Our Lady of Mount Carmel July 16
Rejoice in Carmel
Dear brothers and sisters in Carmel,
Imagine our loving Mother Mary standing at the foot of the Cross. She is there, the stoic, incomparable Mother and living altar of sacrifice. Any person of feeling can perceive this, but we come to understand, too, that calmness and silence are the most appropriate response at a time of such intense and crushing emotions. Mary consented to this sacrifice long ago. it was asked of her and she agreed.
And so our Blessed Lady could only stand there in silence. And she prayed. She and her Divine Son were the only ones who knew what was actually happening.
She knew that He was the world’s Redeemer. She knew that He was offering a Sacrifice, the Sacrifice. He was offering the Sacrifice that would once more open to us the gates of Heaven. Being God as well as Man, the price He was paying for our salvation was of infinite worth. So she joined with Him in offering this sacrifice to the Father.
Our Lord told us that we all have to be like little children if we wish to have the right approach to salvation. And little children look to their mother to learn what to do.
"O my Queen," exclaims St. Bonaventure, "Thou art not only standing near the Cross, but thou art with Thy Son on the Cross; Thou dost suffer, thou art crucified with Him, the only difference being that while He suffers in His body, thou dost suffer in thy loving Heart.” St. Lawrence Justinan said "Both Mother and Son were nailed to the Cross, the Son in the body, the Mother in her Heart,"
On Calvary, the only Son of Mary gave us an inestimable gift, when in the excess of His incomprehensible goodness He addressed Himself to each one of us in the person of St. John and speaking of His holy Mother, said to us: "Behold thy Mother" (John 19:27). Jesus gave the Church His own mother, Mary, to be our mother.
On Calvary this love is shown in the gift of a mother, his mother, who thus becomes our mother too.
Mary cares for all of us just as lovingly as she cared for the child Jesus. As a mother gives her child food, clothing, shelter, encouragement, protection and love, Mary gives us all these things.
When she appeared to Saint Simon Stock, Mary presented him with the Brown Scapular. Through the Brown Scapular, Mary has given her children clothing and the hope of the promises she attached to it, promising the salvation of her Son, especially from purgatory.
We’re called to be contemplative and prophetic. These are big words and they may frighten us but they are translated into being people of faith who are willing to follow the footsteps of Jesus according to the need of the time.
Carmelites are all called to be a living sign in the world. How? Be a sign of joy in the world of unhappiness. Celebrate your life every day. As St Paul says in Philippians 4:4 or in 1 Thessalonians 5:16 says Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.
How to Rejoice Always ?
The Greek word used here for “rejoice” means to be glad, full of cheer, joyful. Paul tells us not only to rejoice, but to rejoice always—to always be full of cheer and gladness.
Just from human nature, it is not natural to be always rejoicing. If we have a flat tire, we grumble. Computer problems bring groans. Being sick brings moans. There is just a lot of stuff that happens that leads us to complaining instead of rejoicing.
Nehemiah said, “Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10).
This joy is an inside job; it does not come from outward circumstances. Real joy is not based on what is happening around you, but on what is happening in you. You can have the greatest joy in the worst of situations, and that joy will be the strength you need to prevail in the hardest of adversities. Jesus said that when we seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, everything else will be taken care of (Matthew 6:33). If you know Jesus, you have the Holy Spirit dwelling in you; if you have the Holy Spirit, then you already have the fruit of the Spirit at work in you. Be joyful, because you are worth more than many sparrows.
True and lasting joy is all about God. David said, “In Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures for evermore” (Psalm 16:11).
God can help because He knows our every thought, feeling, and fiber in our body. He knows our problem even before we are aware of it. That alone is good reason to trust in the Almighty and happy in life.
God does not love us because of anything “good” that we might have done. God loves us because we have humbly laid all our sins at the foot of the cross.
Rejoice has the word joy as its root. Joy, true joy, is deeper than a painted on smile. Our feelings can be up and down with each passing moment, and happiness can come and go just as quickly. Experiencing true joy, being able to rejoice always, is a gift from God, given in spite of circumstances. No matter what happens – good, bad, and everything in between – Christ is with us to see us through it. This doesn’t mean that life won’t hurt, but that even in the midst of the hurts, we can rejoice because God is still good.
Most of the time our joy gets stolen from the inside out instead of the other way around. Usually we are the ones who isolate ourselves from the joy.
Let me tell you a secret. If you are waiting around for joy to find you, you are going to be waiting for a long time. Do not wait for your life to be perfect in order to open your heart to joy – you’ll never experience joy at that rate.
Preacher Alan Jenkins says, “…If your plan for finding joy is to be rich, healthy, successful, and beloved; if your goal is to have a pain-free, trouble-free life, then get ready for lots of disappointment.”
Most people live a life with a cup that is either half-full or half empty. The people who have a half-full cup are the ones that are typically smiling. You can have a joyful life if you just take a few moments to see the glass as it really exists.
My dear brothers and sisters, Enjoy and celebrate your life in Carmel because you have a place in Jesus’ heart. You are precious to Jesus. God LOVES you and offers a wonderful PLAN for your life. He gave His own Mother as our Mother and sister. What more we can ask for!
Rejoice my dear brothers and sisters because we have a mother, who loves us and who knows us and able to help us. Be a living sign in the world as a living Carmelite not as a dead person but alive in Spirit. Celebrating our life everyday because we have a place in Jesus and we have a Mother to look- after.
Remember the words of St. Teresa of Avila: “Now Jesus has no other mouths, eyes, ears, hands and feet than ours.” He counts on us.
