Saying "Yes" to God

Solemnity of the Annunciation

The Solemnity of the Annunciation is one of those beautiful feasts I love.   There are two events we are celebrating in this one Gospel passage: the Mystery of the Incarnation, the Word made Flesh in the womb of the Virgin Mary, and the maternity of Mary.  The Pro-life movement chose this feast for its Patronal feast day and the reason is I think pretty obvious.  I like this feast not because of the vision of angel or supernatural light.  In fact, there is nothing in the Gospel which explicitly tells us how the Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary.  For all we know it may not have been a visual encounter but an internal locution or apprehension.  All we can be sure of is that "God had sent his angel to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph of the House of David, and the virgin's name was Mary."  I like to imagine Mary exactly as she is portrayed in the photo above- in the midst of the ordinary.  God comes to us in the ordinary events and circumstances of life.  Without fanfare and fireworks.  Just in the ordinary, right in the familiar and everyday.  It is in this cloak of the ordinary which makes us sometimes miss Him.  But Mary, who ponders all things in her heart, and in silence waits lovingly for the promise of the Messiah like all the women of Israel in her days, recognized the moment.   And when she recognized the presence of something special, she was afraid.  But only for a short moment because the one who is full of grace was open to all possibilities.  Her doubt was not the expression of unbelief but a sign of openness to what was being spoken by the angel.  What was announced to her was still an invitation, and she was free to choose.  

The lesson of the Annunciation is the "fiat" which Mary uttered.  "I am the handmaid of the Lord.  Let it be done to me as you have said."  These are the words we try to live by everyday of our lives.  This "Fiat" is the word we not only say once in the big moments of our life, but in the everyday, ordinary events of life.  It needs to be renewed at every moment because God makes His Will known to us at every moment and we are asked to respond.  According to Caryll Houselander in her book "The Reed of God" saying "yes" does not so much mean that we agree to do something for God.  It is more that we agree to have God do something in us.  Transform us, make us more like His Son, live His life again in us so that He can continue His mercy and works in the world.  It is complete abandon to the merciful designs of a loving God who knows what is best for us.  When I am faced with a choice, I think of the Annunciation, and try to work my way from fear, to doubts, to resignation.

Feast of the Presentation

 

We celebrate February 2nd  as the Feast of the Presentation of the the Lord or traditionally called "Candlemas."This is an ancient feast in the Roman Catholic Church dating back to as far back as 312 with some historical homilies by bishops.  This feast falls 40 days after Christmas and commemorates the Purification of Mary in the temple in Jerusalem following the mandate of the Law of Moses in the Book of Leviticus (Leviticus 12:2-8).  According to this Mosaic Law, any woman who had given birth to her first-born son is considered impure, and would have to go through a process of ritual purification.  Consequently, the Child Jesus was also presented to the temple to be consecrated to God according to the same Law.  Candlemas was originally a celebration of the blessing of candles.  These candles were blessed and were reserved for the use of the Church in its different liturgical celebrations throughout the year.  In the liturgy, we still have the part of Simple or Solemn procession and blessing of the candles.  After Vatican II, the emphasis was refocused on the feast of the Presentation itself.  It traditionally became the day when Religious renew their vows as a symbol of renewing their religious consecration. 

This feast presents to us many points for personal reflection.  There are many things which come to my mind and among these are the following:

A lesson on poverty:  This feast recalls to mind how Mary and Joseph were really poor.  They offered to God what was prescribed in the Law as the offering of poor people: turtle doves.  Sometimes we may be tempted to think that the Holy Family's poverty was a pious tradition to exalt the virtue of poverty to those who were born poor in this world. Or to pacify the restless hearts of peasants during the middle ages by the backing of religion.  But this Gospel event proves to us that they were materially poor in the true sense of the word.  It is so consoling to think that material possessions are not always a badge of God's favor and the lack of them is not a sign of God's disfavor.

We are all consecrated:    By virtue of our baptism, we are consecrated to God.  We are set apart to do a particular mission in life to bring about the Kingdom.  Consecration is lived out in many ways.  Religious are consecrated by a certain ritual in the Church which sets them aside for a particular ministry following a particular charism, within a particular Religious Order.  Ordained Priests are consecrated to be God's ministers of Word and Sacraments for the life of one's soul.  A baptized Christian in the world is consecrated to be a leaven, a salt of the earth, to make present the presence of God in the market-places of the world.  No one is exempted.  We just do not exist, we live for a purpose.  The Presentation of the Child Jesus was a statement of this truth.

