July 16 2025 - Our Lady of Mt. Carmel - Reaching the mountain which is Christ

 

There was an English mountain climber named George Mallory who participated in the first three British expeditions to climb Mount Everest in the mid-1920s. When asked, “why did you want to climb Mount Everest?” He would answer, “because it is there.” About 800 people climb Mt. Everest each year, and for whatever reason, they too felt some drive to reach the highest peak in the world. 

Today’s collect prayer for the Memorial of Our Lady of Mount Carmel speaks of reaching the mountain which is Christ. We asked God that the glorious virgin Mary would come to our aid and protection, that we may reach the mountain which is Christ.

The prayer no doubt references the Mountain associated with today’s memorial: Mount Carmel, located along the coast of the Mediterranean sea in northern Israel.

Early Christian hermits climbed Mount Carmel, not simply because it was there, but because they wished to encounter Christ. The hermit withdraws from the distractions of the world in order to encounter Christ, to make the ascent of the mountain which is Christ. 

What does it mean to ascend the mountain which is Christ?

In Scripture, mountains are often places of encounter with God—Moses receives the law on Mount Sinai, Elijah hears the whisper of God on Mount Horeb, and Jesus Himself is transfigured in glory on Mount Tabor. To ascend the mountain is to seek that place where heaven touches earth, where God reveals Himself, and where we are called to be transformed.

Jesus is like a mountain because He IS the place where heaven meets earth, where God is joined to man, in his very person. In Christ, the infinite becomes visible. The Word becomes touchable. The invisible God becomes Emmanuel, God-with-us.

To ascend the mountain which is Christ, then, is to enter more deeply into union with Him—to be drawn into the mystery of the Incarnation, to be conformed to Him in our thinking, our loving, our suffering, our living. This ascent is not just about thinking lofty thoughts or withdrawing from the world, but becoming more fully united to the One who bridges heaven and earth.

And Mary, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, knows this path better than anyone. She is the one who bore Christ in her womb—who literally brought heaven to earth. She shows us how to climb—not with pride or presumption, but with humility, faith, and total openness to God’s will.

So on this feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, we ask her to guide us in the climb. Not just to look up at Christ from a distance, but to enter into His life. To receive Him in the sacraments, to reflect Him in our lives, and to be lifted by grace to that place where, even now, heaven and earth are joined—in Jesus Christ, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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Celebrating the Memorial of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, we turn to the Father who, in the Incarnate Son, has joined heaven to earth. Through Mary’s intercession, let us bring our prayers with confidence.

That through the intercession of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the Church may always lead the faithful to deeper union with Christ through prayer, sacrament, and devotion. Let us pray to the Lord.

For all who seek the Lord: That those who feel far from God may ascend the mountain of faith, discovering in Jesus the true meeting place of heaven and earth. Let us pray to the Lord.

For those who carry heavy burdens—the sick, the grieving, the poor and afflicted: That Mary, Mother of Mercy, may accompany them up the steep path and lead them to Christ, the source of healing and hope. Let us pray to the Lord.

For our beloved dead: That, through Mary’s intercession, they may be brought into the glory of Christ’s presence on the eternal mountain of the Lord. Let us pray to the Lord.

Loving Father, you gave us the Blessed Virgin Mary as a model of prayer and discipleship. Through her intercession, draw us closer to your Son, that we may reach the mountain of holiness and live always in your presence. Through Christ our Lord.

July 16 2024 - Our Lady of Mt. Carmel - Reaching the mountain which is Christ

 

Throughout the scriptures, we read of a number of the mountains of the holy land. We read of Mount Sinai, also known as Mount Horeb—where God gave Moses the Ten Commandments, and formed a covenant with the Israelites. Jesus taught on the beatitudes on a mountain, and he sweat blood on a mountain—the mount of Olives. Mount Olivet was also the place where the Lord ascended into heaven. King David wept on the mount of olives after having to flee Jerusalem, which itself is situated upon a mountain—mount zion. On Mount Tabor, the Lord became transfigured before his disciples, showing his divine glory. And on Mount Moriah, Abraham proved his faith. 

