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AND TODAY WE CELEBRATE… Saint of the Day: St. Camillus de Lellis (SATURDAY, JULY 18)

Patron Saint of the Sick, Founder of the Servants of the Sick (1550-1614)

 

His life

 

+ Camillus was born in the Abruzzi region of Italy and was a successful soldier.

 

+ A giant of a man (he was 6’6” tall), Camillus also had a quick temper. A gambling addiction left him all but destitute and he developed a painful ulcer on his right leg which never healed and caused him pain for the rest of his life.

 

+ When he was at his lowest point, he met a Capuchin Franciscan friar who helped Camillus turn his life around. Camillus eventually decided to dedicate his life to serving Christ in the sick-poor.

 

+ After being ordained a priest, Camillus gathered together a group of disciples, forming a new religious community—the Order of Servants of the Sick (the “Camillians”). Camillus was known for his charity toward the sick, but also as a gifted nurse who demanded cleanliness and technical knowledge from the members of his community.

 

+ Camillus ordered the members of his order to wear a red cross on their habit as a reminder that their only motivation should be to follow Christ by spending their lives in service of the sick. There is no connection between the distinctive red cross worn by the Camillians and the symbol later adopted as the official emblem of the American Red Cross.

 

+ Saint Camillus de Lellis died in 1614 and was canonized in 1746. He is honored a patron saint of nurses and of all who serve the sick.

 

For prayer and reflection

 

“Great and all-embracing was Camillus’ charity. Not only the sick and dying, but every other needy or suffering human being found shelter in his deep and kind concern.”—From a contemporary account of the life of Saint Camillus

 

Vocations

 

To learn more about the work of the Camillian Fathers and Brothers, visit: http://www.camillians.org/

 

Prayer

 

O God, who adorned the Priest Saint Camillus

with a singular grace of charity towards the sick,

pour out upon us, by his merits,

a spirit of love for you,

so that, serving you in our neighbor,

we may, at the hour of our death,

pass safely over to you.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

 

Saint profiles prepared by Brother Silas Henderson, S.D.S.

PRAYER FOR THIS EVENING (FRIDAY, JULY 17)

Prayer for the Evening

 

By his wounds, we were healed:

let us give thanks and praise!

 

Glory to the Father…. Alleluia!

 

HYMN

 

Father, I stretch my hands to thee,

No other help I know;

If thou withdraw thyself from me,

Ah! whither shall I go?

 

What did thine only Son endure,

Before I drew my breath!

What pain, what labor, to secure

My soul from endless death!

 

Surely thou can not let me die;

O speak, and I shall live;

And here I will unwearied lie,

Till thou thy Spirit give.

 

The worst of sinners would rejoice,

Could they but see thy face:

O, let me hear thy quickening voice,

And taste thy pardoning grace.

 

PSALM 41:2-6, 8-14

 

Power came forth from [Jesus] and healed them all. (Lk 6:19)

 

Human need of every kind cries out to God for healing. The sharpest cry is the plea of the human heart betrayed and wounded by the sins of self and others. The Lord hears every call for help, and heals by taking upon himself the sufferings of all who are impoverished and weakened by failure, sin, and death.

 

Happy the man who considers the poor and the weak.

The Lord will save him in the day of evil,

will guard him, give him life,

make him happy in the land

and will not give him up to the will of his foes.

The Lord will help him on his bed of pain,

he will bring him back from sickness to health.

 

As for me, I said: “Lord, have mercy on me,

heal my soul for I have sinned against you.”

My foes are speaking evil against me.

“How long before he dies and his name be forgotten?”

 

My enemies whisper together against me.

They all weigh up the evil which is on me:

“Some deadly thing has fastened upon him,

he will not rise again from where he lies.”

Thus even my friend, in whom I trusted,

who ate my bread, has turned against me.

 

But you, O Lord, have mercy on me.

Let me rise once more and I will repay them.

By this I shall know that you are my friend,

if my foes do not shout in triumph over me.

If you uphold me I shall be unharmed

and set in your presence for evermore.

 

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel

from age to age. Amen. Amen.

 

Glory to the Father….

 

Word of God (Isaiah 53:4-5)

 

It was our infirmities that he bore,/ our sufferings that he endured,/ While we thought of him as stricken,/ as one smitten by God and afflicted./ But he was pierced for our offenses,/ crushed for our sins,/ Upon him was the chastisement that makes us whole,/ by his stripes we were healed.

