SATURDAY OF OUR LADY

Photo: R. Massaro Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church Buckeye Lake, Ohio

The Virgin Mary is present in a special way, most of all as a model of faithfulness in listening to the Lord and in service to Him and to others. Mary is the one who preserved in her heart the life and actions of her Son and meditated on them, providing for us an example of contemplation. At Cana she counseled to do what the Lord commanded. Mary is an example of apostolic service. On another occasion, she waited, persevering in prayer with the apostles, for the coming of the Holy Spirit, thus giving witness to intercessory prayer. She is the Mother of the Order, Secular Carmel enjoys her special protection and cultivates a sincere Marian devotion.

The Constitutions of the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites (Washington Province) I:4

A PRAYER TO OUR LADY OF MOUNT CAMEL

O, most beautiful flower of Mount Carmel,
Fruit of the Vine, splendorous of Heaven.
Blessed Mother of the Son of God,
Immaculate Virgin,
assist me in this my necessity.

O, Star of the Sea, help me
and show herein you are my mother.

O, Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and earth,
I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart
to succour me in my necessity.

There are none that can withstand your power,
O, show me here you are my mother.

O, Mary, conceived without sin,
pray for us who have recourse to Thee.
Sweet Mother, I place this cause in your hands.

Amen.

Peace be with you!

Rosemarie, OCDS

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

ADVENT MEDITATION

I promise: Poverty, Chastity, Obedience
Community of the Holy Family Akron, Ohio Photo: R Massaro (C)2017 Spirit Singing

At Vespers on the last eight days of Advent, the Church traditionally prays the "O Antiphons." We cry out to Jesus: "O Wisdom, " " Rod of Jesse," "O Emmanuel," etc. I suggest another "O Antiphon, " that is,"O-bedience."

The Christian life is a life of obedience. If we don't obey God, we don't have life in the Spirit (Acts 5:32). If we don't obey Him, we don't love Him (Jn 15:10)...

If Mary had not obeyed, she would not have been the mother of God. If Jesus had not obeyed, He would have have become a human being and died on the cross to save us. Jesus' obedience destroyed the reign of sin and brought justification to all people.

As we near Christ's Christmas coming, the Lord is calling us to obey Him as never before, to break new ground in obedience, and to be pioneers in obedience. The Lord wants us to be the first in our city, parish, family, business, or neighborhood to obey in all areas of His plan for us. Obey now; obey for the first time; obey first, obey all His commands. Live a life of obedience.
From the publication "One Bread, One Body," 2013

I came across this article just moments after I had a conversation with a fellow Carmelite about the virtue of obedience.  The little blue book laying on my kitchen counter seemed to speak to me, "Take up and read."  "Take up and read."  After reading the above selection for the day, I was consoled that the Holy Spirit spoke to me through this article, for I think it is very appropriate for secular Carmelites who wish to take their promise of obedience seriously.

The virtue of obedience has come up many times in my life lately. I've had more than a few community members approach me and ask me to speak about obedience.  I am glad that they, like the author above, want to be pioneers in obedience. This article will be very useful in discussing this elusive virtue. I say elusive, because the ugly head of individualism shows its face everywhere. And if one is caught off guard, one can easily fall prey to the perversion of the virtue of obedience. The perversion takes place, when the soul confuses obedience with control.  Some people find superiors controlling. Some people find a spouse controlling. Some people find a boss controlling. Why do I need to be obedient to Father so and so? Why do I need to be obedient to my husband or wife? Why do I need to obey my boss? This is the way of the world. No one is supposed to tell us what to do!  Yes, this happens, even in Carmel.

However, there are those truly rare souls who want to be formed and fashioned into the image of Christ, who was obedient unto death. These souls look for opportunities to be obedient. Why? Because they are passive individuals who do not like to think for themselves?  No! An emphatic, "No!" These are holy souls who are like the saints. They viewed superiors and others in authority as the voice of God!  These people possess a submissive and docile heart, ready to obey at a moment's notice. I love these types of souls. They are very giving and help immensely in community.These are the souls who are ever-ready to "break new ground in obedience."  

Do you lack obedience? Are you anxious or afraid of obedience? Then, keep this in mind:  Obedience frees us from the anxiety of discernment.  