God lives in His temple and because of that we ought to give the House of God the respect it deserves.  The drama of Mary's purification, Jesus' consecration, the prophecy made by Simeon and the love of the prophetess Anna, all demonstrate to us how holy the temple or Church is.  In our Catholic Churches is present, day and night, the Son of God, Lord of Heaven and earth, who chose to remain in that little piece of bread we call the Eucharist so that He can be with us always.  And yet, for one reason or other, we take it for granted.  We need to recapture the reverence and awe we once had for the House of God.  Everyone of us can cite examples of how people can be so disrespectful of God's temple.

Our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and as such should be treated with respect and reverence.  Our body is the instrument to render homage to God by acts of good deeds and virtues or to be used as an instrument to offend Him.  This feast reminds us to be conscious of this reality.

The sword piercing Mary's heart was a prophecy of the Cross.  Along with the joy of having given birth to God, the joy was lined with sorrow because the prophecy foretells  rejection, hate and death.  Isn't this a consequence of following Jesus, of discipleship?  The Cross is never far away from those who truly follow God.  That is one reason why people are afraid to follow Christ, "it is difficult, too complicated" many would say.  It entails dying: to self, selfish desires, life of sin.

As we celebrate this feast of the Presentation, let us again be mindful of these truths and ponder the insights which God reveals to those who seek Him.  "And suddenly there will come to the temple the Lord whom you seek (Malachi 3:1-4).  "Are you not aware that you are God's temple?"  Let us enter in, into the temple of our soul.  Let us remain in silence before the Lord our God.  Nothing is needed for this journey except the desire to be united with Him. As St. John of the Cross would say, the language God hears best is the silent language of love.

MARY, MOTHER OF GOD, MOTHER OF MINE

January 1st is the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. Of all the titles of Mary, her motherhood is the title I like best. I love to collect photos of Mary showing her with the Child Jesus. There is something in that mystery that draws me. Of course, it gives me much delight to know that I was also born on the feast of the Dedication of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome - August 5th. The Basilica is the largest basilica in the West dedicated to the Mother of God. It was erected, as the story goes, at the site where Our Lady of the Snows appeared. This was also the day-January 1, 1998, that I received the holy habit of Carmel!

A great heresy in the Church, promulgated by Bishop Nestorius, claimed that Mary was not the Mother of God, but the mother of the man, Jesus. He proposed that Mary could not have borne God since he is God, but bore only the man. In saying this, he was actually denying the divinity of Jesus. This heresy was put to rest in 431 at the Council of Ephesus when the Greek Fathers of the Church, headed by St. Cyril of Alexandria, defined the maternity of Mary. It was on this Council that the title of "Theotokos" or "God-Bearer",was first used.

It is interesting to note that Mary's motherhood is presented to us by the Church calendar at the beginning of the year. This maternal role actually began at the Annunciation when Mary agreed to be the Mother of the Son of God. But because the Church wants to put the spotlight on the person of Jesus, the Emmanuel, Mary sort of faded into the background. Now that the climax of Christmas is somewhat over, Mary is again brought back on stage. It is also fitting to celebrate this feast at the opening of the New Year because it brings to mind the reality that Mary is the dawn and Christ the Rising Sun. She is the one that leads us to God. She opens the way so that we can follow the path of true discipleship. The document "Lumen Gentium" says that Mary is the first of Christ's faithful disciples.

It is unfortunate that this motherhood of Mary is rejected by many, Protestants and Catholics alike. By Protestants, because of a misunderstanding and fear that she will take away from Jesus the honor and worship that he solely deserves. By Catholics, because they have reduced Mary solely as an object of empty and silly devotions, the heroine of mythic proportion. Saint Therese of Lisieux one day complained about the manner in which priests of her day talked about Mary in their homilies. "They talk of her imagined life, not her real life. Why can't they talk about how she doubted like us, that she suffered like us."

Of all the insights about Mary, one I ponder the most, is our late Pope John Paul II's words in his encyclical Redemptoris Mater that Mary is blessed BECAUSE SHE BELIEVED. It was her faith alone that we can all strive to imitate. Her other attributes of the Immaculate Conception and Divine Motherhood are attributes that will never be ours. But her faith, her trust and surrender, are virtues we can all imitate. Woman of Faith.. Mother of God... Mother of Mine.