 

Lord, have mercy on me,/ heal my soul

for I have sinned against you. (Ps 41:5)

 

CANTICLE OF MARY 

 

The Lord hears the cry of the poor. (cf. Ps 10:17)

 

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

my spirit rejoices in God my Savior

for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

 

From this day all generations will call me blessed:

the Almighty has done great things for me,

and holy is his Name.

 

He has mercy on those who fear him

in every generation.

 

He has shown the strength of his arm,

he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

 

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,

and has lifted up the lowly.

 

He has filled the hungry with good things,

and the rich he has sent away empty.

 

He has come to the help of his servant Israel

for he has remembered his promise of mercy,

the promise he made to our fathers,

to Abraham and his children for ever.

 

Glory to the Father…

 

INTERCESSIONS 

 

In the name of all who seek to heal the sufferings of the world, we pray:

R/Hear us, O Lord.

 

You lifted upon your own shoulders the burdens of the poor and the weak:

– strengthen those who follow in your footsteps in caring for those in need. R/

 

You bore the pain of the disbelief of your relatives and neighbors:

– strengthen those who encounter ridicule in their efforts to live the Gospel. R/

 

You shunned no leper and turned away from no sinner:

– strengthen those who seek to grow in love for all who suffer. R/

 

You died for all who live under the weight of mortality:

– raise to life all our beloved dead. R/

 

(Personal intentions)

 

Our Father….

 

For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and for ever! Amen.

 

MARIAN ANTIPHON

 

Antiphon for the Memorial of

Our Lady of Mount Carmel, July 16,

from the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite

 

Your head is like Carmel,

and the hairs of your head,

bound in tresses,

even as royal purple, alleluia.

 

 

Salve, Regina, mater misericordiae;

vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve.

Ad te clamamus, exsules filii Evae.

Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes

in hac lacrimarum valle.

 

Eia ergo, advocata nostra,

illos tuos misericordes oculos

ad nos converte.

Et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui,

nobis post hoc exsilium ostende.

O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria.

 

 

Hail, holy Queen, mother of mercy,

our life, our sweetness, and our hope.

To you do we cry,

poor banished children of Eve.

To you do we send up our sighs,

mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.

Turn then, O most gracious advocate,

your eyes of mercy toward us,

and after this our exile

show unto us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus.

O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.

 

V/ Pray for us, O holy Mother of God,

R/ That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

AND TODAY WE CELEBRATE… Saint of the Day: St. Alexius of Rome (FRIDAY, JULY 17)

Hermit (5th century)

His life

 

+ The life of Saint Alexius is shrouded in legend, but for centuries he has been honored for his love of the poor and his humility.

 

+ Said to have been the son of a Roman senator, Alexius wanted to dedicate his life to God, despite his parents’ plan for him to marry.

 

+ On his wedding Alexius was released from his commitment by his fiancé and left his home, disguised as a beggar, and traveled to Syria, where he lived as a hermit.

 

+ After years of solitude and prayer, Alexius returned to his parents’ home, presenting himself as a beggar. Not recognizing Alexius, he was allowed to stay, living in a niche under the stairs.

 

+ For 17 years Alexius lived there, praying, teaching the faith to small children, and sharing what he had with the poor.

 

+ Following his death, his family found a note attached to his body, which revealed his identity.

 

+ Historians recognize that the story of Alexius of Rome was conflated with that of Saint Alexius of Edessa, whose story was brought to Rome by exiled Greek monks who established a monastery near the Church of Saint Boniface in Rome. Although the feast of Saint Alexius was removed from the General Roman Calendar in 1969, his name is retained in the Roman Martyrology, the Church’s official listing of saints.

 

+ The relics of Saint Alexius—including the staircase under which he lived and died, are enshrined in the Basilica of Santi Bonifacio ed Alessio in Rome.

 

For prayer and reflection

 

“The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom;

his tongue speaks what is right.

