Ave Maria Meditations

O Most beautiful flower of Mount Carmel,

fruitful vine, splendor 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 me 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 aid me in my need;

there are none that can withstand your power.

O show me herein you are my Mother.

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O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.

(and for those who do not have recourse to thee, especially the enemies of the Holy Church)

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Sweet Mother, I place this cause in your hands.

(state your petition)

Amen.

Song of Gratitude to Our Lady of Mount Carmel

By St. Therese of Lisieux

From the first moments of my life,

You took me in your arms.

Ever since that day, dear Mother,

You’ve protected me here below.

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To preserve my innocence,

You placed me in a soft nest.

You watched over my childhood

In the shade of a holy cloister.

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Later, in the days of my youth,

I heard Jesus’ call!…

In your ineffable tenderness,

You showed Carmel to me.

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“Come, my child, be generous,”

You sweetly said to me.

“Near me, you’ll be happy,

Come sacrifice yourself for your Savior.”

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Close to you, 0 my loving Mother!

I’ve found rest for my heart.

I want nothing more on earth.

Jesus alone is all my happiness.

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If sometimes I feel sadness

And fear coming to assail me,

Always supporting me in my weakness,

Mother, you deign to bless me.

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Grant that I may be faithful

To my divine Spouse Jesus.

One day may his sweet voice call me

To flyaway among the elect.

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Then, no more exile, no more suffering.

In Heaven I’ll keep repeating

The song of my gratitude,

Lovable Queen of Carmel!

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The Story of the Devotion to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel

OUR LADY of MOUNT CARMEL  (1251)

According to the most ancient Carmelite chronicles, the Order has its origins with the disciples of the prophets Elias and Eliseus. They lived in caves on Mount Carmel. They honored the Queen of Heaven as the Virgin who is to give birth to the Saviour. When the reality replaced the symbol, the pious ascetics of Carmel were converted to the Christian Faith. In the 12th century, many pilgrims from Europe who had followed the Crusaders came to join the solitaries. A rule was established and the Order began to spread to Europe.

Amid the many persecutions raised against the Order of Mount Carmel, newly arrived in Europe, Saint Simon Stock, General of the Order, turned with filial confidence to the Blessed Mother of God. As he knelt in prayer on July 16, 1251, in the White Friars’ convent at Cambridge, She appeared before him and presented him with the well-known brown scapular, a loose sleeveless garment destined for the Order of Carmel, reaching from the shoulders to the knees. It was given as an assurance, for all who died wearing it, of Her heavenly protection from eternal death. An extraordinary promise indeed, but one requiring a life of prayer and sacrifice.

Devotion to the blessed habit spread quickly throughout the Christian world. Pope after Pope enriched it with indulgences, and innumerable miracles put their seal upon its efficacy.

At Lourdes in 1858, the Virgin chose to make Her last apparition on July 16th, feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the day the Church commemorates Her apparition to Saint Simon Stock. And at Fatima on October 13, 1917, it is as Our Lady of Mount Carmel that Mary appeared when She said farewell to the three children. Throughout the ages, the Queen of Carmel has always kept a faithful watch over the destinies of Her cherished children on earth.

THE BROWN SCAPULAR – A SIGN OF DEVOTION TO MARY

The Brown Scapular is a Roman Catholic devotion to Mary under her title of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. It is worn as a sign of love and devotion for the Mother of God. The Carmelite Order, to which the Scapular belongs, originated on Mt. Carmel in the Holy Land and the Scapular is itself a reflection in miniature of the habit (scapular: a sleeveless outer garment falling from the shoulders) which the monks wear as a sign of their vocation and devotion. Over the years the scapular, at least for lay people, became much reduced in size to but small pieces of wool cloth suspended front and back.

MARY’S PROMISE TO THOSE WHO WEAR THE SCAPULAR

Our Lady gave St. Simon a scapular for the Carmelites with the following promise, saying : Receive, My beloved son, this habit of thy order: this shall be to thee and to all Carmelites a privilege, that whosoever dies clothed in this shall never suffer eternal fire …. It shall be a sign of salvation, a protection in danger, and a pledge of peace. Another important aspect of wearing the Scapular is the Sabbatine Privilege. This concerns a promise made by Our Lady to Pope John XXII. In a papal letter he issued, he recounted a vision that he had had. He stated that the Blessed Virgin had said to him in this vision, concerning those who wear the Brown Scapular: “I, the Mother of Grace, shall descend on the Saturday after their death and whomsoever I shall find in Purgatory, I shall free, so that I may lead them to the holy mountain of life everlasting.”