This is very important to remember if one has a spiritual director. Following the advice of one's confessor of spiritual director is all that is required when receiving direction in the spiritual life. Remembering of course that he or she does not ask you to do anything sinful or uncharitable. We are speaking of directors who wish to keep you on the true path of obedience to Christ and his Church.

The secular Carmelite is asked to obey the Rule. Here is a small excerpt about this virtue:

The Rule (#15)
The promise of obedience is an exercise of faith leading to the search for God's will in the events and challenges in society and our own personal life. For this reason the Secular Carmelite freely cooperates with those who have responsibility for guiding the community and the Order in discerning and accepting God's ways: the Community's Council, the Provincial and the General.

As secular Carmelites we can examine our conscience and ask ourselves a few questions of discernment:

*Am I faithful to the Order by praying each day?

* Do I support, encourage, and cooperate with my local council?

*Do I obey the Rule and the Constitutions of the secular 
  Carmelites?

*Am I faithful to my local council by studying the assigned 
  formation materials?

*Do I make an effort to lighten the burden of the president and the 
  council, or do I just show up for meetings, never really 
  participating in the life of the community?

Only you know if you are being obedient to your Carmelite promises.  Only you can decide "to break new ground in obedience" and live like the saints. We can all do this one moment at a time in life. Let us ask the Holy Spirit to prepare our hearts to stand at attention, ready to respond when the Lord calls: "Here I am Lord, I come to do your will."

Let us pray for each other!


Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds

STAINED GLASS SCAPULARS

Reflections on the Rule of the 

Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites

From the Statutes:

#19

In addition to the days of fasting and of abstinence proper to the Church of the USA and responding to the encouragement of our bishops "to prepare for each Church festival by a day of particular self-denial, penitential prayer and fasting" (NCCB Pastoral Statement "Penitent Discipline" to the US, Washington, DC, 1966) and to our Carmelite traditions, unless excused by reasons of illness or age, we will observe the following:

a)  Members will fast on the Vigils of the following feast days:

     St. Joseph the Worker
     May 1

     Our Lady of Mount Carmel
     July 16

     The Prophet Elijah
     July 20

     St. Therese
     October 1

     Holy Mother St. Teresa of Jesus
     October 15

     All Carmelite Saints
     November 14

     Holy Father St. John of the Cross
     December 14

b)  For a sufficient reason, the above special fast days may be
     anticipated.

c)  Anticipated fast days should never involve fasting on Sundays 
     or Holy Days.

The Order of Carmel is one of the most penitential religious orders in the Church.  As Secular Carmelites, we have a different vocation by living in the world, but we share in the same graces and spiritual heritage of our religious brothers and sisters.  Let us be resolved to be faithful to our Carmelite discipline of prayer and fasting.

Soon, we will celebrate All Saints of Carmel on November 14. Let us be faithful to our day of fasting and abstinence on November 13, so that we may celebrate with joy the Saints of Carmel who have gone before us.  

One only has to read the news to see that our world needs God's mercy! Let us draw down His mercy by offering Him our poor prayers and penance on behalf of sinners.

May all the Saints of Carmel, all those holy souls who were faithful to their Carmelite promises, intercede for us and for our world. 

Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, OCDS

The Fruits of the Holy Spirit- Fourth Hymn of Virtue: Generosity

Photo: R. Massaro (c)2017Spirit Singing-St. Genevieve Church Calmoutier, Ohio

The Fruits of the Holy Spirit

Fourth Hymn

of Virtue: Generosity

Continuing this series on the fruits of the Holy Spirit I would like to talk about Generosity in light of Fr. Emmanuel Sullivan's work entitled Mary and the Holy Spirit in the Writings of John of the Cross.

Fr. Sullivan writes that the early Carmelites gathered together for a life of allegiance to Jesus Christ. Allegiance to Jesus Christ was, and is the main point of the Rule written by St. Albert of Jerusalem. This is the Rule that is still followed today by the religious family of our Order. We know from our Carmelite history that the early hermits of Mt. Carmel were dedicated to Our Lady.

Each of us has a story to tell of how we came to enter the family of Carmel. But we must remember that it was the Lord who inspired in us the grace to answer this call. From the Vatican Document, Lumen Gentium 44,2.

Thus the religious vocation is given only to those whom God has especially marked out, but the gift, which they have received, becomes the common heritage of the People of God.