Mary of Guadalupe

Feast:  December 12th

The feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a beautiful feast appropriately celebrated during Advent.  Just as the message of Guadalupe was a message of light piercing through the darkness, so is the message of Advent that of Light dawning upon mankind.  The story of Our Lady of Guadalupe is beautiful in that it once again shows us the tenderness of Mary as mother, appearing to a humble native named Juan Diego on the hills of Tepeyac, to offer consolation and hope to a world wrapped in ignorance and darkness.  She appeared heavy with child, anticipating the beautiful event we are to celebrate Christmas night, when the Child to be born of her comes to save His people.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel

The Order of Carmel celebrates the solemnity of Mary under her title of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on July 16th. This is a very special day for all Carmelites as they honor Mary as their Patroness.
This is a very special day for me because this day marks the day I was led to a deeper appreciation of the Mother of God and my Catholic faith. I still vividly remember, and can accurately recall, the words of the priest that gave me my first brown scapular on July 16, 1984, "Wear this and call on the Virgin Mary." Everyone experiences life-changing events, this was mine.

Our Lady of the Rosary

October 7th is designated feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.  The Holy Rosary has been described as a "compendium of the Gospels," a summary of the life of Christ and encapsulates the most memorable events in the life of Our Lady.  The Rosary, along with the Brown Scapular, is the most popular devotion to Mary.  For cradle Catholics, we learned of the Holy Rosary since childhood, and consider it to be the most powerful weapon against evil.  Mary had placed her seal of approval on this devotion as evidenced by her many apparitions.  The devotion of the rosary came to us through St. Dominic.
"According to tradition, the rosary was given to St. Dominic in an apparition by the Blessed Virgin Mary in the year 1214 in the church of Prouille.   This Marian apparition received the title of Our Lady of the Rosary.  Alain de la Roche or Saint Alan of the Rock, a learned Dominican priest and theologian, and established the "15 rosary promises" and started many rosary confraternities.   However, most scholarly research suggests a more gradual and organic development of the rosary."   (wikipedia) 

St. Bernadette and the Story of Lourdes

 The Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, February 11th, is close to my heart.  The first Saint I was ever aware of was St. Bernadette and the movie which made me keenly aware of the presence of Mary was The Song of Bernadette.  It made such an impression on me that I joined the Children of Mary with their white dresses and blue sash.  I read lots of books on Bernadette, my favorite being "Saint Bernadette Soubirous" by Abbe Fancois Trochu, and "A Holy Life" by Patricia McEachern.  Renee de Laurentis also wrote delightful books on St. Bernadette.  Among the many virtues of the Saint, it was her humility, simplicity and modesty , which spoke volumes to me.  I believe that Mary is drawn irresistibly to these virtues and is very close to those who possess them.  The story of Lourdes is closely linked to the story of suffering and February 11th is designated as World Day of Prayer for the Sick.  It is no wonder that St. Bernadette was chosen since she was the perfect model of bearing our sufferings with patience, faith and love.  Her life bears witness how God confounds the proud and lifts up the lowly.

Our Lady of the Snows

 Feast Day:  August 5

August 5th is a Marian feast celebrated in our Catholic calendar as the Feast of the Dedication of the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome. This basilica is the largest in the world dedicated to Mary, Mother of God. Pope Liberius erected this church in honor of Mary and shortly after the Council of Ephesus in 431, Pope Sixtus III commissioned a rebuilding of the Church as an affirmation of the title given to Mary as the "Theotokos" or "God-Bearer." A theological debate about this title was instigated by Bishop Nestorius when he concluded that since Mary bore the God-Man Jesus, she could only be called Mother of Jesus, and not Mother of God, since God existed before Mary. St. Cyril of Alexandria, along with the other bishops, decried this as a heresy. According to their argument, Christ's nature was indivisible. He was both God and Man and therefore Mary is also the Mother of God. St. Mary Major is one of the four Roman basilicas known as patriarchal cathedrals. St. John Lateran represents Rome, St. Paul Outside the Walls representing the See of Alexandria, St. Peter's representing the See of Constantinople and St. Mary representing the See of Antioch, where Mary spent most of her earthly life.

Why I Love You, Mary!

O Mary, how fortunate I am to call you mine,

My only treasure in this changing world.

Such tenderness.. that is your name,

Your gentleness is unsurpassed.

My heart leaps up when I think of you,

And all my sorrows melt like the snow,

With filial longing I turn to you, upon your knees

I pour out cares only you would know.

A bond between us in time was forged,

Infinite source of blessings untold!

