As we celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, we are reminded of the beautiful story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, as recounted in 1 Kings 18:20-40. This mountain, located on the northern coast of Israel, was a place of great significance in the Old Testament. It was here that Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal to a contest to see whose God was the true God. The prophets of Baal called upon their god all day long, but there was no response. Elijah, on the other hand, prayed to the God of Israel, and fire came down from heaven, consuming the sacrifice.
Today's readings from Zechariah 2 and Matthew 12 help us understand the significance of Mount Carmel in our lives as Christians. In Zechariah 2, we hear God saying, "I am coming to dwell among you." This is a message of hope and comfort for the people of Jerusalem, who had been exiled and were longing to return to their homeland. Similarly, as Christians, we are reminded that God desires to dwell among us, to be our companion and guide on our journey. This gives us an occasion to ponder the many beautiful ways in which God is with us, through his Church and the Sacraments we participate in, first and foremost, in his uniting with us through his presence in the Holy Eucharist.
In Matthew 12, Jesus is challenged by those who say he is possessed by Satan and that his mother and brothers are outside, seeking to speak with him. But Jesus responds by saying that whoever does the will of his heavenly Father is his mother and brother. This is a beautiful reflection on the nature of family and community. As Christians, we are all part of one family, united in our love for God and our desire to follow his will. Whereas a lot of people take our Lord’s words to be a slight on his own mother, this cannot possibly be the case, as any disrespect to his parents would have been a breaking of the commandments and we know that Jesus was like us in all things, except sin. What he was actually doing, was, extolling his dear mother conveying that anyone who wanted to be associated with him, like her, would need to seek and live the will of the Father in their lives.
Our Lady of Mount Carmel is often associated with the old testament biblical story and Mount Carmel and even today’s gospel, because it is said that she appeared to St. Simon Stock, a Carmelite friar, in 1251 and entrusted him with the brown scapular as a sign of her protection and devotion where the scapular is a symbol of our total surrender to God's will, just as Jesus surrendered his will to his heavenly Father, who with him and the Holy Spirit are the one true God who is so often substituted by false gods.
As we celebrate this feast day, let us reflect on our own relationship with God. Are we open to his presence in our lives? Do we seek to do his will above all else? May we be inspired by the example of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, who has always been devoted to her son Jesus and has guided countless souls to follow him. May we too be guided by her intercession and example as we strive to build up the kingdom of God on earth.
May we also remember that Mount Carmel is not just a physical location but a symbol of spiritual growth and transformation—a consistent pursuit of remaining faithful to truth and God’s oneness. It represents a place where God dwells among us, where we can encounter him in a deep and profound way. May we be like Elijah, calling out to God with all our hearts and seeking his presence in our lives, and our Blessed Mother whose last recorded words in the Scriptures were, “Do as he tells you.” It’s all about doing God’s will.
In closing, let us pray that our Blessed Mother intercedes for us, so that we can be generous in doing God’s will, seeking to forgive those who have wronged us, to love our neighbour as ourselves, to reach out to the most unfortunate among us, and to continually place our trust and hope in the one and only true and living God. Our Lady of Mount Carmel, pray for us who have recourse to thee.
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