The Brown Scapular: A Sign of the Maternal Care of Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

During this month we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, one of the titles of the Blessed Mother rooted in the Carmelite tradition.

In the Old Testament we find the reference of Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18:19) when the prophet Elijah experienced God’s divine providence there.

Through the brown scapular, we are invited to trust in God’s loving protection in our lives. Since the scapular is a sacramental, it is important that we understand the Church’s teaching on sacramentals and their role in preparing us to receive grace.

Sacramentals do not confer the grace of the Holy Spirit in the way that the sacraments do, but by the Church’s prayer, they prepare us to receive grace and dispose us to cooperate with it. “For well-disposed members of the faithful, the liturgy of the sacraments and sacramentals sanctifies almost every event of their lives with the divine grace which flows from the Paschal mystery of the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Christ. From this source all sacraments and sacramentals draw their power. There is scarcely any proper use of material things which cannot be thus directed toward the sanctification of men and the praise of God.” (CCC- 1670)

The Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title of Mount Carmel, offers us God’s help and protection. She lovingly assures us that when we open our hearts and dispose our souls to grace, she will extend Her protection over us.

“By her complete adherence to the Father’s will, to his Son’s redemptive work, and to every prompting of the Holy Spirit, the Virgin Mary is the Church’s model of faith and charity”. (CCC-967)

“Her role in relation to the Church and to all humanity goes still further. “In a wholly singular way she cooperated by her obedience, faith, hope, and burning charity in the Savior’s work of restoring supernatural life to souls. For this reason, she is a mother to us in the order of grace”. (CCC-968)

“This motherhood of Mary in the order of grace continues uninterruptedly from the consent which she loyally gave at the Annunciation and which she sustained without wavering beneath the cross, until the eternal fulfilment of all the elect. Taken up to heaven she did not lay aside this saving office but by her manifold intercession continues to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation …. Therefore, the Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church under the titles of Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix”. (CCC- 969)

Having reflected on the teachings of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, we invoke Mary on this occasion under the title of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, asking for Her maternal care over all of us.

The Blessed Virgin Mary promises special protection in life and death to those who have well-disposed themselves. One of the promises to those wearing the brown scapular is final perseverance at the hour of death, assistance after death and early release from Purgatory.

Dear brothers and sisters, consider the example of St. Simon Stock who was a 13th-century Carmelite prior who, according to tradition, received a vision of the Virgin Mary. The Blessed Mother presented him with the brown scapular, a small piece of cloth worn as a sign of devotion. The scapular symbolizes Mary’s protection and a commitment to follow Christ in the spirit of the Carmelites. The brown scapular is a reminder for us of the Blessed Mother’s protection who calls us to live a life of prayer and to trust in Her intercession for us.

The Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title of Our Lady of Mount Carmel reminds us of the immense love God has for all of us. Through Mary’s tender care, we experience the love of the Blessed Trinity. Wearing the brown scapular becomes a sign of our love for the Blessed Mother and our trust in God’s providence.

A central theme of Carmelite spirituality is the constant awareness of God’s presence in every moment of our life, while seeking deeper union with Him. As we celebrate Our Lady of Mount Carmel this month in our parish, I encourage you to prepare yourself through the sacrament of confession so you may receive the brown scapular or renew your promise if you already wear it.

In closing I would like to leave you with this simple prayer to Our Lady of Mount Carmel:

O most beautiful Flower of Mount Carmel, Fruitful Vine, Splendor of Heaven, Holy and Singular, who brought forth the Son of God, ever Virgin Mary, assist us in our necessities. O Star of the Sea, help us and show yourself our Mother. Obtain for us the grace to follow your Son faithfully, persevere in prayer, and one day share the joy of eternal life. Through Christ our Lord. Amen

Finally, I entrust all of you to the loving care of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

+Fr. Gabriel Barrera.