Your eyes ever watchful to snatch me from dangers,

Your ears ever careful to hear silent whispers.

Your hands ever present to touch and to comfort.

My heart so delights in contemplating you,

To know that in heaven I have a mother like you!

If they only know the love you have for men,

Like me, they too, will be proud of their claim.

When I was small I did not really know you,

To be the mother you proved yourself to be.

With great solicitude you came and searched for me,

As you did with Jesus on that three day journey.

How lucky I was that one day you found me,

That memorable July so imprinted in my memory!

Mount Carmel! Oh how I love her!

To me she embodies my Queen and my Lady.

She is forever my true destiny, the lot

God himself has marked out for me.

Deep in Carmel's bosom  will I cling,

Forever hopeful of the promise she brings.

Deep in her thickets I will not shy away,

For with the thorns lie the rose's true beauty.

Carmel! Mary! To me they are one,

And for that very reason, 

A Carmelite I am.

Nativity of Mary

St. Anne with the Child Mary


The Catholic Church celebrates Mary's birthday on September 8th. This is of great significance, not only as a devotional celebration of the birth of our Mother in heaven, but a significant event in the life of the Church. Mary's birth is the beginning of the redemptive work of God since from her was born Jesus, our Redeemer. The whole Church rejoices as we thank God for having sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, to deliver those who are subjected to the Law, as St. Paul exclaims in his letter to the Galatians. It is fitting that we celebrate because through this humble woman, conceived without sin because she was to become the Mother of God, you and I were redeemed. It was because God prepared her from the beginning of time to be the Ark of the Covenant, that our redemption was wrought.

The events of Mary's nativity are wrapped in silence. We do not know anything about it because Scriptures do not mention it. What we have about this event comes from the apocryphal Gospel of St. James, a protoevangelium at the end of the second century. We have learned from this apocryphal narrative that St. Anne and St. Joachim conceived the child Mary in their old age. That she was presented in the temple when she was a young girl and lived in the temple area with the Templar virgins. The book by the Venerable Anne Emmerich also mentions this time in our Lady's life.

I think that the very lack of information about our Lady's birth speaks volumes. Everything about Mary is wrapped in silence. We wish there was more written about her in Scriptures so we can take them piece by piece and meditate on them. But this in itself should be enough for us. Mary's life is a hidden life and a humble life.  Hers was a life of silent joys and sorrows, silent adoration and sacrifices. The Holy Rosary is the compendium of the Gospel.  By meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary we meditate on the life of Mary as well since the life of Mary is so intricately linked to the mystery of her Son Jesus.  This feast we celebrate on September 8th is an invitation to live a hidden life, a life known to God alone. Our stations in life vary, our responsibilities take us to different directions and demand of us different courses of actions. But aside from living busy lives," we must also develop an interior and hidden life open to God alone. There, we enter from time to time to be one with the God who dwells within.

Feast of the Presentation of Mary

Source: Google photo gallery

"For a sermon of the Blessed Virgin to please me and to do me any good, I must see her real life, not her imagined life.  I am sure that her real life was very simple.  They show her to us as unapproachable, but they should present her as imitable, bringing out her virtues, saying that she lived by faith just like ourselves, giving proofs of this from the Gospel, where we read; "And they did not understand the words which he spoke to them."  And that no less mysterious statement,"His father and mother marveled at what was said about him." This admiration presupposes a certain surprise..."      Saint Therese of the Child Jesus

The account of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Temple is principally based on the Protoevangelium of James, which has been dated by historians prior to the year 200 AD. The story relates that in thanksgiving for the birth of their daughter, Mary, Joachim and Anne decide to consecrate her to God, and bring her, at the age of three years, to the temple in Jerusalem. Mary’s presentation in the temple draws parallels to that of the prophet Samuel, whose mother Hannah, like Anne was also thought to be barren, and who offered her child as a gift to God at Shiloh.