CONDITIONS AND RITUALS ATTACHED TO THE SCAPULAR

According to Church tradition, there are three conditions necessary to participate in this Privilege and share in the other spiritual benefits of the Scapular: wear the Brown Scapular, observe chastity according to your state in life, and pray the Rosary. In addition to the Sabbatine Privilege, enrollment in the Brown Scapular also makes a person part of the Carmelite family throughout the world. They therefore share in all of the prayers and good works of the Carmelite Orders. Participation in the Carmelite family also, of course, places you in a special relationship with the Carmelite saints, especially St. Elijah, St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, St. Therese of Lisieux, and, most importantly, Our Lady of Mount Carmel. In order to receive the spiritual blessings associated with the Scapular, it is necessary to be formally enrolled in the Brown Scapular by either a priest or a lay person who has been given this faculty. Once enrolled, the enrollment is for life and need not be repeated. Anyone, adult or infant, who has not previously been enrolled may be enrolled in the Brown Scapular.

VALUE AND MEANING OF THE SCAPULAR

Many popes and saints have strongly recommended wearing, the Brown Scapular to the Catholic Faithful, including St. Robert Bellarmine, Pope John XXII, Pope Pius Xl, and Pope Benedict XV. For example, St. Alphonsus said: “Just as men take pride in having others wear their livery, so the Most Holy Mary is pleased when Her servants wear Her Scapular as a mark that they have dedicated themselves to Her service, and are members of the Family of the Mother of God.”  Pope Pius XII went so far as to say: “The Scapular is a practice of piety which by its very simplicity is suited to everyone, and has spread widely among the faithful of Christ to their spiritual profit.” In our own times, Pope Paul VI said: “Let the faithful hold in high esteem the practices and devotions to the Blessed Virgin … the Rosary and the Scapular of Carmel” and in another place referred to the Scapular as: “so highly recommended by our illustrious predecessors.”

ACT OF CONSECRATION TO OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL

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O Mary, Queen and Mother of Carmel,

I come today to consecrate myself to you,

for my whole life is but a small return

for the many graaces and blessings

that have come from God to me through your hands. Since you look with special kindness

on those who wear your Scapular,

I implore you to strengthen my weakness

with your power,

to enlighten the darkness of my mind

with your wisdom, and to increase in me

Faith, Hope and Charity

that I may repay each day

my debt of humble homage to you.

May your Scapular bring me your special protection

in my daily struggle to be faithful

to your Divine Son and to you.

May it separate me from all that is sinful in life

and remind me constantly of my duty

to imitate your virtues.

From now on, I shall strive t

o live in God’s Presence,

and offer all to Jesus through you.

Dearest Mother, support me by your never-failing love and lead me to paradise

through the merits of Christ

and your own intercession. Amen.

(1) MARY, you are called the Tower of David because the Church applies to you these words of the Canticle: “Thy neck is as the tower of David, which is built with bulwarks; a thousand bucklers hang upon it, all the armor of valiant men”

The towers which David built to the walls of Jerusalem rose above all the other buildings. From them one could obtain a clear view of the surround?ing country and observe every movement of the enemy. As the tower of David surpassed all other buildings of Jerusalem, so you, the daughter of David, excel all angels and men in dignity and sanctity; the angels and saints are servants and friends of God, but you are the Mother of God. No dignity is higher than this. Consequently God has endowed you with a higher degree of sanctity than that which all angels and men could possess.

Tower of David, you were the most humble of all; hence the Lord did great things for you. He chose you to become the Mother of His Son and made you the Queen of heaven. Help me to become daily more humble, that I may be great in the eyes of God.

(2) MARY, the tower of David was so strong and provided with so many means of defense that it could resist the attacks of the enemy. Greeting you as the Tower of David, I acknowledge that the devil could not prevail against you and that you overcame all his attacks. Though he lay in wait for your heel, you crushed his head (Gen. 3,15). By an extraordi?nary grace God preserved you from the stain of original sin and thereby prevented you from falling into the power of Satan in the very first moment of your life.

The weapons you used in your struggles against Satan were those which your divine Son recom?mended to His disciples and to us: “Watch and pray, that you may not enter into temptation” (Matt. 26:41). You were watchful over your heart, over your senses, over your surroundings. Where you could not escape the attacks of the enemy, you met them with courage and confidence in God, with your eyes fixed upon God, and asking His help in prayer.

Let me also be like a tower of David in the struggle with my spiritual enemies. With the help of divine grace I can conquer evil. Help me to be watchful over myself; for the devil often makes use of the inclinations of my heart and my external senses in order to tempt me to sin. Make me watchful in deal?ing with the world, so that I may avoid all occasions?of temptations. Like you I wish to place my entire confidence in God and to pray frequently, especially?in the hour of temptation.

(3) MARY, the tower of David afforded protection and safety to all on account of its firmness and its powerful means of defense. You are such a tower for me. You afford me the most powerful protection and will permit no harm to befall me, if I have recourse to you in my struggle against evil. I hope to be saved for certain, because a firm trust in you is my weapon. I shall face my enemies courageously when I can count on your help as a shield in my hands. Tower of David, protect my soul from sin. I turn to you for aid when the battle is heaviest. With your help I shall be victorious.

