A Precious Gift From God Himself

I love my Catholic faith!  If you read MTT regularly, you’ve probably come to know that!  But I don’t know if I’ve ever told you why.  So, let’s do this!

Take the six-week period beginning November 27, for example.  November 27 is the Feast of the Miraculous Medal in the Church.  The Miraculous Medal is a medal struck back in the mid-nineteenth century per the instructions of the Blessed Mother.  Mary appeared to a young, uneducated nun in France back in 1830.  The nun’s name was Catherine Laboure’.  Mary gave Sister Catherine specific instructions for the design of the medal … a full image of herself (Mary) with the words “O, Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee” encircling the image.  I say this prayer every morning as I put this medal, attached to a chain, around my neck.  Mary promised “great graces” to those who would do this.  Today, Catherine is Saint Catherine Laboure’ and her incorrupt body can be viewed in the church in which the apparition took place in Paris.  I viewed her body there on a trip to Europe in the year 2000.

Next comes the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8.  Once again, the Blessed Mother is honored by a special day, a “holyday” in the Church.  Catholics believe that Mary was conceived in her mother’s womb without the stain of original sin, unlike the rest of us.  She confirmed this when she appeared to Saint Catherine and also when she appeared to another young, uneducated girl in Lourdes, France, in 1858, when Mary uttered the words “I am the Immaculate Conception.”  The history of the idea actually goes back much further.  I found myself getting rather emotional as I approached the very spot of this apparition last month during another trip to Europe.  The girl’s name was Bernadette Subirous.  She is now Saint Bernadette and her incorrupt body can be viewed at the convent of her religious order in Nevers, France.  The whole story was made into a movie, “The Song of Bernadette,” in 1943 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Song_of_Bernadette_(film)).  The movie won four academy awards, one of which was for Best Actress (Jennifer Jones).

Next is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe on December 12.  Mary appeared to an uneducated peasant by the name of Juan Diego near Mexico City in 1531.  To convince Church authorities that he wasn’t just making it up, Mary left a “photograph” of herself on the inside of Juan’s cloak.  This cloak is on display in the Church built in Mary’s honor on the very spot of the apparition (at her request).  Juan is now Saint Juan Diego.

If this isn’t enough to produce a full dose of joy and praise in you like it does in me, we still have the Christmas story and also the Feast of the Solemnity of the Blessed Mother on January 1.  For me, this six-week period is just simply overwhelming.

But some don’t believe.  Protestants say that we Catholics worship Mary.  No, the words “honor” and venerate” are the appropriate words.  Atheists scoff at all of this as being superstition and figments of the imagination.  No, the evidence (miracles of healing at Lourdes and the incorrupt bodies, etc.) is just too strong.  To me, it is proof that we are under the watchful eye of the supernatural, and this gives me extraordinary joy and peace, knowing that this is my faith, a precious gift from God himself.  Amen!