Mary remained in the Temple until her twelfth year, at which point she was assigned to Joseph as guardian. According to Coptic tradition, her father Joachim died when Mary was six years old and her mother when Mary was eight. While the story is a legend with no foundation in history, the point is to show that even in her childhood Mary was completely dedicated to God. It is from this account that arose the feast of Mary's Presentation. For the Roman Catholic Church, on the day of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, "we celebrate that dedication of herself which Mary made to God from her very childhood under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit who filled her with grace ... ." In the 1974 encyclical Marialis Cultus, Pope Paul VI wrote that "despite its apocryphal content, it presents lofty and exemplary values and carries on the venerable traditions having their origins in the Eastern churches".  (Source: Wikipedia)

Devotion to Mary: Call to Interior Life

Devotion to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel is a call to the interior life, which is in a very special way the life of Mary Our Lady wishes us to be like her more in heart and in spirit, than by wearing an exterior habit. If we penetrate Mary’s soul, we see that grace flourished in her and that her interior life was immensely rich. She lived a life of recollection, of prayer, of uninterrupted self-giving to God, of continuous relationship with God and of intimate union. The soul of Mary is a sanctuary reserved for God alone, where no human creature has left an imprint, where there reigns love, zeal for the glory of God and for the salvation of people.

Those who wish to have a full and deep devotion to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, must follow Mary in the profundity of her interior life. Carmel is a symbol of the contemplative life, a life wholly dedicated to the search for God, wholly turned towards divine intimacy. The one who most fully fulfils this high ideal is Our Lady, Regina Decor Carmeli. “In the desert equity will live and on Carmel justice will preside. Peace will flow from justice and from justice silence will flow and security forever My people will live in peace, in a strong fortress.” These verses taken from Isaiah (cf. 32, 16-18) and used for the proper Office for Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, set out very well what is the contemplative spirit and at the same time are a beautiful sketch of the soul of Mary, who is a true "garden" (in Hebrew “Carmel" means garden) of virtue, oasis of silence, of peace, in whom reigns justice and equity. She is a stronghold surrounded by the shadow of God and filled with God. Every soul called to the interior life, even if living in the midst of this noisy world, must seek to arrive at this peace and at this interior silence that makes possible the continuous contact with God. The passions disturb the peace of our soul and interrupt the intimate conversation with God. Only the soul which is completely detached and which has completely dominated all passions can, like Mary, be a solitary, silent "garden" where the Lord finds delight. This is the grace, which today we ask from Our Lady, choosing her as the patroness and mistress of our interior life.  Original article

Our Lady of Knock

The feast of Our Lady of Knock is celebrated on August 21st, the same day we celebrate Pope Pius X. One of the many graces I received in my religious life is the opportunity to live in Ireland for two years. Our Congregation has a nursing home there and I was sent in 2002 to 2004. I loved Ireland and I am grateful for the short time I was stationed there. Sure, I felt homesick and missed our American holidays, but it was an experience of both culture and spirit, not to mention Religious Obedience. I came to know and appreciate St. Patrick in a deeper way, different from the wave of shamrocks and Irish trinkets we have on St. Patrick's day. I also learned about Our Lady of Knock. I visited Knock several times when I was in Ireland and made a three day personal Retreat at the Shrine. A fellow Sister and I stayed at a facility operated by the religious of St. John of God right at the Shrine grounds. I was fortunate enough to stay up late at night to savor the quiet of the Shrine when all the other pilgrims were gone. The daytime processions and conferences during Mass were wonderful.

The representation of the vision found at the sanctuary is engaging. At the main altar is a statue of a lamb with a cross, the Lamb of God. Off to the side of the altar are three figures, life-size, all struck in white, with Our Lady in the middle, and St. Joseph and St. John the Apostle, each standing on her side. There is an air of prayer and stillness in the main chapel. When you're inside the chapel, the silence is so palpable that one can't help but be drawn to the contemplation of the vision before you. The message of Knock for me is one of reverence and an invitation to enter into the mystery of the Lamb which was slain and is represented at the altar. It is an invitation to contemplate the mystery of Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. The witnesses stated that Mary was silent during the apparition. The fact that there were many witnesses, ranging from the very young to the very old, men and women, makes me think of the universality of the Mass. The presence of St. John the Apostle makes me think of his prologue, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was GOD." St. Joseph, the humble and just man of Scriptures, only reinforces the message that it is in silence that God speaks and how humility is pleasing to Him. It was also interesting for me to learn that the apparition was attributed to the intercession of the holy souls in purgatory. It was after a 100 days novena to the holy souls initiated by the Archdeacon Cavanagh that the apparition occurred.
I am very grateful to God for this wonderful gift of having brought me to this wonderful place of grace, love and devotion.

The Gentle Presence

Mary, My Mother

 

O Mary, how fortunate I am to call you mine.

My only treasure in this changing world.

Such tenderness... that is your name,

Your gentleness is unsurpassed!

My heart leaps up as I think of you!

And all my sorrows melt like the snow.

