«Mater dulcis
Carmeli dómina,
plebem tuam
reple laetítia
qua beáris.»
(Flos Carmeli)
Do you remember that beautiful image in Ávila, of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, under whose mantle the Carmelite nuns and friars gather?
Devotion to Mary does not spring from the intellect, but wells up from the heart; and how would we cultivate this love for Mary if Saint Teresa herself had not encouraged and inspired us to do so – by celebrating her feasts, showing love for the images of Our Lady, wearing her habit, holding the Scapular in deep esteem, and nurturing a very special love for the prayer of the Rosary.
“To love is to understand that the Mother of God is the one whom all Christians regard as their mother.” Thus, Saint Thérèse approached the mystery of Mary’s divine motherhood in the way that was closest to her heart, beginning with the most holy human nature of Jesus, whom we shall continue to imitate.
Our holy Father John of the Cross contemplates the eternal Word; he speaks of the Virgin Mary’s consent and of the descent of the Word into the Virgin Mary’s womb. This consent to the pure Word of God entering this world is a model for our relationship with God. Mary, who, as a finite being, opens her very being to the all-knowing Word, surrendering herself entirely so that the Word might work a miracle within her.
The words of Saint Elijah came back to me: “How long will you waver between two opinions?” (1 Kings 18:21).
Yet we dread change… and yet, the Word of God constantly calls us to change. The Word of God is never stagnant water; it is flowing water — like a waterfall or the crystal-clear blue sea into whose depths we can plunge. “Hail, Star of the Sea”, we sing together.
There are many reasons why our hearts leap with joy, especially when the Mother has given us the gift of her garment — the Scapular — in which we see the hope of reaching her Son. Let us clothe ourselves in her love and her holiness, for Jesus, too, clothed himself in her; he received his entire humanity from her. He belongs entirely to Mary, and she belongs entirely to God. What a marvellous exchange ! Such is the beauty of life, and that is why, in Carmel, we call her *decor* — the Adornment of Carmel, the Beauty of Carmel.
Through Mary, the living God dwells in the story of our lives and in our present — in this very situation we are experiencing today, amidst threats of war coming from all sides, poverty and all manner of diseases…
Our lives will change, for God speaks to us through the prophet Isaiah : “Be careful, remain calm and do not be afraid. Do not let your heart grow faint…” “Come, ask me, and I will show you!” – the voice resounds in our hearts.
God cares for us ; Mary encourages us. How did she go about it? Did she tremble ? No. Nothing in her – not even her heart – trembled with fear before the living God ; on the contrary, she trembled with joy before the One she adored with profound veneration. She did not allow the world to impose upon her a fear of the future. Clothed in the beauty of Sharon, she invites us to come, to turn to her and to let her lead us to Him. She will intercede for us. She will cover us with the mantle of her love. (I remind you of the image from the introduction to this text.) This mantle is a mantle of maternal love. She holds out her heart to us like hands, like a mantle, and welcomes us into her arms, inviting us to place ourselves under her protection. She will always do what is best for us.
Our Saint Mariam Bawardy adds that at her feet, we shall find life again. And when our night of faith comes and we lay our lips upon the dust, we shall know who has placed the wick of faith within us. The day will come for each of us when all the turmoil caused by this world will subside and when — in the depths of our soul, where God Himself dwells and where union with God is brought about through likeness and transformation through Mary — we shall find peace. She is a spiritual reality, a source of help, a Mother who looks upon us through her Son.
In a few days’ time, we will be in the midst of the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. I believe that at this special time, we are united in prayer for one another, asking Mary to protect us in faith, hope and charity, so that, guided by the Holy Spirit, we may, like her, fulfil God’s will.
We wish you a blessed feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, with this prayer:
“Clothe us, O God, with your Mother !”