CARMEL'S OWN

Saturday, January 17, 2009

I LOVED HIM DEEPLY!

I will now show you more fully how, from the beginning, when I first learned and came to an understanding of the existence of God, I was always concerned about my salvation and religious observance. When I learned more completely that God himself was my Creator and the judge of all my actions, I came to love Him deeply, and I was constantly alert and watchful so as not to offend Him in word or deed. When I learned that He had given His law and commandments to His people and worked so many miracles through them, I made a firm resolution in my soul to love nothing but Him, and the things of the world became altogether repugnant to me. Then, having learned that God himself would redeem the world and be born of a Virgin, I was so smitten with love for Him that I thought of nothing but God and wanted nothing but Him. As far as I was able, I withdrew from the conversation and the presence of parents and friends and gave away to the needy everything I had come to own. I kept for myself nothing but meager food and clothing.

From the Blessed Virgin according to Saint Bridget of Sweden (d. 1373) Saint Bride and Her Book: Birgitta of Sweden's Revelations, Book 1, ch.10

nb: I beg to be excused for not coming to "CARMEL'S OWN" before due t personal indisposition.

Hence, the LECTIO DIVINA daily editations are missing up to this date! NUARY 2009

2nd Sunday of ordinary time: 18 January - John 1,35-42 Monday: 19 January 2009 - Mark 2,18-22 Tuesday: 20 January 2009 - Mark 2,23-28 Wednesday: 21 January 2009 - Mark 3,1-6 Thursday: 22 January 2009 - Mark 3,7-12 Friday: 23 January 2009 - Mark 3,13-19 Saturday: 24 January 2009 – Mark 3,20-21

3rd Sunday of ordinary time: 25 January - Mark 1,14-20 Monday: 26 January 2009 - Luke 10,1-9 Tuesday: 27 January 2009 - Mark 3,31-35 Wednesday: 28 January 2009 - Mark 4,1-20 Thursday: 29 January 2009 - Mark 4,21-25 Friday: 30 January 2009 - Mark 4,26-34 Saturday: 31 January 2009 - Mark 4,35-41

Saturday, December 20, 2008

C H R I S T M A S

A happy Christmas to one and all.

May the Divine Babe be your joy and comfort not only on His Birthday

but also all the days of your life on earth enhanced in the future eternity.

Health and Blessings.

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

The New Liturgical Year

ADVENT

....a derivation from the latin meaning "coming"...is once again with us.

During this period predeeding the Solemn Celebration of the day of Jesus Christ, the Lord's birth, we are advised to prepare ourselves also so that we will not be found wanting in the Second Coming of the Son of Man.

We are therefore not only in expectation of the celebration of CHRISTmas, but even so and more for the Last Day.

On that day, Judgement day, we will be brought to account for our Love of God and Love of Neighbour!

"whatsoever and whatever you have done for these my brethren....you have done for me".

Once agin I am referring to THE CARMELITE WEBSITE (webmaster: Fr nthony Cilia O Carm), in order to bring to each of us the possibility of meditating using the LECTIO DIVINA method.

This will definitely help us in the progress and prowess of our spirituality.

Suffice it to say that one needs only to click on the calendar hereunder in order to follow the daily meditation accordingly.

May the Good Lord keep us in His ways, and may the Blessed Mother keep us under her protection.

Thursday, October 2, 2008

OCTOBER dedicated to......

The Holy Rosary

It has been suggested that the rosary began as a practice by the laity to imitate the
monks who prayed the 150 psalms in the Liturgy of the Hours. Many people could not read,
so Ave Maria's were substituted for the psalms and knotted cords were used to keep
an accurate count. Tradition tells us that the rosary was given to St. Dominic
by the Blessed Virgin Mary in the 12th century.
She appeared to him and asked him to spread devotion to the rosary.
The rosary is a meditative and contemplative prayer that brings us closer to Jesus
through His mother, Mary. It is a powerful form of prayer to invoke peace, healing,
and a deeper understanding of the Gospel. In October of the year 2002, Pope John Paul II
proclaimed the year of the Rosary and added the Luminous Mysteries to the meditation.
We reflect on the life of Jesus and Mary in the mysteries of the Rosary.