With filial longing I turn to you,

Upon your knees I pour out cares only you would know.

A bond between us in time was forged.

Infinite source of blessings untold!

Your eyes ever watchful to snatch me from dangers.

Your ears ever careful to hear silent whispers.

Your hands ever present to touch and to comfort.

My heart so delights in contemplating you.

To know that in heaven I have a Mother like you!

If they only know the love you have for men,

Like me, they too, will be proud of their claim.

When I was small I did not really know you,

To be the Mother you proved yourself to be.

With great solicitude you came and searched for me,

As you did with Jesus on that long journey.

How lucky I am that one day you found me,

That memorable July so imprinted in my memory!

Carmel! Oh how I love her!

To me, you embody my Queen and Lady.

You are forever my destiny, the lot God

Himself has marked out for me.

Deep in your bosom will I cling,

Forever hopeful of the promise you bring.

Deep in your thickets I will not shy away.

For with the thorns lie the beauty of the rose.

Carmel! Mary! To me you are one!

And for that simple reason, 

I am yours and you are mine.

Therese said it best with the heart of a child.

"Of heaven and earth, Mary is Queen,

But to me she is Mother, more than a Queen!"

Happy Mother's Day!

On November 1, 1950, Pope Pius XII solemnly declared:

By the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and by our own authority, we pronounce, declare, and define it to be a divinely revealed dogma: that the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory.

This dogma of the Assumption of Mary to heaven body and soul is celebrated August 15th in our Roman Catholic liturgical calendar.  This belief is shared by Christians of the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Catholic Churches, the Eastern Orthodox Churches and the Anglican Communion.  

This event is known in the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Churches as the "Dormition of Mary" or "falling asleep of the Virgin."  It has long been traditionally supported by the Fathers of the Church and infallibly supported by popes.  It is a Catholic Holy Day of Obligation in many countries.

Mary's role in the life of the Church does not limit itself to the piety and devotions we accord her.  According to the documents of the Council, most specifically Chapter VIII of Lumen Gentium , Mary typifies the Church.  

63. By reason of the gift and role of divine maternity, by which she is united with her Son, the Redeemer, and with His singular graces and functions, the Blessed Virgin is also intimately united with the Church. As Saint Ambrose taught, the Mother of God is a type of the Church in the order of faith, charity and perfect union with Christ.18* For in the mystery of the Church, which is itself rightly called mother and virgin, the Blessed Virgin stands out in eminent and singular fashion as exemplar both of virgin and mother. 19* By her belief and obedience, not knowing man but overshadowed by the Holy Spirit, as the new Eve she brought forth on earth the very Son of the Father, showing an undefiled faith, not in the word of the ancient serpent, but in that of God's messenger. The Son whom she brought forth is He whom God placed as the first-born among many brethren,299 namely the faithful, in whose birth and education she cooperates with a maternal love.

We celebrate the Assumption of Mary because in this event God fulfills the promise made by Jesus at the Last Supper : "If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and will receive you to myself; that where I am, you may be there also."  It is the anticipation of our own going to heaven.  Mary, the first of the faithful disciples, was conceived without original sin in preparation for her singular and  unrepeatable role of being the Mother of God. It makes sense that she would not suffer death, a penalty of sin, but would instead be taken body and soul in heaven,  to be reunited with her Son.  On the other hand, we, because of our original sin, would have to die.  But our faith in the Resurrection tells us that death is not the end but only the beginning of life in God.  Our Creed tells us that 'we believe in the resurrection of the body and life everlasting."  This belief is confirmed in the Assumption of Mary.

This is one of my favorite passages in the New Testament which is also inspirational in my religious life.  It summarizes the reality of the Solemnity of Assumption and the life of Our Lady:  "If you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.  For you have died, and your life is hid with Christ in God.  When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory." (Col 3:1-4)

 
 

 

 

Devotion to Our Lady

Catholics, from the moment of birth, are tied to the idea of devotion to Mary, Mother of God. It's second nature to think of her as Mother and Protectress. But what does it really mean to have devotion to her? Is it enough to surround ourselves with her statues, recite the rosary , follow her apparitions, or read books about her? Mary is a very significant part of my spiritual journey. I was led to Carmel because of her. But it didn't always start that way. I'm sure Catholics instinctively love her even without the externals of devotion. Is that possible? I have read many books about her but none satisfied me the most until I read "Marialis Cultus" and "Mother of the Redeemer." Now, most of my books on Mary have to do with her place in the Carmelite spirituality and books written by our Carmelite Saints. It sounds disrespectful to say but it is not: The more you get to know her, the more she grows on you.


