Monday, July 17, 2006

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel

Yesterday the Church celebrates the (optional) memorial of our Lady of Mount Carmel. I confess I don't have as much devotion to our Lady as I should (I pray to grow every day); so when my godmother gave me a Miraculous Medal and a scapular many years ago, I wore them for a while, but soon put them aside, not being a medal-wearing kind of person.

But like all mothers, Our Lady loves her children, even if they may sometimes forget her while busy amusing themselves! Some years ago, I found a very arresting picture of our Lady with the Child Jesus (a painting, or rather, a picture of a sculpture) printed on the back of an edition of the Catholic News. I cut it out and although it makes for a tacky poster picture (I was a poor student, and am still poor) it has followed me through many address changes and has graced my room wall since the days of NUS.

Surprise, surprise: it turned out to be a picture of our Lady of Mt Carmel! (I don't have a camera to show how it looks like; and I couldn't find it online). Some months ago, I encountered an article about the Miraculous Medal and inspired by the stories of repentance & graces, I got myself one. This weekend, during my retreat, there was a little imposition ceremony where a priest prayed over and blessed some brown scapulars, and now I wear one :)

Moneybags has a devout post about Our Lady and the scapular and some history and stories about it here. What a wonderful Mother we have; may she intercede for us always.

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