We must be generous in answering this special call to Carmel, not only for our own personal holiness but for the entire Body of Christ and the world. We must never lose sight of the fact that our humble prayer, no matter how weak or imperfect, has merit in the sight of Our Lord.

Many people, even Secular Carmelites, believe it or not, are under the impression that Secular members are simply "wannabees" of the Order. This is simply a perverted notion of our vocation. Our Rule states:

The Secular Order forms an integral part of the Carmelite family; its members are therefore sons and daughters of the Order, and share in fraternal communion, though in a state of life essentially different from that of the religious, its same vocation of holiness and its mission in the Church. Article 1

St. Therese certainly appreciated her vocation of prayer within the Order. Although she was cloistered, this did not deter her from her desire to spread the Gospel to all parts of the world. She knew that her Carmelite vocation of prayer was the life-blood of the Church and that her prayer helped priests and missionaries and the entire Body of Christ. She is the poster child for the hymn of the Carmelites: "I have been zealous for the Lord, God of Hosts!" Most of us would agree, that she is one of the most generous souls we have come to know and love.

Since we are discussing the fruit of "generosity," let's look to Our Lady, our spiritual model, that we as Carmelites are called to imitate. We know that she gave her whole being to God with her Fiat. She held nothing back from the will of God for her life. We see her union with God in her glorious generosity of body and spirit. She imitated God the Father who gave his only Son for us-his most generous gift of salvation and redemption for all mankind. Jesus opens the gates of paradise for us. Who can fathom his gift of generosity, with his gift of eternal life for us in his kingdom, with Mary, and all the saints? Who can fathom His gift of generosity in remaining with us in the Blessed Sacrament? Who can fathom Our Lady's gift of generosity in giving Jesus, our Savior, to all mankind?


Our Carmelite vocation is the gateway to spiritual marriage with the Holy Trinity. Prayer and the reception of the sacraments are the key to the mystical life. The Carmelite life, the Christian life is not a boring life. It is a great adventure of discovering "deep caverns" of the mystery of God, as St. John of the Cross describes.

Fr. Sullivan also writes that Mary belongs to each member of Carmel.

As Carmelites, we have placed the desire to fulfill our promises in her hands. We have asked her to lead us up the summit of Mt. Carmel to Christian perfection and holiness.

Our promise/vow formula:I,___________of the ____________,desiring to follow the Crucified and Risen Christ in the Secular Order of Carmel, renew my profession/vow, and I promise to tend toward evangelical counsels of Chastity, Poverty and Obedience, and of the Beatitudes, according to the Rule of life of the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites.

I confidently entrust my promise/vow to the Virgin Mary, Mother and Queen of Carmel.

We may not be able to understand in this life how it is possible for her to care deeply about each of us individually, but we can get some idea of this mystery by knowing that God has enlarged her heart, because she is "full of grace." She is Mother of the Church. She is Mother of each individual member of the Body of Christ!

There is room in her heart for you!

Photo: R. Massaro (C)2017 Spirit Singing Regina Health Center Richfield, Ohio

In our family of Carmel, our priests, brothers, and religious sisters place themselves under the authority of the Abbot, or the Mother Superior. How much more should we place ourselves under the authority of our Blessed Lady? How do we do this? I think it takes childlike simplicity.

Scripture tells us to call on God as "Abba" or "Daddy." Then, why should we not cry out "Mama" to Our Blessed Mother? She will fly to us as a concerned, loving mother if we desire to increase in holiness.

Our Lord tells us, "By their fruits, you shall know them." Let us ask ourselves: 

Am I bearing fruit as a Carmelite? 

Am I a generous Carmelite?

A sign of an authentic prayer life is total generosity with God. Let us ask ourselves:

*Am I generous with the time I give to God in mental prayer?

*Do I offer my time and talents to my Carmelite community?

*Am I generous in praying for others, or are my needs the focus of my prayer?

*Am I content with doing the minimum that the Order requires?

*Do I give Jesus, through Mary, all that I am, and all that I possess, or do I hold back a selfish, particular attachment to the world?

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful with the spiritually sweet fruit of generosity. May we make a generous return to the Lord for all he has done for us!

Peace be with you!

Rosemarie, OCDS

Fruits of the Holy Spirit-Third Hymn of Virtue: Goodness

There is an old saying:
 "The eyes are the windows of the soul."

