Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Today we celebrate the memorial of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. This feast was started in the 13th century to remember the vision of St. Simon Stock, who received the Brown Scapular from our Lady, with the promise that whomever devoutly (this is the key word) wears the Brown Scapular as an external sign of their commitment and dedication to our Lord Jesus, through His most Blessed Mother, will be given special graces at the time of their death. This is a celebration especially for members of the Carmelite Order, who have a historic root of being contemplatives on Mount Carmel in northern Israel.
Mount Carmel has a long history of being a special place for encountering the Lord. Today we had a special coincidence, liturgically. Typically on a memorial, when praying the Office of Readings, the first reading, which is from the Scriptures, is taken from the regular liturgical cycle, so today from Monday in the 15th Week in Ordinary Time. It just so happened that that reading was from the First Book of Kings, where the prophet Elijah prevails over the false prophets of Baal and Asherah. You probably remember the story; both the false prophets of Baal and Asherah, and Elijah prepare a sacrificial bull and call on their respective gods to consume the offering. Of course when the false prophets of Baal and Asherah cry out nothing happens, but when Elijah calls out to the Lord his offering, which his doused with water, is immediately. And where did this showdown occur? On Mount Carmel!
As I prayed that reading this morning I was struck by the following words of Elijah, addressed to the people of Israel, “How long will you straddle the issue? If the Lord is God, follow him; if Baal, follow him.” OK, I don’t think we have too many worshipers of Baal and Asherah around any more, but I am becoming more convinced that many people are de facto pagans. How many different excuses have I heard of why a person has missed Sunday Mass — there was football, soccer, cheerleading, or we were on vacation. I have startled more than a few parishioners when I tell them that they have made those things gods in their lives, above God, the Lord of the Universe. We put ourselves above God when we cling to a favorite sin, “because it really doesn’t hurt anyone,” or because we disagree with the Church’s teaching. Politicians who use the excuse, “I am morally opposed to abortion/homosexual unions/embryonic stem cell research/etc., but I will not impose my views on others,” are saying that their careers are more important that God.
In today’s Gospel reading at Mass Jesus tells us that the person who hears the Word of God and obeys that Word is His mother, brother and sister. Clearly He is not diminishing his mother, Mary, but rather holding her up for all of us as a model. Mary heard the Word of God and responded by saying, “I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me according you your word.” There was no straddling of the issue for Mary. She clearly acknowledged the Lord as God and followed Him. We are called to do the same. Stop straddling the issue — the Lord is God! Follow Him!