From the Gospel of Luke, chapter 1,
we recall the angel, Gabriel's greeting to Mary, the Mother of God,
Hail, full of Grace the Lord is with Thee.
And Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit cried out in a loud voice and said,
Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
We then ask our heavenly mother's intercession in aiding us as we pray,
Holy Mary Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Click each mystery to view Holy Land photos for each of the mysteries

The Joyful Mysteries
The Luminous Mysteries
The Sorrowful Mysteries
The Glorious Mysteries

The Rosary, precisely because it starts with Mary’s own experience, is an exquisitely contemplative prayer.
Without this contemplative dimension, it would lose its meaning…
Without contemplation, the Rosary is a body without a soul, and its recitation runs the risk
of becoming a mechanical repetition of formulas, in violation of the admonition of Christ:
“In praying do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do,
for they think they will be heard for their many words.”

-Pope John Paul II

"Carmel is a source of wealth for the whole Christian community." John Paul II

remember to click on the various dates to enter that day's LETIO DIVINA

Saturday, July 26, 2008

JULY - Month of O. L. of Mt. Carmel

FLOS CARMELI
The "Flos Carmeli is a unique hymn/prayer sung daily by the Carmelites worldwide.
It is said to have been composed by the rec eiver of the Brown Scapular himself, Saint Simon Stock, who was General Superior of the order at the time, thus being dated as far back as the 13tth Century.

(Latin)

Flos Carmeli,
vitis Florigera;
Splendor Coewli,
Virgo Puerpera,
Singularis.

Mater Mitis,
sed Viri Nescia;
Carmelitis
Esto Propitia;
Stella Maris.

(English)

Flower of Carmel,
Tall Vine Blossom laden;
Splendour of Heaven,
Child Bearing yet Maiden,
None equals Thee.

other so Tender,
Whom no man didst know;
On Carmel's Children
Thy Favours bestow,
Star of the Sea.

(Maltese)

Fjur tal-Karmelu,
Dielja bil-Frott Mogħnija;
Dija tas-Sema,
Xebba li Waħdanija,
B’ġieħ t’Omm tiftaħar.

Omm l-Aktar Ħelwa,
Li Ġmielek qatt ma ttabba’,
Lill-Karmelitani
Ħniena uri u Mħabba,
Kewkba tal-BaĦar.

