Our Lady of Mount Carmel: a Reflection

Extract from a reflection talk by the Prioress to the community as the Feast Day approaches.

One of the Carmelite Order’s most important feast days is upon us and to help us ponder its significance more deeply the prioress gave a talk to the community. Highlights from it as follows:

“Humility and silence go hand in hand. This is Our Lady’s stance at Cana – her quiet acceptance of Jesus” initial remark, her ability to bide her time before commenting again. She is silent at the edge of the crowd while her Son speaks, silent at Calvary. Silent at Pentecost. There is a blessed solitude about Mary, yet she does speak and anticipates our Rule that says “make a balance, then, each of you, to weigh your words in”. She certainly has words when finally finding Jesus in the Temple, but she continues to ponder His words.

These two marks, solitude and community, silence and speech, belong to Carmel. We choose them freely and willingly as part of our way of life and service, as the background to our private and public prayer and our daily reading. We resemble Mary who laid up the words of the Lord in her heart and mulled over them in her mind.”