PRAYER

Lord, we beg You, may we be helped by the prayers of Your most holy Mother, whose Rosary we are honoring, that we may draw strength from the mysteries which we reverence, and obtain the effect of the sacraments which we have received. Who live and reign forever. Amen

- Fr. Lawrence Lovasik

A TOWER in its simplest idea is a fabric for defense against enemies. David, King of Israel, built for this purpose a notable tower; and as he is a figure or type of our Lord, so is his tower a figure denoting our Lord’s Virgin Mother. She is called the Tower of David because she had so signally fulfilled the office of defending her Divine Son from the assaults of His foes. It is customary with those who are not Catholics to fancy that the honors we pay to her interfere with the supreme worship which we pay to Him; that in Catholic teaching she eclipses Him. But this is the very reverse of the truth.

For if Mary’s glory is so very great, how cannot His be greater still who is the Lord and God of Mary? He is infinitely above His Mother; and all that grace which filled her is but the overflowings and superfluities of His incomprehensible Sanctity. And history teaches us the same lesson. Look at the Protestant countries which threw off all devotion to her three centuries ago, under the notion that to put her from their thoughts would be exalting the praises of her Son. Has that consequence really followed from their profane conduct towards her? Just the reverse?the countries, Germany, Switzerland, England, which so acted, have in great measure ceased to worship Him, and have given up their belief in His Divinity while the Catholic Church, wherever she is to be found, adores Christ as true God and true Man, as firmly as ever she did; and strange indeed would it be, if it ever happened otherwise. Thus Mary is the “Tower of David.”

– Ven. John Henry Cardinal Newman

Turris Eburnea: TOWER OF IVORY

(1) MARY, the Church greets you as a Tower of Ivory, for under this symbol you appear in Holy Scripture, where it is said of you: “Thy neck is as a tower of ivory” (Canticle 7:4). In calling you a Tower of Ivory I indicate your beauty. The Church applies the words of the Canticle to You: “Thou art all fair, 0 my love; and there is not a spot in thee” (4:7). The great beauty of your soul, your angelic innocence, your perfect sanctity, so rejoiced the Heart of the Holy Trinity that the Father chose you for His Daughter, the Son for His Mother, and the Holy Spirit for His Spouse. While the saints, too, possess beauty of soul, none of them equals you in holiness. You preserved your original innocence throughout life: not the least stain of sin ever disfigured you; you were entirely free from every imperfection.

Tower of Ivory, help me to recognize the vanity of all earthly things. Bodily beauty without beauty of soul is nothing. I desire above all else a beautiful soul, adorned with innocence and Christian virtues, especially humility, chastity, and the love of God. Give me such a soul that God may love me more and give me heaven as my reward, where I shall see your everlasting beauty.

(2) MARY, a tower of ivory has a shining white?ness and wonderful strength. In a spiritual sense, you are like a strong tower of ivory. With a pure white soul you cling firmly to God in joy and in sorrow.

How firm is your faith! When the angel reveals to you that you are to conceive the Son of God and become a Mother without ceasing to be a virgin, you believe and consent. How firm is your confidence in God! Trials of all kinds come upon you, but you put all your hope in God and submit to His adorable will. How strong is your love for God! Nothing in the world is able to captivate your heart; you know no other delight than to serve God, and you are ready to make any sacrifice for His honor. You prac?tice every virtue all your life with the greatest fidelity. Accepting with perfect resignation all that God is pleased to send you, you embrace it with joy for love of Him. Even when you see your Son dragged to execution and crucified, you do not aban?don Him. You hide your grief in the depths of your heart. How perfect is your life of prayer! After the Ascension of our Lord you devote yourself to prayer and good works till your very death.

(3) MARY, you are like a tower of ivory, because by your example you make us love virtue, and by your protection you guard us against the attacks of Satan. After your edifying example I wish to lead a virtuous life. I rely on your protection in every temp?tation because I know that as Mother of God you possess more power than all the angels and saints, and as my own Mother you are ever ready to help me.

Tower of Ivory, make me like a tower of ivory.

Help me to serve God with fervor and faithfulness all the days of my life as you did. I have consecrated myself to my Savior in holy Baptism and promised to be always His follower. Let me never become a traitor and associate myself with His and my enemies, Satan and sin. Never permit anything in the world to cause me to waver in my fidelity to God. Let me be diligent in prayer and in receiving the Sacraments for by these powerful aids I can per?severe to the end and save my soul.

PRAYER

May the prayer of blessed Mary, Your Mother and our Mediatrix, help us, 0 Lord; that through the bestowal of Your grace, we may obtain an increase of eternal redemption. Who live and reign forever. Amen. – Fr. Lawrence Lovasik

Queen of Heaven Rejoice!
O Queen of heaven rejoice! alleluia:
For He whom thou didst merit to bear, alleluia,
Hath arisen as he said, alleluia.
Pray for us to God, alleluia.
Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia.
Because the Lord is truly risen, alleluia.

This is the Regina Caeli, the great Marian antiphon for Easter, and, More…