Hearth cake and a Jug of Water

Elijah went a day’s journey into the desert,
until he came to a broom tree and sat beneath it.
He prayed for death saying:
“This is enough, O Lord!
Take my life, for I am no better than my fathers.” (1 Kings 19: 4)

The Israelites had become comfortable worshiping the Lord and Baal, giving each one an exclusive area of influence in their lives. So the Lord takes his claim by exerting his authority over the rain, thus challenging the domain and power of Baal. Elijah proclaims a drought at the command of God, leaving the land parched and dry. The story as it plays out in chapter 17 and 18 of the First Book of Kings is explicit: the Lord and Baal – who will the people of Israel be loyal to? After three years of no rain, Elijah challenges the prophet of Baal on the top of Mount Carmel. After this the prophet it worn out and cannot go on. He lays down and falls asleep “under the broom tree”. He was exhausted and depressed and ready to just give up, but then an angel touched him and ordered him to get up and eat. “Elijah looked and there at his head was a hearth cake and a jug of water.”

There is a profound similarity between our present times and those of the prophet Elijah. It seems like we are wandering in the desert, dry and weary in the spiritual life and everyone is worshiping Baal. What is a faithful person to do? Like Elijah we need to be nourished by God and persevere.

“After he ate and drank, he lay down again, but the angel of the Lord came back a second time, touched him, and ordered, “Get up and eat, else the journey will be too long for you!” He got up, ate, and drank; then strengthened by that food, he walked forty days and forty nights to the mountain of God, Horeb.”(1 Kings 19: 6-8)

We too are on a journey to the mountain of God. To get there we need to persevere. Perseverance means we need to continually begin again. To arrive at our destination we need to persevere in our struggle in going against our defects and to acquire virtue. Perseverance in prayer is necessary in order for our life to bear fruit.

God will reward our efforts if we rely on God’s strength. He supplies us with daily nourishment in his word and in the Sacraments.

For daily nourishment and inspirational quotes from Carmelite Saints for the journey visit Hearthcake and a Jug of Water here.

Path of Light – Camino de luz

This short video-clip was filmed in Alhambra and San Jose/San Francisco, California during the visit of the walking staff of St. Teresa.  This video was filmed by the people traveling with the walking staff that is making its way around the world.  The presentation in this video of Carmelite spirituality is very good. The whole Carmelite Order is celebrating the 500th Centenary of St. Teresa’s birth this year.

Whose Mouth Christ Put His Own Words

St. Albert of Jerusalem

The Lawgiver of Carmel

Albert Avogadro was born in Italy in the middle of the twelfth century. He became a Canon Regular of the Holy Cross and was elected prior in 1180. In 1184, he was named Bishop of Bobbio and of Vercelli in 1185. In 1205 he became Patriarch of Jerusalem. Sometime between 1206 and 1214 he was approached by the hermits living on Mount Carmel with the request that he would prepare for them a written rule of life based on the traditional patterns of their contemplative communal life.

This Rule inspires Carmelites all over the world. It is one of the shortest of the great rules giving the Carmelites a Way of Life.  It is obvious when reading the Rule that St. Albert lived every moment the Gospel, having internalized it so completely that the words of the Bible are used to express his thoughts. Writing the Rule for the hermits on Mount Carmel, it is quite notable that he relied on the Scriptures.  The Rule is steeped in the Gospel’s message; though there are not any explicit passages quoted, there are many allusions to Sacred Scripture.

As Carmelites, we too should be personally familiar with the Scriptures in our daily encounter with them. Then as St. Albert says of St. Paul in number 20 of the Rule we may have “both the teaching and the example of Saint Paul the Apostle, into whose mouth Christ put his own words.” The sacred texts should be in our minds and expressed in our thoughts and words. As Carmelites our day is filled with opportunities to meditate on the Scriptures: Mass, Morning and Evening Prayer, Night Prayer and the practice of Lectio Divina.

Saint Albert,
you have given us a Rule of Life
according to the Gospel
to guide us on our journey
towards perfect love.
Help us always to keep watch
at our prayers, to live in
allegiance to Jesus Christ,
and to serve him
faithfully until death.
Through Christ Our Lord.
Amen.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel

July 16th is the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and is the principle feast for all who wear the Brown Scapular. The Brown Scapular is an outward sign of the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary, our sister, mother and queen. It is a symbol of her protection to the Carmelite Order which includes all its members and associates. Anyone who wears the scapular and practices the spirituality of the Carmelite Order has an affiliation to the Carmelite family and shares in the graces traditionally associated with the Brown Scapular.

Some basics of Carmelite spirituality would be:

-frequent participation in Mass and receiving Holy Communion

-reading and meditation on Sacred Scripture

-praying the Liturgy of the Hours, or part of them

-devotion and imitation of Mary the woman of faith who hears the Word of God and puts it intopractice

-practicing virtue, particularly charity, chastity (according to one’s state of life) and obedience to God’s will

Mount Carmel in the Holy Land

Below is a link to youtube and is the first of a five-part series on Mount Carmel and the Carmelite Life. Each video clip is about 10 minutes long. The series describes the history of the Carmelites; gives a glimpse of the life of Carmelite nuns and friars; and an explanation of the essence of Carmelite spirituality.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=rX5u5lDHQSs
Once you view the first video the other parts can be found in the sidebar on the right of the screen.