HOMILY FOR THE FEAST OF OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL

 

HOMILY FOR THE FEAST OF OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL JULY 16

Zechariah 2:14-17; Luke 1:46-55; Matthew 12:46-50

CELEBRATING THE GOSPEL CALL TO PRAYER AND PENANCE THROUGH MAMA MARIA

I pray for you: May your faith be strengthened so as to follow the Lord God more faithfully. AMEN

The liturgical feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is celebrated on 16 July. Mt. Carmel was a sacred high place dedicated to the Canaanite god Baal, and there he was worshipped. In 1 Kings 18, Elijah declared a contest with 450 of his prophets to determine which god was real, Baal or the God of Israel. The real one would be he who could set a sacrifice on fire. The frenzy of the prophets of Baal was not successful. However, when Elijah prayed to the Lord, fire descended from heaven and lit the sacrifice.

Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt offering, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, The LORD, he is God; the LORD, he is God. (1 Kings 18:38-39)

It was on Mt. Carmel, as well, that the prayer of Elijah secured the end of the drought and famine that had befallen Israel. Thus, the Carmelites consider Elijah to be one of their spiritual fathers.

As a physical place, Mt. Carmel overlooks the Mediterranean and the city and harbor of what is today Haifa, Israel. It sits, as well, at the head of Valley of Jezreel, also known as the Valley of Megiddo. The Arabs know Carmel as the Mountain of Holy Elijah. In addition to 1 Kings 18, Carmel is mentioned over twenty times in Sacred Scripture, notably in Canticles 7:5.

As a spiritual place, Carmels reputation certainly derives from its connection to Elijah, but its mention in the Canticle of Canticles (also known as Song of Songs or Song of Solomon) has produced the most Christian commentary. In this poem about love, the head of the Bride is compared to Carmel. Many Christian authors, therefore, have seen Canticle of Canticles, as an allegory of the life of union with God. Thus, in the Doctors of Spiritual Theology, such as St. John of the Cross, Carmel becomes a metaphor for seeking God (cf. Ascent of Mt. Carmel; Spiritual Canticle). And for Carmelite nuns, it is the name used for their houses dedicated to contemplation.

Cond Vatican Council says: Let the faithful remember that true devotion consists neither in sterile or transitory affection, nor in a certain vain credulity, but proceeds from true faith, by which we are led to know the excellence of the Mother of God, and we are moved to a filial love toward our mother and to the imitation of her virtues (Lumen Gentium 67).

Mount Carmel has been a place of prayer and closeness to God since the time of the prophet Elijah in the 10th century before Christ (cf. 1 Kings 18:41ff). There, also, Christian hermits persisted in prayer. And there, in the 12th century, the Order of the Brothers of the Blessed Virgin of Mt. Carmel were officially founded.

Hermits lived on Mount Carmel near the Fountain of Elijah in northern Israel in the 12th century. They had a chapel dedicated to Our Lady. By the 13th century they became known as Brothers of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. They soon celebrated a special Mass and Office in honor of Mary. In 1726, it became a celebration of the universal Church under the title of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. For centuries, the Carmelites have seen themselves as specially related to Mama Maria. Their great saints and theologians have promoted devotion to her and often championed the mystery of her Immaculate Conception.

Saint Teresa of Avila called Carmel the Order of the Virgin. Saint John of the Cross credited Mama Maria with saving him from drowning as a child, leading him to Carmel, and helping him escape from prison. Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus believed that Mama Maria cured her from illness. On her First Communion day, Thérèse dedicated her life to Mama Maria. During the last days of her life she frequently spoke of Mama Maria.

The 13th century, however, was a time of persecution for the Carmelites, and, in the midst of this trial, on July 16, 1251 the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to St. Simon Stock, a Prior of the Carmelites, giving him the Brown Scapular. She said to him, This is a privilege for you and the order: whoever dies wearing the Scapular will be saved. Mama Maria told Simon Stock to promote devotion to it. 

The scapular is a modified version of the garment of Mama Maria. It symbolizes her special protection and calls the wearers to consecrate themselves to her in a special way. The scapular reminds us of the gospel call to prayer and penance, a call that Mama Maria models in a splendid way.

The Carmelites were known from early on as Brothers of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. The title suggests that they saw Mama Maria not only as mother, but also as sister. The word sister is a reminder that Mama Maria is very close to us. She is the daughter of God and therefore can help us be authentic daughters and sons of God. She also can help us grow in appreciation of being sisters and brothers to one another. She leads us to a new realization that all human beings belong to the family of God. When such a conviction grows, there is hope that the human race can find its way to peace.

Why do we celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel? While Our Lady of Mt. Carmel is the patron saint of the Carmelite Order, the basis for the universal Church honoring Mama Maria under this title dates to her appearance to an English Carmelite St. Simon Stock in the 13th century. She gave him the Brown Scapular, a garment worn by religious over the neck and shoulders as an apron, to be worn by Carmelites as a sign of her protection. It is a Marian devotional practice which, over the centuries, has spread to Catholics around the world.

The Brown Scapular we have today is from the colour of the Carmelite habit (the cassock members of the Carmelite Order wear). It is a miniature version of the Carmelite Scapular. When people who do not belong to Carmelite Order wear the brown Scapular, it signifies that such people have joined the members of Carmelite Order spiritually in accepting the maternal love and protection of Mama Maria, and devoting oneself to the spirituality of the Carmelites. The Spirituality of the Carmelite Order is Marian Spirituality. And all these points towards Jesus Christ!

The Brown Scapular, a small version of the Carmelite habit, is a sign of living for Jesus, following the example of the Blessed Virgin.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel is the patroness of the Carmelites, she is also the patron saint for Chile, for Bolivia, for protection from danger, and for deliverance from Purgatory.

 In the Carmelite liturgy for the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel we contemplate Our Lady as being near the Cross of Christ. This is also the place of the Church: close to Christ. - Pope Francis

“Carmel” is a Hebrew word that means garden of God. The Garden of God is where we can walk with the Lord, as Adam and Eve did before they were banished (Gen. 3:8).

The celebration of today reminds us that the Lord God is in the midst of his people. He directs, protects and progresses them. Again, we should always be conscious of the role of Mama Maria in our lives as children of Mama Maria. More so, we should not be tired of praising the Lord God in our lives daily.

Finally, we shall emulate Mama Maria. We should look up to the Blessed Mother as an ideal example of prayer, love, and contemplation. The Blessed Virgin marvels at Gods love (Luke 1:46-55), ponders the Lord in her heart (Luke 2:19), asks us to obey Jesus (John 2:5), and looks out for the wellbeing of others; especially those who are spiritually and materially impoverished. (Luke 1:39-56, John 2:1-11).

PRAYER Lord God, through the intercession of Mama Maria, hear us and make us to seek you on daily basis. Through Christ Our Lord. AMEN

O DIVINE WORD WHO TOOK FLESH FOR HUMAN SAKE, REDEEM US IN OUR SITUATION

© Rev Fr Utazi Prince Marie Benignus Zereuwa