Tuesday, November 4, 2008

The Jubilee Medal of St. Benedict

I believe we have reached the final post of my personal election blogging marathon. :) Next time, I don't plan to wait six months between blog posts and then post a lot at once. I would love it if you would stick with me by subscribing in your blog reader! I always welcome feedback, either on the blog or at weareacatholicfamily@live.com.

A great resource in our spiritual life, especially for those of us attracted to the spirituality of St. Benedict (the founder of Western monasticism), is:

THE JUBILEE MEDAL OF ST. BENEDICT

(This is an excerpt from Rev. Randall Paine, ORC, His Time Is Short: The Devil and his Agenda, [St. Paul, MN: The Leaflet Missal Company, 1989] pp.89-91. This EWTN link also provides a prayer to St. Benedict and other specific uses of the medal.)

This medal has long been regarded as especially efficacious in protecting its wearers against demonic attacks, and securing a number of special graces. Let us take a closer look at the inscriptions on its two sides. On the front of the medal we find St. Benedict holding a Cross in one hand, and the Rule of St. Benedict in the other. At his sides are the words “Crux S. Patris Benedicti” (“The Cross of the Holy Father Benedict”), and below his feet: “Ex S M Casino MDCCCLXXX” (“From the holy mount of Casino, 1880”). On that date, Monte Cassino was given the exclusive right to produce this medal, and special Jubilee indulgences were added. Still on this front side of the medal we find inscribed in a circle the words: “Ejus in obitu nostro presentia muniamur” (“May his presence protect us in our hour of death”).

The reverse side of the medal is where the real exorcistic force reveals itself. In the center is a Cross. The Cross, which St. Benedict so loved and often used as a powerful exorcism, is the sign before which even Dracula shrinked. The vertical beam of the Cross bears the letters “C.S.S.M.L.”, and the horizontal beam, the letters “N.D.S.M.D.” These are the first letters of the words: “CRUX SACRA SIT MIHI LUX” (“May the Holy Cross be a light unto me”), “NON DRACO SIT MIHI DUX” (“And may the Dragon never be my guide”). The four large letters at the corners of the Cross, “C S P B”, stand for “CRUX SANCTI PATRIS BENEDICTI” (“The Cross of the Holy Father Benedict”) ... In addition to the "Pax" ("peace") motto at the top, we find the following letters in a circle around the margin of this side: “V.R.S.N.S.M.V.” “S.M.Q.L.I.V.B.” … “VADE RETRO SATANA; NUNQUAM SUADE MIHI VANA” (“Get behind me, Satan; Never suggest vain thoughts to me”). “SUNT MALA QUAE LIBAS” (“The cup you offer is evil”). “IPSE VENENA BIBAS!” (“Drink the poison yourself!”).

This richly indulgenced medal can be worn around the neck, or be attached to one's Rosary, or simply kept in a pocket or purse. The pious intention of wearing such an object, together with the Church's powerful blessing and intercessory power, make it into an unspoken prayer which has been shown to be of great help in maintaining holy purity, bringing about conversions, protecting against inclement weather and contagious disease.

Many beautiful crucifixes, to be worn or hung, are embedded with this powerful medal. One site that sells them (and other Catholic goods) at a discount is GetFED at www.getfed.com. A priest would be glad to bless the medal for you. You may want to attach it to your sacrifice beads or scapular, or in a way that you always have it.

1 comment:

  1. This is interesting. I found this crucix by the side of the road, and not bbeing Catholic was curious as to what these letters stood for.

    ReplyDelete

Let's talk about it!