17th Sunday of ordinary time: 27 July - Mt 13,44-52 Monday: 28 July 2008 - Matthew 13,31-35 Tuesday: 29 July 2008 - Matthew 13,36-43 Wednesday: 30 July 2008 - Matthew 13,44-46 Thursday: 31 July 2008 - Matthew 13,47-53 Friday: 1 August 2008 - Matthew 13,54-58 Saturday: 2 August 2008 - Matthew 14,1-12
18th Sunday of ordinary time: 3 August - Mt 14,13-21 Monday: 4 August 2008 - Matthew 14,22-36 Tuesday: 5 August 2008 - Matthew 15,1-2.10-14 Wednesday: 6 August 2008 - Matthew 17,1-9 Thursday: 7 August 2008 - Matthew 16,13-23 Friday: 8 August 2008 - Matthew 16,24-28 Saturday: 9 August 2008 - Matthew 25,1-13
19th Sunday of ordinary time: 10 August - Mt 14,22-33 Monday: 11 August 2008 - Matthew 17,22-27 Tuesday: 12 August 2008 - Matthew 18,1-5.10.12-14 Wednesday: 13 August 2008 - Matthew 18,15-20 Thursday: 14 August 2008 - Matthew 18,21-19,1 The Assumption of Our Lady: 15 August 2008 - Luke 1,39-56 Saturday: 16 August 2008 - Matthew 19,13-15
20th Sunday of ordinary time: 17 August - Mt 15,21-28 Monday: 18 August 2008 - Matthew 19,16-22 Tuesday: 19 August 2008 - Matthew 19,23-30 Wednesday: 20 August 2008 - Matthew 20,1-16a Thursday: 21 August 2008 - Matthew 22,1-14 Friday: 22 August 2008 - Luke 1,26-38 Saturday: 23 August 2008 - Matthew 23,1-12
21st Sunday of ordinary time: 24 August - Mt 16,13-20Monday: 25 August 2008 - Matthew 23,13-22 Tuesday: 26 August 2008 - Matthew 23,23-26 Wednesday: 27 August 2008 - Matthew 23,27-32 Thursday: 28 August 2008 - Matthew 24,42-51 Friday: 29 August 2008 - Mark 6,17-29 Saturday: 30 August 2008 - Matthew 25,14-30
22nd Sunday of ordinary time: 31 August - Mt 16,21-27 Monday: 1 September 2008 - Luke 4,16-30Tuesday: 2 September 2008 - Luke 4,31-37 Wednesday: 3 September 2008 - Luke 4,38-44 Thursday: 4 September 2008 - Luke 5,1-11 Friday: 5 September 2008 - Luke 5,33-39 Saturday: 6 September 2008 - Luke 6,1-5
23rd Sunday of ordinary time: 7 September - Mt 18,15-20 Monday: 8 September 2008 - Matthew 1,1-16.18-23 Tuesday: 9 September 2008 - Luke 6,12-19 Wednesday: 10 September 2008 - Luke 6,20-26 Thursday: 11 September 2008 - Luke 6,27-38 Friday: 12 September 2008 - Luke 6,39-42 Saturday: 13 September 2008 - Luke 6,43-49
24th Sunday of ordinary time: 14 September - Jn 3,13-17Monday: 15 September 2008 - John 19,25-27 Tuesday: 16 September 2008 - Luke 7,11-17 Wednesday: 17 September 2008 - Luke 7,31-35 Thursday: 18 September 2008 - Luke 7,36-50 Friday: 19 September 2008 - Luke 8,1-3 Saturday: 20 September 2008 - Luke 8,4-15
25th Sunday of ordinary time: 21 September - Mt 20,1-16 Monday: 22 September 2008 - Luke 8,16-18 Tuesday: 23 September 2008 - Luke 8,19-21 Wednesday: 24 September 2008 - Luke 9,1-6 Thursday: 25 September 2008 - Luke 9,7-9 Friday: 26 September 2008 - Luke 9,18-22 Saturday: 27 September 2008 - Luke 9,43b-45

Saturday, June 21, 2008

THE SACRED HEART of JESUS

The heart is a muscle . It has always been used as a symbol of love, tenderness and goodness.
No wonder that Jesus defined his love, tenderness and goodness for all human beings to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque when He urged devotion to "His Sacred Heart".
" I promise that, through the infinite pity of MY Heart. I will grant the grace of repentance to all those who will receive Holy Communion on the first Friday of eavh month for nine consecutive months".
The month of Jun e is traditionally dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

