Marian Medals and Scrupulosity

[Brother_Ganser]

This is an odd question but I promised I would post it for a friend who is unable to use the internet regularly.

In De Montfort’s true devotion to Mary he recommends as one of the external practices of those who have made the Consecration to Mary a medal and a chain to symbolize their enslavement to her.

This person for whom I am writing has always done this. He wear a four way cross against his skin and has always worn a Marian medal over his shirt. The four way cross is the traditional one with the Miraculous medal on the bottom.

Recently he lost the Marian medal and began to wonder if he should replace it or does the four way cross with its miniature symbols suffice as an external devotion. I told him not to worry too much about it since its not the medal itself that is important but faith but he still wants to make sure he’s doing every correctly externally so that it may aid his interior formation.

So, any comments? Does someone who has made the Consecration to Jesus through Mary need to wear a second Marian Medal or is this simply a case of spiritual fear?

 

[MarieVeronica]

I told him not to worry too much about it since its not the medal itself that is important but faith but he still wants to make sure he’s doing every correctly externally so that it may aid his interior formation.

So, any comments? Does someone who has made the Consecration to Jesus through Mary need to wear a second Marian Medal or is this simply a case of spiritual fear?

“Brother Ganser” I think you gave your friend some good advice. Medals, Scapulars and the like… are sacramentals, outward signs… and should never be used in a fearful or superstitious way.

I would think that the one medal he is still wearing is fine. He should pray, too… about his feelings toward the lost medal. Fear is not a good thing to attach to the use of any sacramental.

I hope this helps in some way. God bless you.

 

[Monica4316]

This is an odd question but I promised I would post it for a friend who is unable to use the internet regularly.

In De Montfort’s true devotion to Mary he recommends as one of the external practices of those who have made the Consecration to Mary a medal and a chain to symbolize their enslavement to her.

This person for whom I am writing has always done this. He wear a four way cross against his skin and has always worn a Marian medal over his shirt. The four way cross is the traditional one with the Miraculous medal on the bottom.

Recently he lost the Marian medal and began to wonder if he should replace it or does the four way cross with its miniature symbols suffice as an external devotion. I told him not to worry too much about it since its not the medal itself that is important but faith but he still wants to make sure he’s doing every correctly externally so that it may aid his interior formation.

So, any comments? Does someone who has made the Consecration to Jesus through Mary need to wear a second Marian Medal or is this simply a case of spiritual fear?

I think De Montfort specified that the external practices are not necessary? He says, you can wear a little iron chain (etc) if you want to, but really, you don’t have to, and if you don’t it doesn’t make your consecration any less meaningful.
Maybe - and I’m just guessing here… but perhaps the reason your friend lost the medal is because he was a little too attached to it?
I really believe in sacramentals and I wear a few myself, and I think they actually help. God can use them as occasions of grace. But in the case of total consecration, they’re not necessary, it’s the consecration itself (and living it out) that’s important.
Does your friend own True Devotion? I think there’s a section there about this…

now if it really bothers him and is a distraction… there’s nothing wrong with just getting a new medal

God bless

 

[DebChris]

III the wearing of the Little Chains
236. …It is perfectly true that thes external insignia are not essential, and a person who has embraced this devotion may well go without them,…
238. Reasons for wearing these little chaiins;
First, to remind the Christian of the vows and promises of his Baptism, of the perfect renewal he has made of them by this devotion, and of the strict obligation under which he is to be faithful to them.

61…if we are in Jesus christ and Jesus Christ is in us, we have no condemnation to fear.

1. External devotees are persons who make devotion to our Blessed Ladey consist in outward practices.
   I’m not sure any of the excerpts I have listed help or not. #96 describes those who focus on external devotions ends with these exterior devotees being critical “of men of prayer, who foster an interior spirit as the essential thing, without, however, disregarding that outward modesty that always accompanies true devotion.”.
   The greatest number who begin this devotion “stop at what is exterior in it” (#119).
2. This practice of devotion gives to those who make use of it faithfully a great interior liberty, which is the liberty of the children of God.
   226…what is essential in this devotion consists of the interior…the outward practices, well performed, aid the inward ones; and because they remind man, who is always guided by his senses, of what he has done or ought to do, and also because they are suitable for edifying our neighbor, who sees them; these are things which inward practices cannot do

Brother Gasner–While Louis de Montfort spends an exorbitant amount of time on the importance of the external practices, I agree with what you told your friend. Medals can be replaced. A single chain is all that is necessary. The four way cross is an excellent sacramental. It is more than sufficient.