Isn't this old saying true? It seems that we are able to look into someone's eyes and see if they are happy, sad, or troubled. We can get a sense if they are of a good or bad spirit. This of course, is not to judge a person's heart, for only God can do that, but the eyes definitely give us a glimpse into the spirit of a person.

Bl. Teresa of Calcutta saw Christ in the Poor. St. Charles de Foucauld saw Christ in those who persecuted him. St. Teresa of Jesus of the Andes saw God as her "Joy."

Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity could see the hidden mystery of the Trinity.

St. Therese saw God everywhere-in everything-in everyone.

Bernadette's eyes saw the beauty of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

One has only to look into the eyes of a saint to see the goodness within.


Today's subject of Goodness, a fruit of the Holy Spirit, is His spirit that we possess in which goodness becomes a part of us. It permeates us and becomes part of our personality, to the extent that others may observe the light of the Holy Spirit in us and remark, "He is so good!" Or, "She is so good!"

Church philosophers have much to say on this deep subject of Goodness. They reflect on the nature of creation and all things as coming from the one Good-God. I will leave you to the doctors of the Church if you wish to study the subject of Goodness in depth. I would highly recommend reading St. Augustine. For my part, I wish to give a simple reflection on the fruit of goodness in our lives.

So, what is a good person like?
A good person is a pure person with no hidden agenda. A good person is a trusting and childlike person but wise in discernment of spirits. A good person is just and merciful. A good person desires good for all, even for their enemies.

Your love must be sincere. Detest what is evil. Cling to what is good. Love one another with the affection of brothers. Anticipate each other in showing respect. Do not grow slack but be fervent in spirit...Have the same attitude towards all. (Romans 12:16).

The above scripture passage from St. Paul is a lesson in fraternal charity. As Carmelites, we must remember that fraternal charity is an important part of living out our vocation. I would say it is the heart of our vocation, not just as secular Carmelites, but as baptized Christians. Love, or Charity, is the highest gift that we are to share with each other and the world. Fraternal charity flows from goodness.

Our Rule states:
The Secular Order sets before its members ideals, based upon the charisms and teachings of the Order's saintly Founders, which constitute their particular way in Christian holiness. These are; a deep sense of God's love; fidelity for contemplative prayer with the spirit of detachment it entails; and generosity in the practice of fraternal charity and the apostolate. They will place themselves under Our Lady's protection, and endeavor to live out these ideals in her presence.

A good person is a living example of the Good News of the Gospel. A good person manifests his goodness in works of charity. He lives the Beatitudes-the perfection of the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit.

Let us not grow weary of doing good; if we do not relax our efforts, in due time we shall reap our harvest. While we have the opportunity, let us do good to all men, but especially those of the household of the faith. (Galations 6:9-10)

I guess St. Paul is telling us that (spiritual) charity begins at home! As Secular Carmelites, let us love those of our household, of our own particular community. Let us discern if we are practicing fraternal charity.

An examination of conscience in light of fraternal charity:

*Do I pray for the priests and religious of the Order?

*Do I respect the leadership of my local community?

*Do I pray for the deceased members of the Order?

*Do I pray and reach out to the sick members of my community?

*Do I pray for the members of my community?

* Do I love the members of my community equally, or do I play 
   favorites?

*Do I keep in touch with the isolated members of my community?

So far, in this series of the Fruits of the Spirit we have talked about the gifts of Joy and Peace. We know that a good person is full of joy and peace. These good people are so filled with the Spirit, that others want to imitate them and possess these treasured gifts as well.

Let us cling to Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd, who will transform our hearts to be like his own Good and Merciful Heart.


Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, OCDS

The Power of the Holy Spirit-in the hand of the Bishop

Photo: R. Massaro (c)2017 Spirit Singing-St. Joseph Church Dover, Ohio

Many parishes during this time of year are celebrating the sacrament of Confirmation.  A lot of preparation takes place before the event. The children and adults, the confirmandi, as they are referred to, must be given instruction before they stand before the bishop ready to be empowered by the Holy Spirit.