The first devotion I had of Mary was under her title of Our Lady of Lourdes. I joined a children group called Children of Mary and little girls wore the white dress and blue sash. St. Bernadette was my favorite Saint then. When I entered religious life, I was introduced to Mary as Our Lady of Mount Carmel. In time I was able to meditate on her several virtues embodied under this title. All Carmelites are devoted to her under this title. "Carmel is All Mary"- is like a line you learn from rising to retiring in Carmel. The titles I love best of Mary are "Mother of God" and "Virgo Fidelis" (Faithful Virgin). I really don't need anymore apparition by Our Lady. We have Fatima and Lourdes, these are enough for me.

Someone shared this sentiments with me.  
"Ah, devotion to Mary...Any advice for anyone in my situation? As a lifelong Catholic, I've always admired her, read many books about her, pray the rosary, have holy cards bearing her image, talk to her in my own words every day, novenas, have stopped at chapels dedicated to her, etc etc, but still have a very difficult time relating to her on a personal level. I don't feel close to her at all. For a long time I've longed to know a mother/daughter relationship with Our Lady but for some reason that remains something to be grasped at. It's like admiring a beautiful painting, a wonderful historical figure. The admiration is there, I learn about her often, but there is always that great distance. I don't know why. It bothers me although I accept it. My priest told me to talk to Mary about the very topic in my prayers, to bring it to her and put it in her hands. I've done that but there still seems to be a block. By the way, I have a good relationship with my own earthly mother , for some reason I have never been able to feel close to Mary although I would love to. I would describe my relationship with Jesus as intimate. Any suggestions or insight? Thank you."

When I was younger, I also had difficulty relating to Mary in an intimate way. I went through all the motions of rosary, novenas and holy cards ,just like my friend here have because I thought it was part and parcel of being Catholic. But although I believed in her, I did not connect with her. It all changed when I received my Brown Scapular in a Carmelite Monastery. It was a great grace I received. The many years of my own efforts to know her was done for me in a few days of public novena to Our Lady of Mount Carmel. It was a turning point in my life and it led me to joining the Carmelites. I nourish my devotion to Mary by contemplating the events of her life as illustrated in the Rosary. The Rosary is the sum total of Our Lady's life. If you meditate on the Holy Rosary, not just recite it, but really praying the Rosary, you will find how it will yield much fruit. You don't even have to do all 5 decades if you find that is too much at one time. You can concentrate on a few decades and see Mary in the mysteries: In the Annunciation: What is she thinking? What is she doing? Imagine her feelings and emotions? The Sorrowful Mysteries- imagine and feel her pains, her sorrows, her fears because of what was happening to Jesus. Praying the Rosary this way will make her come alive. Reading books on Our Lady was not much help to me during this period of my life because I was reading life experiences of other people. I cannot relate to flowery and overly pious books on Mary. St. Therese of Lisieux used to be so disappointed with the homilies about Mary in her days. She complained that homilies were based on Mary's imagined life, not her real life. Why don't they say that she had her doubts? That she had to live by faith because she did not understand everything that was happening to her? She did not understand the full reality of Jesus.  When Jesus  was lost in the Temple and Mary and Joseph found Him, they complained, "Son, why did you do this to us?  Your father and I have been anxiously looking for you?"  But Jesus said, "Why were you looking for me?  Did you not  know that I must be about my Father's business?"  And they did not understand the word that he spoke to them." (Luke 3:48-50).  Mary's faith is the single attribute we can mostly imitate.  I would also like to add that when you have tried everything well, do not give up just because you can't experience feelings of intimacy with her. Feeling is not everything. It is the believing. I worked hard to be close to Mary but I labored in vain. And then She came to me. She changed everything with very little effort on my part. Our Lady knows you love her. Just like a good mother, she has a bond with you that cannot be broken, even if you don't feel it.

"La Bruna"

When the early Latin hermits settled in Mount Carmel around the 12th century they erected an oratory dedicated to Blessed Mary of Mount Carmel.
This oratory became the centerpiece of the liturgical life of the hermits and which earned them the name of "The Brothers of Blessed Mary of Mount Carmel." She was also called by the hermits as the "Lady of the Place." This is understandable since these hermits were products of a feudal mentality of the 12th - 13th century, a mentality of feudal lords and tenants. They placed themselves under her protection and she in turn became their main patroness and Lady.  Our Lady of Mount Carmel is the Patroness of the Carmelite Order. The spirituality of Carmel hinges on  two main pillars: Mary and Elijah.  Her feast is celebrated with great solemnity in the Carmelite Order on July 16th.