God’s teaching is in his heart;

his steps do not falter.”—Psalm 37:30-31

 

Spiritual bonus

 

Saint Alexius is honored as the patron saint of the Alexian Brothers, a community of male religious founded in Belgium in the 15th century to care for the victims of the Black Death. Following the Rule of Saint Augustine, the Alexian Brothers currently provide acute care, residential elderly care, retirement centers, HIV/AIDS ministry, and centers for the homeless and those suffering from mental illness.

 

Prayer

 

O God who gladdens us by the annual solemnity of blessed Alexius, your confessor, mercifully grant that we who celebrate his heavenly birthday may also imitate his example. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

(from The Roman Missal [1962 Edition])

 

Saint profiles prepared by Brother Silas Henderson, S.D.S.

PRAYER FOR THIS MORNING (FRIDAY, JULY 17)

Prayer for the Morning

 

Merciful is the Lord: come, let us sing praise!

 

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning,

is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia!

 

HYMN

 

O thou, whom once they flocked to hear,

Thy words to hear, thy power to feel;

Suffer the sinners to draw near,

And graciously receive us still.

 

They that be whole, thyself hast said,

No need of a physician have;

But I am sick, and want thine aid,

And want thine utmost power to save.

 

Make this the acceptable hour!

Come, O my soul’s physician, thou!

Display thy sanctifying power,

And show me thy salvation now.

 

PSALM 38:2-11, 22-23

 

I know well the plans I have in mind for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare, not for woe! plans to give you a future full of hope. (Jer 29:11)

 

The penitential psalms very often speak of sin as a sickness brought on by the attack of enemies. Their vivid descriptions of the sinner’s sufferings remind us again and again that the misery of sin is not what God wants for his beloved children.

 

O Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger;

do not punish me, Lord, in your rage.

Your arrows have sunk deep in me;

your hand has come down upon me.

 

Through your anger all my body is sick:

through my sin, there is no health in my limbs.

My guilt towers higher than my head;

it is a weight too heavy to bear.

 

My wounds are foul and festering,

the result of my own folly.

I am bowed and brought to my knees.

I go mourning all the day long.

 

All my frame burns with fever;

all my body is sick.

Spent and utterly crushed,

I cry aloud in anguish of heart.

 

O Lord, you know all my longing:

my groans are not hidden from you.

My heart throbs, my strength is spent;

the very light has gone from my eyes.

 

O Lord, do not forsake me!

My God, do not stay afar off!

Make haste and come to my help,

O Lord, my God, my savior!

 

Glory to the Father….

 

Word of God (Isaiah 57:18-19)

 

I saw [my people’s] ways,/ but I will heal them and lead them;/ I will give full comfort/ to them and to those who mourn for them,/ I, the Creator, who gave them life.

 

Peace, peace to the far and the near,/ says the Lord; and I will heal them.

 

I will heal their defection,/ I will love them freely.

(Hos 14:5)

 

CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH 

 

I will restore you to health;/ of your wounds I will heal you, says the Lord. (Jer 30:17)

 

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;

he has come to his people and set them free.

He has raised up for us a mighty savior,

born of the house of his servant David.

 

Through his holy prophets he promised of old

that he would save us from our enemies,

from the hands of all who hate us.

 

He promised to show mercy to our fathers

and to remember his holy covenant.

 

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:

to set us free from the hands of our enemies,

free to worship him without fear,

holy and righteous in his sight

all the days of our life.

 

You, my child, shall be called the prophet

of the Most High;

for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,

to give his people knowledge of salvation

by the forgiveness of their sins.

 

In the tender compassion of our God

the dawn from on high shall break upon us,

to shine on those who dwell in darkness

and the shadow of death,

and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

 

Glory to the Father…

 

INTERCESSIONS

 

Let us pray to the Divine Physician:

 

R/Have mercy on us, O Lord, for we have sinned.

 

Hold back the punishment we fear:

– grant us the healing for which we long. R/

 

Lift from us the burden of our guilt:

– grant us the freedom we have sold for illusions of pleasure or power. R/

 

Strengthen our longing for goodness:

– remove our foolish preferences for sinful rewards. R/

 

(Personal intentions)

 

Our Father….