I was confirmed in 1969. The way the sacrament is conferred has changed since I was a young girl. I was confirmed at the age of 12, now teens are a little older when they are confirmed. Today, the candidates stand before the bishop as he or she is confirmed. On October 16, 1969, I knelt before Bishop Clarence Elwell to be confirmed. I also remember being told that as the bishop confirmed me he would slap me on the cheek!  As children, we were petrified about this part of the ceremony. We wondered, will the bishop actually hit us? Will it hurt? We didn't know what to expect, only to brace ourselves for the blow!

I remember walking up the aisle of the church, in a long procession of candidates to be confirmed. At the time, it seemed like two miles until I would reach the altar. I was in procession, behind my uncle, an adult convert, who was beaming with joy, ready to be confirmed.

My mother had helped me with trying to choose a saint for my confirmation name. She told me stories about the saints, which I found fascinating. I remember the agony I went through in trying to decide between St. Bernadette and St. Margaret Mary. I finally decided on St. Bernadette, but as Divine Providence would have it, I was confirmed on the feast of St. Margaret Mary. 

Continuing with my memory of approaching the bishop...I remember kneeling before the bishop and announcing my confirmation name of Bernadette, he anointed me and gently patted my cheek. All that worry over nothing! The power of the the Holy Spirit, through the hand of the bishop, was imparted gently and tenderly with a soft pat on the cheek. 

Let us pray that the Holy Spirit continue to work in our lives. Let us pray that He imparts all of his gifts on us. Gifts that are needed to live with Him in the company of all the angels and saints forever. 

I'll be re-posting a series on the Holy Spirit I wrote a few years ago. These meditations about the gifts of the Holy Spirit are in light of Carmelite spirituality. I hope you are blessed by these posts.


Seven Songs of the Spirit-First Song: Wisdom

https://rosemarie-spiritsinging.blogspot.com/2008/07/seven-songs-of-spirit.html




Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, OCDS

Stained-Glass Scapulars-Reflections on the Rule of the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites

The Rule: #16
The beatitudes are a plan of action for life and a way to enter into relationship with the world, neighbors and co-workers, families and friends. By promising to live the beatitudes in daily life, Secular Carmelites seek to give evangelical witness as members of the Church and the Order, and by this witness invite the world to follow Christ: 'The Way, the Truth and the Life" (Jn 14:6).

In the above excerpt from the Rule our Superiors instruct us to have a "plan of action" for life: the beatitudes. A plan of action takes study, preparation, discipline and commitment. How many people plan and prepare for their day spiritually before they leave the door and enter the world: the spiritual battlefield?  Our one opponent, Satan, seeks to destroy the progress we are trying to make as we grow in charity.  This plan of action is the "marching orders" from the King: Jesus Christ!  He has given a Rule for every human being to follow:

*How blest are the poor in spirit: the rein of God is theirs.
  The Carmelite is called to live a life of detachment-seeking to abide in that blessed state of soul where Christ is all we have and all that we need.

*Blest too are the sorrowing; they shall be consoled.
  A life of prayer and contemplation bring self-knowledge, the painful truth of how we have sinned against God and neighbor. This knowledge should bring us to repentance of heart so that we have true sorrow for sin. Each day we must make the choice of turning away from sin and being faithful to the Gospel.

*Blest are the lowly; they shall inherit the land.
  The Carmelite is called to walk this earth in humility. St. Teresa is very stern when it comes to people (Carmelites) seeking to steal the honor and glory that belongs to God alone-seeking honor among people, by looking for affirmation and compliments and seeking credit for one's virtues.

*Blest are they who hunger and thirst for holiness; they shall have their fill. 
  In today's society, it seems difficult to find a soul that is truly desperate for God. Of course, we cannot discern someone's interior life, but how many people speak as if they were hungry and thirsty for God?  The person who is seeking the "Bread of Life and the "Living Water" is a rare creature, indeed. This person is the "voice crying out in the desert" of our wicked and depraved society.  His voice is drowned out by the world telling us to eat and drink and be merry!  Being faithful to prayer makes us desire the bread of holiness. Prayer with the Beloved, the Living Water, quenches our spiritual thirst.

*Blest are they who show mercy; mercy shall be theirs.
  When we began this discussion on the Rule, we mentioned that these beatitudes are "plan of action." The Carmelite, by being faithful to prayer, creates an interior dwelling place for the Living God. When we go out into the world we take this most Merciful Savior with us. He is the bread of mercy that we offer to others. Mercy is not conditional, we do not dole it out when we feel like it.  A merciful person, is a blessed person. He is a person in a holy state of being-"not far from the reign of God."  This is the heart of all the beatitudes.  If you possess mercy, you will not find it hard to live a life of beatitude.