A Lenten Visit

It was a beautiful afternoon last Wednesday and I just felt drawn to visit a holy site.  I was not disappointed.  The Blue Army Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima in Washington, NJ was almost deserted except for 2 or three people that day.  I have visited this shrine many times even before I entered Carmel.  I received an answer to prayer at this Shrine and I love to visit it when I need some peace and quiet.  It is also close to Flemington Carmel which is another place I love to visit.

                                         

                                                             

 

The Blue Army Shrine

Mary and the Scapular

by  Joseph Chalmers, O.Carm.

The Prior General’s Letter to Lay Carmelites
on the occasion of their International Congress in 2001.

Dear Fellow Carmelites,

On the occasion of the Congress for Lay Carmelites, I want to express my best wishes for a good meeting and that it will bear fruit in the daily life of all Carmelites.
Unfortunately, I am unable to be present because I have a previous engagement in Australia. However I want to be with you by means of this letter and above all through my prayers.
This year 2001, the whole Order is celebrating a Marian year to give thanks to God for the gift of the scapular. We were honoured to receive a letter from the Pope for this important event. The Pope places the scapular devotion within the whole structure of the Church's relationship with Our Lady, to whom he has entrusted the third millennium. He desires that we Carmelites, not only deepen the Marian spirituality of the Order, but above all live it more and more in the light of the place that the Mother of God and ours occupies in the mystery of Christ and the Church.
For Carmelites, Our Lady is Patroness, Mother and Sister. For many years, the relationship that Carmel has with Mary was symbolised by the scapular. By means of this humble sign, our spirituality reached very many people. The Pope wrote that Carmelite Marian spirituality is a treasure for the whole Church and brings out the two fundamental truths that the scapular devotion contains: on the one hand, it signifies the continual protection of Our Lady, not only in this life but also at the moment of moving from death to new life; on the other hand, there is the understanding that devotion to Mary must involve the whole of life, including time for prayer and time for service of one's neighbour.
We bear witness that we are indeed children of Mary by living a truly Christian life. The Pope joyfully admits to wearing the scapular and desires that all Carmelites radiate in the world the presence of Mary, the Woman of silence and of prayer.
Another very important event for the Order is the celebration of the General Chapter of the friars in September. The General Chapter occurs every six years and is the gathering that sets the future direction of the Order. The theme of the next General Chapter is: Carmel, the journey continues. The idea behind the theme is that after years of research and study, we have a very clear idea of our charism but the most pressing challenge for now is to translate the theory into daily life. We want to study how the charism is lived in the different continents in which we are present; we want to learn from the experience of each other.
The fundamental Carmelite values are very clear: we are first and foremost followers of Jesus Christ and his person and his message shape our lives. Jesus began his public ministry with an appeal to conversion, which is to change one's life and believe the Good News from God. Conversion is the work of a lifetime. We cannot be good Carmelites if we are not first of all good Christians. For this reason we must fix our eyes always on Christ and open our hearts to his Word. Our principal inspiration for the following of Christ comes from the Prophet Elijah and Our Lady, our Patroness, Mother and Sister. She is a continual presence in Carmel. Every religious family has its own particular perspective on the Christian life. We Carmelites focus on the values of fraternity, prayer and service.
The heart of the Carmelite charism is contemplation. Christian contemplation blossoms in service of others. The source of a prayerful life, which is according to the heart of God, is contemplation; equally the source of a fraternal life in which all are enabled to grow as human persons is also contemplation. We take inspiration from our saints; they are our friends and they help us to run the race to the finish. I suppose that each person has his or her own favourite saint but in the area of contemplation, the great masters are Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross, our fellow Carmelites. St. Thérèse of Lisieux reminds us that the spiritual journey is not our work but God's. God desires to transform us so that our human, limited ways of thinking, loving and behaving are transformed into divine ways. The road is long but God accompanies us every step of the way.
The Carmelite way is an ancient way, full of wisdom. Each Carmelite enriches or impoverishes our spirituality by the way he or she lives. I hope that this Congress helps you who are present but also all Carmelites to live our vocation in depth.
May God bless you and may Our lady cover you with the mantle of her special protection.