 

O God, our Healer and our Good, you sent your Son to cure the world’s sickness by taking upon himself the burden of its guilt. Heal the diseased vision that causes us to mistake evil for good; heal the sickened mind that causes us to mistake selfishness for love; heal the unhealthy habits that we have made our own, so that we may stand before you, whole in body, soul, and spirit, to sing your praise for ever with all the saints, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

CONSECRATION TO OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL

O Mary, Queen of all Saints,

who art the beauty of Carmel,

how sweet it is for me to venerate thee

under the title of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

Even from the days of the Apostles,

thou hast been honoured under this mystic title;

I am filled with joy as I consecrate myself to thee, O holy Mary,

most unworthy though I am to be thy servant,

yet touched by thy motherly care for me

and longing to serve thee,

in the presence of my Guardian Angel

and the court of Heaven,

I choose thee this day to be my Queen,

my Advocate, and my Mother,

and I firmly purpose to serve thee ever more

and to do what I can that all may render faithful service to thee.

 

Therefore, most devoted Mother,

through the Precious Blood thy Son poured out for me,

and through the promises of thee as Our Lady of Mount Carmel,

I beg thee, deign to take me among thy clients

and receive me as thy servant forever.

 

O beauty of Carmel,

glory of Libanus,

thou purest of lilies,

mystic rose in the garden of the Church,

I salute thee!

O Virgin of virgins,

be mindful of me in my misery,

and show thyself my Mother.

Shed upon me ever more and more

the living light of that faith

which made thee blessed;

inflame with that Heavenly love

wherewith thou didst love thy dear Son, Jesus Christ.

 

Do thou, Mother of God,

who hast such power and might,

obtain for me from blessed Jesus,

the Heavenly gifts of humility, chastity, and meekness,

which were the fairest ornaments of thine Immaculate soul.

Do thou grant me to be strong

in the midst of the temptations and bitterness

which so often overwhelm my spirit.

Aid me in every action,

and beg for me the grace, never,

by word or deed or thought,

to be displeasing in thy sight and that of thy most holy Son.

Think of me my dearest Mother,

and desert me not at the hour of death.

 

Amen.

 

(Here, you kiss your Scapular..)

 

Holy Virgin of Mount Carmel, Our Lady of the Scapular,

pray for us!

NOVENA PRAYER FOR ANY NECESSITY

DAY 1

 

O God, come to my assistance.

O Lord, make haste to help me.

 

Heavenly Father,

you know all things,

and nothing is hidden from you;

in your kindness come to my aid in my present distress,

and grant my humble petition.

In Christ’s name I beg your help.

 

Amen.

 

Action: Do a kind deed today for someone you meet.

 

* * * * * * * * * *

 

DAY 2

 

Hear, O Lord, and have pity on me.

 

O Lord, be my helper.

 

Father in heaven,

your love for us never falters in spite of our sins and failures.

Please show your mercy and care for me in my difficulty.

For the sake of Christ, our Savior,

have pity of me.

 

Amen.

 

Action: Recognize the image of Christ today in those around you.

 

* * * * * * * * * *

 

Day 3

 

Lord, be not far from me.

Awake and be vigilant in my defense, my God.

 

Loving Father,

you are not far from any of us since in you we live,

move and have our being.

Kindly increase my awareness of your presence,

and take care of my pressing need.

Christ, our Lord, assures us you will.

 

Amen.

 

Action: For this day, cast all your cares upon the Lord.

 

* * * * * * * * * *

 

Day 4

 

Your ways, O Lord, make known to me.

Teach me your paths.

 

Father almighty,

your ways and mysterious purpose are often hidden from us;

guide me now, I beg you,

in my sorrow, and by your power aid me to know your will.

May I do it in imitation of Christ, our redeemer.

 

Amen.

 

Action: Consider seriously today how best you can do God’s will.

 

* * * * * * * * * *

 

Day 5

 

Now will I arise, says the Lord.

I will grant safety to him who longs for it.

 

In you, heavenly Father,

I confidently place all my trust.

In your hands I leave all my anxieties with faith in your care for me.

From you alone I await relief because of Christ,

your Son, who pleads for us.

 

Amen.

 

Action: For God’s sake, help some person today whom you may not like.

 

* * * * * * * * * *

 

Day 6

 

O Lord, reprove me not in your anger,

Nor chastise me in your wrath.

 

Merciful Father,

you know my sins and disobedience,

my weakness and ingratitude which have deserved punishment.

Yet, you are ever ready to forgive,

and gracious to all in trouble.

In Christ’s name,

come quickly to help me.