*Blest are the single-hearted for they shall see God.
   Carmelites are called to quiet prayer on behalf of the Church.  Many things distract us and keep us from our purpose and mission.  St. Teresa teaches us that self-indulgence and prayer do not go together. When we get "comfortable," when we start giving in to every whim of the body, little room is left for the difficult discipline of prayer. Our mind rebels, our body rebels, and our spirit rebels. We lose our focus of "God alone."  The heart that is divided is not in a blessed state of union that we are seeking as Carmelites.  This 
spiritual affliction reflects in our daily lives. We say one thing and do another. We profess to be merciful, but are far from it. We profess to be peacemakers, but within, we are far from it.  When Jesus saw Nathaniel, he said, "...There is no guile in him."  God is calling us to purity of heart, a state of being in which our thought, words, and actions are in a spiritual marriage pleasing to God.

*Blest too the peacemakers; they shall be called sons of God.
  Being a peacemaker requires great effort and the daily dying to our ego. Whether at work, home, or in the marketplace we have many opportunities to foster peace.  We can be peaceful people by the words we choose. We can be peacemakers by the tone of voice we choose. We can be peacemakers by having a peaceful countenance. True peace emanates from the heart. True peacemakers are known by their very presence.  Peace is not a matter of  an absence of conflict. It's the way we approach difficult situations; keeping charity in mind, keeping mercy in mind, keeping humility in mind. 

*Blest are the persecuted for holiness' sake; the reign of God is theirs.
How many of us are really persecuted for our faith?  Perhaps people don't agree with our chosen lifestyle: praying, attending Mass daily, performing works of charity. But these are things we can suffer and offer up.  Many people in our day are truly persecuted for their faith. Their churches are burned, the Gospel is burned, priests are silenced and imprisoned and martyred. Let us pray for all those who are persecuted and killed for the sake of the Gospel. 

*Blest are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of slander against you because of me... 
If you've ever been given a tongue-lashing because you were a Christian, well, you've suffered a little. Perhaps it was from a member of your own family!  Some Christians, some Carmelites, are insulted by the ones who claim to love them, simply because they want to live a godly life. Think of the person who goes to work faithfully each day and suffers the ridicule and comments from others because they know they are Catholic. Day after day they have to endure the comments. Think of the religious, the priest or nun who is falsely accused of some awful crime by someone who hates the Church. They are removed from ministry, they are falsely imprisoned...these are the martyrs of today.

Let us pray for each other, that we take our plan of action, the Beatitudes, seriously each day.  If we are faithful to prayer, they will become a part of us and flow from the heart-the heart of God dwelling within us.



Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, OCDS

MASS ETIQUETTE

STAINED-GLASS SCAPULARS

Reflections on the Rule of the 

Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites

Photo:R.Massaro(C)2013SpiritSinging
St. Anthony Church Akron, Ohio

From the Rule:

#24

The value of the sacramental and liturgical life in the Secular Order leads its members to take part in the celebration of the Eucharist, in as far as possible. They will try to recite Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer of the Hours in union with the Church spread throughout the world. When it is possible they will also recite Night Prayer. Their participation in the sacrament of Reconciliation and the other sacraments of the Church will assist the process of their conversion.

Photo:R.Massaro(c)2013SpiritSinging
Lourdes, France

Resources on the Liturgy from the United States Conference of
 Catholic Bishops

PRAYING WITH BODY, MIND, AND VOICE

CELEBRATING THE LORD'S DAY

LITURGY AND LIFE

Peace be with you!

Rosemarie, ocds

Stained Glass Scapulars-Reflections on the Rule of the Secular Carmelites

Photo: R.Massaro(C)2013SpiritSinging

Just a few short days ago all of the members of the Catholic Church who were present for Mass at the Easter vigil or at Mass on Easter Sunday renewed their baptismal promises. It is fitting then, that the Order of Carmel asks each of its members to renew their promises during the Easter season.

