to reach out with Christ’s love. It will no doubt change someone’s heart forever.
Editor’s Note: If you are interested in learning more about the Miraculous Medal, take a look at Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle’s wonderful book, The Miraculous Medal: Stories, Prayers, and Devotions.