 

Amen.

 

Action: Hold back today the harsh word; banish the unkind thought.

 

* * * * * * * * * *

 

Day 7

 

The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed,

A stronghold in time of distress.

 

Father in heaven,

you never reject those who seek your help,

and are ever ready to comfort the sorrowful.

Have pity on me in my needs,

and rescue me from all my afflictions.

In Christ’s name,

I implore your compassion.

 

Amen.

 

Action: In imitation of Christ, do good to those who dislike you.

 

* * * * * * * * * *

 

Day 8

 

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted,

And those who are crushed in spirit, He saves.

 

Your goodness, heavenly Father,

responds speedily to our wretchedness.

In my distress I call upon you

to hear and answer my prayers. In you alone, O God,

I will continue to trust despite everything.

In Christ’s name.

 

Amen.

 

Action: Help someone you know who needs your aid today.

 

* * * * * * * * * *

 

Day 9

 

The Lord came to my support.

He set me free and rescued me because He loves me.

 

Gracious Father,

I will thank you each day for your merciful goodness to me.

With your help I will ever praise your kindness in my trouble.

Please assist me now in faithfully following Christ, my Savior.

 

Amen.

 

Action: In gratitude, be good to others today and always.

NOVENA OF THE MOST POWERFUL HAND

Repeat the following Novena prayers every day for 9 consecutive days.

O Powerful Hand of God!

I place my Christian soul before Thee,

and in my despair and anguish,

beseech Thee to bring the most powerful strength of

Thy Helping Hand to come to my rescue.

Help me to keep You in view,

I place the devotion of my sorrowful heart at Thy feet

that I may be pardoned from a destiny of suffering.

May the loving kindness of Thy Sacred Heart

and the wonders of Thy Powerful Hand

help me and give me strength and

wisdom to live in peace and happiness.

Amen.

[Make your petition(s) here…]

Say 3 Our Father…

Say 3 Hail Mary…

Say 3 Glory Be…

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus,

Have mercy on us.

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus,

Have mercy on us.

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus,

Have mercy on us.

Prayer of St. Bridget for Peace of Heart

O Lord, make haste and illumine the night.

Say to my soul that nothing happens without You permitting it,

and that nothing of what You permit is without comfort.

O Jesus, Son of God,

You Who were silent in the presence of Your accusers,

restrain my tongue until I find what I should say and how to say it.

Show me the way and make me ready to follow it.

It is dangerous to delay, yet perilous to go forward.

Answer my petition and show me the way.

As the wounded go to the doctor in search of aid,

so do I come to You.

O Lord, give Your peace to my heart.

Amen.

PRAYER FOR THIS EVENING (THURSDAY, JULY 16)

Prayer for the Evening

 

The Lord is great and worthy to be praised

in the city of our God: come, let us adore!

 

Glory to the Father…. Alleluia!

 

HYMN

 

Mary of Carmel, crowned with heaven’s glory,

Look on us, Mother, as we sing your praises;

Be with us always, joy of saints and angels,

Joy of creation.

 

Come to God’s mountain, all who serve our Lady:

Sing to God’s glory, young and old together,

Full hearts outpouring Mary’s song of worship,

Thanking her Maker.

 

Sing to the Father, who exalts his handmaid,

Sing to God’s Wisdom, Son who chose his mother,

Sing to their Spirit, Love that overshadowed

Mary, chaste Virgin.

 

PSALM 48:2-4, 10-12

 

You shall know that I, the Lord, am your God,/ dwelling on Zion, my holy mountain;/ Jerusalem shall be holy. (Jl 4:17)

 

Mount Zion, and the city of Jerusalem, the place where God dwelt among his people in the Temple, is often used in the liturgy as an image of Mary, in whom God’s Word became flesh in our midst. The title “Our Lady of Mount Carmel” is another expression of this devotion to Mary as the beautiful and holy place of God’s dwelling among us.

 

The Lord is great and worthy to be praised

in the city of our God.

His holy mountain rises in beauty,

the joy of all the earth.

 

Mount Zion, true pole of the earth,

the Great King’s city!

God, in the midst of its citadels,

has shown himself its stronghold.

 

O God, we ponder your love

within your temple.

Your praise, O God, like your name

reaches the ends of the earth.