Our Rule states:

Article 12:

By the promise made to the community in the presence of the Superior of the Order or his Delegate, the person becomes a full member of the Secular Order. By this commitment members strive to acquire the necessary training to know the reasons, the content and purpose of the evangelical lifestyle they are undertaking. The promise heightens and enriches the baptismal commitment in the Secular Carmelites. This includes those called to married life, both as spouses and as parents. This promise is renewed once a year at Easter time.


Members should prepare to renew their promises with prayer and reflection and thanksgiving.  It is also a good time to start this "new year' with an examination of conscience to see where we have failed to live up to our promises and the living out of the beatitudes in our daily lives.

It's good to celebrate the anniversary of our promises.  Do you remember the date of your promise?  This should be as important as remembering  and celebrating our baptismal date. If one is married, the wedding anniversary date should be remembered with joy and thanksgiving with the intention of trying to be more faithful to the vows more than ever.  Remember, when we made our Carmelite promises it was a spiritual marriage to the order and to our local community. We took on a new name (religious title) and made a commitment to the community that we would strive to help each other achieve union with God, just as husbands and wives make this commitment to help each other reach heaven.

Here are some questions for discernment:

*Have I been faithful to mental prayer?
*Have I been faithful to the obligations of the Secular Carmelite?
*Do I fast on the designated vigils of the Carmelite Saints?
*Have I missed meetings out of laziness?
*Do I foster fraternal charity within the community?
*Do I know the names of the members in my community?
*Do I pray for the members of my community on a daily basis?
*Do I pray for the superiors of the order on a daily basis?
*Do I pray for the deceased members of the order?
*Do I pray for the Carmelite missions?
*Do I pray for the priest I have spiritually adopted for the year?
*What is the date of my temporary profession? My final profession? My Carmelite vow?
*What is my religious title?
*What is my active apostolate?    Am I faithful to it?

These are just a few questions we can ask ourselves.  For Carmelites, we know that our main obligation is mental prayer.  If we are not praying, if we are not being faithful to the praying of the Liturgy of the Hours, we must strive to begin again. Remember, even our Holy Mother, St. Teresa gave up prayer for about 2 years.  She said this was one of the greatest mistakes of her life.  She tells us over and over again to never give up prayer.

Here is the promise formula. It's good to read it over while meditating to prepare to renew the promise/vow.


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 Constitutions of the Secular Order of the Discalced Carmelites, for three years (or 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!



Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, OCDS

Three Pillars of the Lenten Season

Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving

The interior penance of the Christian can be expressed in many and various ways. Scripture and the Fathers insist above all on three forms, fasting, prayer, and almsgiving, which express conversion in relation to oneself, to God, and to others. Alongside the radical purification brought about by baptism or martyrdom they cite as means of obtaining forgiveness of sins: efforts at reconciliation with one's neighbor, tears of repentance, concern for the salvation of one's neighbor, the intercession of the saints, and the practice of charity which covers a multitude of sins.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church #1434

For the Secular Carmelite the three pillars of Lent are not an annual observance that we try to fulfill. These sturdy pillars are what we cling to each day as we try to live out our vocation to live the Beatitudes.

The First Pillar: Prayer

Faithful to our Lord's invitation and to His example of praying without ceasing, and also to the Carmelite Rule's central command "to meditate on God's law day and night and to watch in prayer", the Secular Carmelites will prefer before all else to remain in the presence of God, continually fulfilling His holy will.

The Rule of Life, Article 4

Second Pillar: Fasting

The Secular Carmelite highly esteems the invitation of the Lord to deny himself and willingly to take up his cross daily and follow Him; he will therefore gladly mortify himself in union with the sacrifice of Christ, remembering too Our Holy Mother Teresa's remark that "prayer cannot be accompanied by self-indulgence" (Way of Perfection 4,2).
The Rule of Life, Article 6

The Third Pillar: Almsgiving

The Secular Order of The Discalced Carmelites sets before its members ideals, based upon the charism and teachings of the Order's Saintly founders, which constitute their particular way in Christian holiness. These are: a deep sense of faith in God's love; fidelity to contemplative prayer with the spirit of detachment it entails, and generosity in the practice of fraternal charity and the apostolate.
Rule of Life Article 2

We can read in the above excerpt from our Rule a summary of the three pillars of our call as Carmelites. Our main charism is contemplative prayer. The Lenten season brings this more into focus as we challenge ourselves to be more faithful to our commitment to seek the face of God in prayer.