Today, we honor Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Carmel is in Northern Israel on the coast. It is where Elijah famously challenged the prophets of Baal and proved that the Lord is the one true God.

In the late 12th century, a group of Christian hermits took up residence on Mt Carmel to devote themselves to prayer and contemplation. They dedicated their chapel to Our Lady. Hence, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. 

The Carmelite order has certainly left a lasting impression on the Church. The Carmelite scapular is worn as a special devotion to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel—seeking her protection special favor especially in being preserved from the eternal fire.

That outward devotion to Our Lady is of course meant to be matched and surpassed by interior devotion—the cultivation of the interior life: a life of recollection, prayer, uninterrupted oblation to God, continual contact, and intimate union with him. And Mary of course is the model of the interior life: the life wholly dedicated to the quest for God, wholly orientated towards intimacy with God.

The opening prayer today asked God that Our Lady might come to our aid so that we may reach the mountain which is Christ. Mt. Carmel, and all of those mountains in scripture, are symbols for the mountain that each one of us must climb, they are a symbol of Christ—who himself climbed the mountain of Calvary and now sits at the right hand of the father on the mountain top of heaven.

Christ is a steep mountain. But on this mountain journey, God teaches us by his commandments, he comforts us in our sorrows, he tests us to prove our faith, and he gifts us with moments of profound intimacy and transfiguration.

May our Lady of Mt. Carmel assist us by her example and heavenly intercession, that we may have the strength and grace we need to become worthy of the promises of Christ for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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For all Christians, that we may be inspired by the Carmelite tradition to cultivate a rich interior life and seek intimate union with God, and for our world, that it may be transformed by the power of prayer and devotion to Our Lady, leading to peace and justice for all. Let us pray to the Lord.

For those struggling on their spiritual journey, that Our Lady may come to their aid as they strive to reach the mountain which is Christ, and for all people, that they may recognize God's presence in the "mountains" of their lives - in moments of revelation, testing, and transformation. Let us pray to the Lord.

For the Carmelite order and all religious communities, that their dedication to prayer and contemplation may continue to enrich the Church, and for all who wear the Carmelite scapular, that their outward devotion may be matched by an interior commitment to following Christ. Let us pray to the Lord.

For the sick, the impoverished, the lonely, those suffering from mental illness, those most in need, and those near death. And that the souls in purgatory may know the relief and assistance of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, and for X, for whom this mass is offered. let us pray to the Lord. 

Loving Father, hear our prayers, through the intercession of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, grant us what we need, that we may reach the summit of holiness and dwell with You forever in the heavenly Jerusalem. Through Christ our Lord.

July 16 2019 - Our Lady of Mt. Carmel - The Mountain of Divine Intimacy

The Carmelite order of the Roman Catholic Church dates back to 1155. The group originated in the Holy Land as a group of hermit monks who lived on Mt. Carmel, about 90 miles north of Jerusalem and 35 miles due west of the Sea of Galilee.

From their earliest days on Mt. Carmel, the Carmelites venerated Our Lady with a chapel dedicated to her honor, as members of the Order seek to imitate our Lady’s humility and her example of prayer.
The scapular of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel has been recommended by the Magisterium throughout the centuries as a devotion for all those who wish to entrust themselves to Our Lady’s protection and seek her intercession especially in remaining mindful of the importance of the interior life and prayer.

The Collect prayer for today’s feast speaks of those two themes: Our Lady’s protection and her aid in reaching the mountain which is Christ. The scapular, in fact, was given to Our Lady to the Carmelite St. Simon Stock, when the Order was facing persecution from violent Muslim attacks in the 13th century.

Mt. Carmel is a symbol for the mountain which we must all climb throughout the Christian Life. For the Christian is called to undergo the arduous task, of conforming not simply his outward appearance, but his inner self to Christ. Growth in prayer and the spiritual life is like an upward battle, like the ascent of a steep mountain. There are no plateaus in the spiritual life, we are either climbing toward Christ or descending away from Him.