12th Sunday of ordinary time: 22 June - Mt 10,26-33 Monday: 23 June 2008 - Matthew 7,1-5 The Nativity of St. John the Baptist: 24 June - Luke 1,57-66.80 Wednesday: 25 June 2008 - Matthew 7,15-20 Thursday: 26 June 2008 - Matthew 7,21-29 Friday: 27 June 2008 - Matthew 8,1-4 Saturday: 28 June 2008 - Matthew 8,5-17
Sts. Peter and Paul: 29 June 2008 - Mt 16,13-19 Monday: 30 June 2008 - Matthew 8,18-22Tuesday: 1 July 2008 - Matthew 8,23-27 Wednesday: 2 July 2008 - Matthew 8,28-34 Thursday: 3 July 2008 - John 20,24-29 Friday: 4 July 2008 - Matthew 9,9-13 Saturday: 5 July 2008 - Matthew 9,14-17
14th Sunday of ordinary time: 6 July - Mt 11,25-30 Monday: 7 July 2008 - Matthew 9,18-26 Tuesday: 8 July 2008 - Matthew 9,32-38 Wednesday: 9 July 2008 - Matthew 10,1-7 Thursday: 10 July 2008 - Matthew 10,7-15 Friday: 11 July 2008 - Matthew 19,27-29Saturday: 12 July 2008 - Matthew 10,24-33
15th Sunday of ordinary time: 13 July - Mt 13,1-23 Monday: 14 July 2008 - Matthew 10,34-11,1Tuesday: 15 July 2008 - Matthew 11,20-24 The Blessed Virgin of Mount Carmel: 16 July - John 19,25-27 Thursday: 17 July 2008 - Matthew 11,28-30 Friday: 18 July 2008 - Matthew 12,1-8 Saturday: 19 July 2008 - Matthew 12,14-21
16th Sunday of ordinary time: 20 July - Mt 13,24-43 Monday: 21 July 2008 - Matthew 12,38-42 Tuesday: 22 July 2008 - John 20,1-2.11-18 Wednesday: 23 July 2008 - Matthew 13,1-9Thursday: 24 July 2008 - Matthew 13,10-17 Friday: 25 July 2008 - Matthew 20,20-28 Saturday: 26 July 2008 - Matthew 13,

Monday, May 26, 2008

WHO IS SHE?????

St Philip Neri (d. 1594)

Would you like to know if this is the Virgin Mary?

Saint Philip Neri was often consulted by bishops to judge the authenticity of mystics. The practice of humility and obedience allowed him to infallibly test false mystics, because the devil is proud and independent.

One day in 1560, the cardinals were divided about a nun who was having visions. Since they sought his opinion, Philip went to see the young sister. He looked at her warmly and said, "Sister, I didn't want to see you, I wanted to see the saint." And the nun replied, "But I am the saint!" Philip turned on his heels, retorting, "Ah, you're the saint? Thank you." And the verdict he gave the Cardinals was, "It's not from God..."

Another time, one of his penitents confided to him that the Virgin had come in the night in her room, filling it with joy and light! So Philip said, "Listen, the next time she comes you should spit in her face." The following night, the apparition spoke to her of God, but remembering the promise she had made to her spiritual director she spat in her face. The apparition immediately disappeared in a cloud of sulphur smoke: it was the devil. That same night, she awoke in the room full of light with a new apparition that smiled at her. This time the figure was not sitting on her bed, she standing in a corner of the room. The seer went over to spit again, but the apparition just said, "You can spit if you want." The apparition was too far to spit on, but she congratulated her for her obedience to her spiritual director! And Father Neri told her that that time it was the Virgin Mary.

Hail Mary, Full of Grace, The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of death.
From the magazine the Etoile Notre Dame, October 2006

9th Sunday of ordinary time: 1 June - Mt 7,21-27

Monday: 2 June 2008 - Mark 12,1-12 Tuesday: 3 June 2008 - Mark 12,13-17 Wednesday: 4 June 2008 - Mark 12,18-27 Thursday: 5 June 2008 - Mark 12,28b-34 Friday: 6 June 2008 - Mark 12,35-37 Saturday: 7 June 2008 - Mark 12,38-44
10ª Sunday of ordinary time: 8 June - Mt 9,9-13

Monday: 9 June 2008 - Matthew 5,1-12 Tuesday: 10 June 2008 - Matthew 5,13-16 Wednesday: 11 June 2008 - Matthew 10,7-13 Thursday: 12 June 2008 - Matthew 5,20-26 Friday: 13 June 2008 - Matthew 5,27-32 Saturday: 14 June 2008 - Matthew 5,33-37
11th Sunday of ordinary time: 15 June - Mt 9,36-10,8

Monday: 16 June 2008 - Matthew 5,38-42 Tuesday: 17 June 2008 - Matthew 5,43-48 Wednesday: 18 June 2008 - Matthew 6,1-6.16-18 Thursday: 19 June 2008 - Matthew 6,7-15 Friday: 20 June 2008 - Matthew 6,19-23 Saturday: 21 June 2008 - Matthew 6,24-34