Article 2 also mentions a spirit of detachment. This means not only to fast from exterior things but also from the sins we are attached to. This detachment will help us grow in union with God. Our Rule states, we must endeavor to practice fraternal charity at all times. Our love must be sincere. If our prayer life is authentic, the love we have for God will inspire us to perform acts of charity for our neighbor.

Another spiritual pillar we must cling to is almsgiving. Basically, almsgiving means charity. Let us give to our neighbor the love and respect they deserve as children of God.

Let us pray for each other; may our Lenten journey of prayer, detachment and love for one another help build up the holy body of Christ.

Peace be with you!

Rosemarie, ocds

SATURDAY OF OUR LADY

Photo:R.Massaro

From the Rule (Constitutions) of the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites-No.4

The Virgin Mary is present in a special way, most of all as a model of faithfulness in listening to the Lord and in service to Him and to others. Mary is the one who preserved in her heart the life and actions of her Son and meditated on them (Luke 2:51), providing for us an example of contemplation. At Cana she counseled to do what the Lord commanded (John 2:5), Mary is an example of apostolic service. On another occasion, she waited, persevering in prayer with the apostles (Acts 1:14), for the coming of the Holy Spirit, thus giving witness to intercessory prayer. She is Mother of the Order. Secular Carmel enjoys her special protection and cultivates a sincere Marian devotion.

Fr. Greg Homeming, OCD-The Sacrament of the Cross




Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds

Stained Glass Scapulars-Reflections on the Secular Carmelite Rule

Article 9:

Taking into account the origins of Carmel and the Tersian charism, the fundamental elements of the vocation of Teresian Secular Carmelites can be summarized as follows:

a)  "to live in allegiance to Jesus Christ." supported by the imitation and patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary, whose way of life is, for Carmel, a model of being conformed to Christ.

b)  to seek a mysterious union with God; by way of contemplation and apostolic activity, indissolubly joined together, for service to the Church;

I will stop at this point today and post on the other three points of Article 9 in the future.

For now, let us consider point b: to seek a mysterious union with God...  Do you like a good mystery?  Or do you dislike trying to figure things out bit-by-bit?  Because of our human nature, we like to have things made perfectly clear to us.  This can be the case in our spiritual lives as well. We will not make much progress if we are constantly trying to figure out the mysterious ways of  God's will  for us.  Even St. John of the Cross warns us that we can put up a roadblock to advancing in prayer because of our futile effort to figure out God. 

The point of our Rule states "to seek" this mystery.  We must take an active part in this intimate relationship with the Beloved. We must seek him out while in prayer, while at work, while at home, while sleeping, while breathing...this seeking of the mysterious union with God should become a perpetual desire of our heart, not something that comes to mind occasionally. 

The next part of point b is that we seek this union with God by way of contemplation.  This may actually seem funny if we think about it.  For what other way would there be to seek union with God if not by prayer and contemplation?  Even St. Teresa of Jesus seems a  little perplexed when speaking of the soul as the castle and the door by which we enter this castle as prayer, she states "As far as I can understand, the door of entry into this castle is prayer and meditation..."(IC, Chap.1, No. 7). Yes, to communicate with God one needs to pray. 

Our Secular Carmelite Rule takes this relationship even deeper by saying to seek God by way of contemplation, yet we know that contemplation is a total gift from God, a type of prayer of the heart that we are not able to produce on our own. Then the next part of the exhortation: apostolic activity, indissolubly joined together for service to the Church.  Uh Oh!  Now I may have to leave this special place of prayer and actually go out and help my family, my neighbor, my co-workers.  This could get ugly!  Can't I go back to prayer?  Yes, of course, good and faithful Carmelite.  There is a time for prayer and a time for service.  May we be given the wisdom to know the difference!

As secular Carmelites we are to seek the face of God in prayer on behalf of the Church, so while our mission is one of prayer and contemplation, we must share the fruit of our prayer and be witnesses and missionaries in the world. This missionary work should begin at home. Let us be good witnesses to the love of God in our families, our family of Carmel, at work, at our parish and in the marketplace. There are no exceptions--we never take a break from trying to respond in charity.

Article 9 summarized: prayer and work on behalf of the Church.  Let us be faithful to this marriage of contemplation and service. Let us pray for each other.


Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, OCDS
__________________