 

With justice your right hand is filled.

Mount Zion rejoices;

the people of Judah rejoice

at the sight of your judgments.

 

Glory to the Father….

 

Word of God (Isaiah 35:1-2)

 

The desert and the parched land will exult;/ the steppe will rejoice and bloom./ They will bloom with ­abundant flowers,/ and rejoice with joyful song./ The glory of Lebanon will be given to them,/ the splendor of Carmel and Sharon;/ They will see the glory of the Lord,/ the splendor of our God.

 

Who shall climb the mountain of the Lord?/

Who shall stand in his holy place? (Ps 24:3)

 

CANTICLE OF MARY

 

I will dwell within Jerusalem;/ Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city,/ and the mountain of the Lord of hosts,/ the holy mountain. (Zec 8:3)

 

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

my spirit rejoices in God my Savior

for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

 

From this day all generations will call me blessed:

the Almighty has done great things for me,

and holy is his Name.

 

He has mercy on those who fear him

in every generation.

 

He has shown the strength of his arm,

he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

 

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,

and has lifted up the lowly.

 

He has filled the hungry with good things,

and the rich he has sent away empty.

 

He has come to the help of his servant Israel

for he has remembered his promise of mercy,

the promise he made to our fathers,

to Abraham and his children for ever.

 

Glory to the Father…

 

INTERCESSIONS

 

With joy let us pray:

 

R/O God, we ponder your love!

 

In the beauty of the Blessed Virgin Mary: R/

 

In the holiness of the Blessed Virgin Mary: R/

 

In your presence through the Blessed Virgin Mary: R/

 

(Personal intentions)

 

Our Father….

 

The Lord bless us and keep us!/ The Lord let his face shine upon us, and be gracious to us!/ The Lord look upon us kindly and give us peace! Amen. (cf. Nm 6:24-26)

 

MARIAN ANTIPHON

 

Antiphon for the Memorial of

Our Lady of Mount Carmel, July 16,

from the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite

 

Your head is like Carmel,

and the hairs of your head,

bound in tresses,

even as royal purple, alleluia.

 

 

Salve, Regina, mater misericordiae;

vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve.

Ad te clamamus, exsules filii Evae.

Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes

in hac lacrimarum valle.

 

Eia ergo, advocata nostra,

illos tuos misericordes oculos

ad nos converte.

Et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui,

nobis post hoc exsilium ostende.

O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria.

 

 

Hail, holy Queen, mother of mercy,

our life, our sweetness, and our hope.

To you do we cry,

poor banished children of Eve.

To you do we send up our sighs,

mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.

Turn then, O most gracious advocate,

your eyes of mercy toward us,

and after this our exile

show unto us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus.

O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.

 

V/ Pray for us, O holy Mother of God,

R/ That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

AND TODAY WE CELEBRATE… The Blessed Virgin Mary ~ Our Lady of Mount Carmel (THURSDAY, JULY 16 )

The Feast of the Brown Scapular

The story

+ This title of Mary refers to the origins of the ancient Carmelite Order, whose first members lived as hermits on Mount Carmel in Palestine.

+ The hermits’ first chapel on Mount Carmel was dedicated to Mary, the Mother of Jesus. In time, the hermits left Mount Carmel and became itinerant beggars, spreading their way of life and spirituality throughout Europe.

+ According to legend, the Blessed Virgin appeared to Saint Simon Stock, a Carmelite priest, in England on July 16, 1251, presenting him with the brown Carmelite scapular. In time, devotion to “Our Lady of Mount Carmel” and the brown scapular spread throughout the world.

+ Although this is the patron feast of the Carmelite Order, the Church’s liturgy on this day focuses more broadly on Mary’s role as intercessor and protector of Christians.

For prayer and reflection

“The Scapular is essentially a habit which evokes the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary in this life and in the passage to the fullness of eternal glory. The Scapular also reminds us that the devotion to her must become a ‘uniform,’ that is a Christian life-style, woven of prayer and interior life.”—Pope Saint John Paul II

Prayer

May the venerable intercession of the glorious Virgin Mary

come to our aid, we pray, O Lord,

so that, fortified by her protection,

we may reach the mountain which is Christ.

Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

(from The Roman Missal)

Saint profiles prepared by Brother Silas Henderson, S.D.S.