STAINED GLASS SCAPULARS

Reflections on the Rule of the Secular Order of

 Discalced Carmelites

Photo: R Massaro Copyright (2018)Spirit Singing

Lent has begun and people have thought about what they will give up as a Lenten sacrifice. I encourage all of us as Secular Carmelites to enter into this holy season by resolving to live our Carmelite promises more faithfully, because the vocation to Carmel can be summed up in the three pillars of the Lenten season: Prayer, Fasting, almsgiving.  As Carmelites, we are called to live out the spirit of the Lenten season throughout the year.

I know, I know, this challenge may sound shocking and frightening, because we live in the world. Right? We have families, and jobs, and other responsibilities. But  I remind myself and all of us who are professed that we stood before the Altar and made a promise to God in the company of our brothers and sisters in community and before the Communion of Saints that we would strive to “Follow the Crucified and Risen Lord.” Do we take this promise seriously each day?

How do we live out the pillars of the Lenten season?

PRAYER

We are called to pray daily, not only the Liturgy of the Hours, but we are to spend ½ hour in quiet prayer. This is the minimum requirement.  Let us truly make an effort to offer more of our time to the Lord.  We can pray at home or go to Mass daily and pray before and after Mass. We can make a Eucharistic Holy hour.  One only has to read the news to see that our world is in desperate need of prayer, of conversion. It is the spiritual call of the Carmelites to pray on behalf of the Church. 

FASTING

We don’t have to give up great things.  We can incorporate St. Therese’s Little Way into our penitential life by giving up something small each day.  Perhaps it’s about not having a favorite food, or having water instead of another favorite beverage. But let’s go deeper. Can we give up our need to talk or respond instead of truly listening to someone? Do we always need to be heard? Do we always need to give our opinion?  Let us give up being critical of others, of gossiping. We can help someone at home by saving them from some housework or chore. Can we give up an hour’s sleep to get up earlier and start the day with prayer? There are so many ways we can live more deeply our calling to accept the cross and to be intimate friends with Jesus Christ. 

The Order of Carmel is one of the most penitential orders in the Church.  The traditional Discalced Carmelite nuns observe strict papal enclosure. They only go out in public for medical reasons. The nuns sleep on hard beds and adhere to a vegetarian diet. They fast from the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross until Easter and they live this life of penance in a spirit of great joy! We share the same Carmelite Rule of St. Albert with the nuns. However, we are not asked to give up as much and yet we make excuses. Let us pray for the nuns who are praying and offering sacrifice for us every day.

ALMSGIVING

As Carmelites we are to participate in an active apostolate. Are you involved at your parish? Many times we can perform works of charity right at home. The Carmelite is called to share the fruit of his prayer, this is our Lenten Almsgiving that we are called to live out in our daily lives. The fruit of our prayer is nothing less than offering to others mercy, justice, and peace, the spirit of the Beatitudes.  So, along with living the three pillars of Lent, I encourage us to meditate on the Beatitudes. This holy state of being, of being Christlike is the great witness we give as Carmelites. 

From our Carmelite Promise:

I ____________________, inspired by the Holy Spirit, in response to God’s call, sincerely promise to the Superiors of the Order of the Teresian Carmel, and to you my brothers and sisters, to tend toward evangelical perfection in the spirit of the evangelical counsels of chastity, poverty, obedience, and of the Beatitudes, according to the Rule of St. Albert and the Constitutions of the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites, for the rest of my life. I confidently entrust this, my Promise, to the Virgin Mary, Mother and Queen of Carmel. 

Let us pray for each other that we have the courage to follow the Crucified and Risen Lord not only during Lent but each and every day of our Carmelite life.

Peace be with you!

Rosemarie. OCDS