May our loving Mother intercede for you.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dear brothers and sisters in Carmel,
Imagine our loving Mother Mary standing at the foot of the Cross. She is there, the stoic, incomparable Mother and living altar of sacrifice. Any person of feeling can perceive this, but we come to understand, too, that calmness and silence are the most appropriate response at a time of such intense and crushing emotions. Mary consented to this sacrifice long ago. it was asked of her and she agreed.
And so our Blessed Lady could only stand there in silence. And she prayed. She and her Divine Son were the only ones who knew what was actually happening.
She knew that He was the world’s Redeemer. She knew that He was offering a Sacrifice, the Sacrifice. He was offering the Sacrifice that would once more open to us the gates of Heaven. Being God as well as Man, the price He was paying for our salvation was of infinite worth. So she joined with Him in offering this sacrifice to the Father.
Our Lord told us that we all have to be like little children if we wish to have the right approach to salvation. And little children look to their mother to learn what to do.
"O my Queen," exclaims St. Bonaventure, "Thou art not only standing near the Cross, but thou art with Thy Son on the Cross; Thou dost suffer, thou art crucified with Him, the only difference being that while He suffers in His body, thou dost suffer in thy loving Heart.” St. Lawrence Justinan said "Both Mother and Son were nailed to the Cross, the Son in the body, the Mother in her Heart,"
On Calvary, the only Son of Mary gave us an inestimable gift, when in the excess of His incomprehensible goodness He addressed Himself to each one of us in the person of St. John and speaking of His holy Mother, said to us: "Behold thy Mother" (John 19:27). Jesus gave the Church His own mother, Mary, to be our mother.
On Calvary this love is shown in the gift of a mother, his mother, who thus becomes our mother too.
Mary cares for all of us just as lovingly as she cared for the child Jesus. As a mother gives her child food, clothing, shelter, encouragement, protection and love, Mary gives us all these things.
When she appeared to Saint Simon Stock, Mary presented him with the Brown Scapular. Through the Brown Scapular, Mary has given her children clothing and the hope of the promises she attached to it, promising the salvation of her Son, especially from purgatory.
We’re called to be contemplative and prophetic. These are big words and they may frighten us but they are translated into being people of faith who are willing to follow the footsteps of Jesus according to the need of the time.
Carmelites are all called to be a living sign in the world. How? Be a sign of joy in the world of unhappiness. Celebrate your life every day. As St Paul says in Philippians 4:4 or in 1 Thessalonians 5:16 says Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.
How to Rejoice Always ?
The Greek word used here for “rejoice” means to be glad, full of cheer, joyful. Paul tells us not only to rejoice, but to rejoice always—to always be full of cheer and gladness.
Just from human nature, it is not natural to be always rejoicing. If we have a flat tire, we grumble. Computer problems bring groans. Being sick brings moans. There is just a lot of stuff that happens that leads us to complaining instead of rejoicing.
Nehemiah said, “Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10).
This joy is an inside job; it does not come from outward circumstances. Real joy is not based on what is happening around you, but on what is happening in you. You can have the greatest joy in the worst of situations, and that joy will be the strength you need to prevail in the hardest of adversities. Jesus said that when we seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, everything else will be taken care of (Matthew 6:33). If you know Jesus, you have the Holy Spirit dwelling in you; if you have the Holy Spirit, then you already have the fruit of the Spirit at work in you. Be joyful, because you are worth more than many sparrows.
True and lasting joy is all about God. David said, “In Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures for evermore” (Psalm 16:11).
God can help because He knows our every thought, feeling, and fiber in our body. He knows our problem even before we are aware of it. That alone is good reason to trust in the Almighty and happy in life.
God does not love us because of anything “good” that we might have done. God loves us because we have humbly laid all our sins at the foot of the cross.
Rejoice has the word joy as its root. Joy, true joy, is deeper than a painted on smile. Our feelings can be up and down with each passing moment, and happiness can come and go just as quickly. Experiencing true joy, being able to rejoice always, is a gift from God, given in spite of circumstances. No matter what happens – good, bad, and everything in between – Christ is with us to see us through it. This doesn’t mean that life won’t hurt, but that even in the midst of the hurts, we can rejoice because God is still good.
Most of the time our joy gets stolen from the inside out instead of the other way around. Usually we are the ones who isolate ourselves from the joy.
Let me tell you a secret. If you are waiting around for joy to find you, you are going to be waiting for a long time. Do not wait for your life to be perfect in order to open your heart to joy – you’ll never experience joy at that rate.
Preacher Alan Jenkins says, “…If your plan for finding joy is to be rich, healthy, successful, and beloved; if your goal is to have a pain-free, trouble-free life, then get ready for lots of disappointment.”
Most people live a life with a cup that is either half-full or half empty. The people who have a half-full cup are the ones that are typically smiling. You can have a joyful life if you just take a few moments to see the glass as it really exists.
My dear brothers and sisters, Enjoy and celebrate your life in Carmel because you have a place in Jesus’ heart. You are precious to Jesus. God LOVES you and offers a wonderful PLAN for your life. He gave His own Mother as our Mother and sister. What more we can ask for!
Rejoice my dear brothers and sisters because we have a mother, who loves us and who knows us and able to help us. Be a living sign in the world as a living Carmelite not as a dead person but alive in Spirit. Celebrating our life everyday because we have a place in Jesus and we have a Mother to look- after.
Remember the words of St. Teresa of Avila: “Now Jesus has no other mouths, eyes, ears, hands and feet than ours.” He counts on us.
May our loving Mother intercede for you.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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