From the book “Divine Intimacy”, we read, “Devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel is a special call to the interior life, which is preeminently a Marian life. Our Lady wants us to resemble her not only in our outward appearance but, far more, in heart and spirit. If we gaze into Mary’s soul, we shall see that grace in her has flowered into a spiritual life of incalcuable wealth: a life of recollection, prayer, uninterrupted oblation to God, continual contact, and intimate union with him. Mary’s soul is a sanctuary reserved for God alone, where no human creature has ever left its trace, where love and zeal for the glory of God and the salvation of humankind reign supreme. […] Those who want to live their devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel to the full must follow Mary into the depths of her interior life. Carmel is the symbol of the contemplative life, the life wholly dedicated to the quest for God, wholly orientated towards intimacy with God; and the one who has best realized this highest of ideals is Our Lady herself, ‘Queen and Beauty of Carmel’.” For the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That all Christians may grow in prayerfulness and fidelity to the Divine Will through the intercession and example of Our Lady.

For an increase in vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life, for blessings upon the Carmelite Order as it works and prays for the good of the Church.

That our young people on summer vacation may be protected from all physical and spiritual harm, shielded from the errors and perversions of the world, and kept in closeness to God through prayer and virtue.

For all the needs of the sick and the suffering, for all those recovering from or undergoing surgery today, and for the consolation of the dying.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord

July 16 2018 - Our Lady of Mt. Carmel - Model of the Interior Life

Today we have the joy of celebrating the feast of Our Lady of Mt Carmel.

Our Lady is venerated under this title by the Carmelite Order who looks to her as their special patroness and protector.

The Scapular of the Carmelite Order, the Brown Scapular, is a devotion that reminds us of Our Lady’s protection of the Church. Today would be a wonderful day to wear your brown scapular if you’ve fallen out of the habit.

Our Lady is venerated by this title not only for her role as protector, but as a model of the interior life, which has a long history on Mt. Carmel.

It is said that after his victory over the false prophets of Baal, the prophet Elijah withdrew to Mt. Carmel to prayerfully await the fulfillment of God’s promises. In that tradition, Mt Carmel became home to hermits and contemplatives who sought to deepen their connection with God through a life of quiet prayer.

The first Carmelite monks looked to our Lady as a model for this life of quiet and prayer. For, Scripture tells us that Mary through contemplation and prayerful listening to God, kept and pondered in her heart the words of God.

In many paintings of the Annunciation, Mary is depicted with the scriptures open on her lap, to show that she had made her mind, her body, her heart a sanctuary for the Eternal Word to dwell, prior to him becoming incarnate in her womb. St. Augustine put it this way, he said, "Mary, full of grace, first conceived Jesus in her heart before she conceived him in her womb."

So too every Christian is to follow Our Lady’s example, in making our hearts a sanctuary for God. There she be a point every day, where we could be found with the scriptures upon our lap, pondering the promises of God and the mysteries of God, a point every day where we become quiet enough to hear the tiny whisper of God’s voice in the silence of our hearts.

Our Lady’s example certainly serves as a remedy to the noise and distractions of our modern era, and protects us from its errors and seductions. As we prayed in the Collect, “fortified by her protection, may we reach the mountain which is Christ” by following her example of prayer, contemplation, purity, and the perfection of charity, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That all Christians may grow in prayerfulness and fidelity to the Divine Will through the intercession and example of Our Lady.

For an increase in vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life, for blessings upon the Carmelite Order as it works and prays for the good of the Church.

That our young people on summer vacation may be protected from all physical and spiritual harm, shielded from the errors and perversions of the world, and kept in closeness to God through prayer and virtue.

For Pope Francis’ prayer intention for the month of July: That priests, who experience fatigue and loneliness in their pastoral work, may find help and comfort in their intimacy with the Lord and in their friendship with their brother priests.

For all the needs of the sick and the suffering, for all those recovering from or undergoing surgery today, and for the consolation of the dying.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord