Seeing this, all the people fell prostrate and said, “The LORD is God! The LORD is God!” (1 King 18: 39)

Today is the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Mount Carmel is a mountain overlooking the plain of Galilee. It became famous because it was there that the prophet Elijah, who lived before Our Lord, was born. Elijah worked a miracle there. Chapter 18 of the Bible’s First Book of Kings tells how Elijah stood up to the 450 prophets of the false god, Baal. Through his prayers, Elijah obtained a miracle from God to prove that Elijah’s God was the true God. [Now summon all Israel to me on Mount Carmel, as well as the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah who eat at Jezebel’s table.” So Ahab summoned all the Israelites and had the prophets gather on Mount Carmel. Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you straddle the issue? If the LORD is God, follow him; if Baal, follow him.” But the people did not answer him. So Elijah said to the people, “I am the only remaining prophet of the LORD, and there are four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal. Give us two young bulls. Let them choose one, cut it into pieces, and place it on the wood, but start no fire. I shall prepare the other and place it on the wood, but shall start no fire. You shall call upon the name of your gods, and I will call upon the name of the LORD. The God who answers with fire is God.” All the people answered, “We agree!” Elijah then said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one young bull and prepare it first, for there are more of you. Call upon your gods, but do not start the fire.” Taking the young bull that was turned over to them, they prepared it and called upon Baal from morning to noon, saying, “Baal, answer us!” But there was no sound, and no one answering. And they hopped around the altar they had prepared. When it was noon, Elijah taunted them: “Call louder, for he is a god; he may be busy doing his business, or may be on a journey. Perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.” They called out louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears according to their ritual until blood gushed over them. Noon passed and they remained in a prophetic state until the time for offering sacrifice. But there was no sound, no one answering, no one listening. Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come here to me.” When they drew near to him, he repaired the altar of the LORD which had been destroyed. He took twelve stones, for the number of tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the LORD had said: Israel shall be your name. He built the stones into an altar to the name of the LORD, and made a trench around the altar large enough for two measures of grain. When he had arranged the wood, he cut up the young bull and laid it on the wood. He said, “Fill four jars with water and pour it over the burnt offering and over the wood.” “Do it again,” he said, and they did it again. “Do it a third time,” he said, and they did it a third time. The water flowed around the altar; even the trench was filled with the water. At the time for offering sacrifice, Elijah the prophet came forward and said, “LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, LORD! Answer me, that this people may know that you, LORD, are God and that you have turned their hearts back to you.” The LORD’s fire came down and devoured the burnt offering, wood, stones, and dust, and lapped up the water in the trench. Seeing this, all the people fell prostrate and said, “The LORD is God! The LORD is God!” (1 King 19-39)]

Centuries later, in the thirteenth century, a group of European monks began to live on Mount Carmel. They honored Mary, the Mother of God, as Our Lady of Mount Carmel. For this reason, the people began to call them friars of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel. This was the way the Carmelite Order began. Pope Honorius III approved the Order’s Rule in 1226. Simon Stock, an Englishman, became the superior of all the Carmelites in 1247. He helped the Order expand and adapt to the times. He patterned the Order on the Dominicans and Franciscans.

On July 16, 1251, Mary appeared to St. Simon and gave him the brown scapular. She promised her protection to all those who would wear the blessed habit. Many miracles proved her words. St. Pius X was pope from 1903 until 1914. He said that people could have the same blessings if they would wear the scapular medal. This medal has a picture of Our Lady of the Scapular on one side and the Sacred Heart on the other. Simon Stock died in Bordeaux, France, in 1265.

Mary, the Mother of Jesus, is our Mother, too. We can ask her to help us be more like Jesus. She’ll protect us in life and help us at the time of death. We can show our devotion to Mary by wearing the brown scapular or scapular medal. (Saint A Day)

Oh, most beautiful flower of Mount Carmel, fruitful vine, splendor of Heaven. Oh, Blessed Mother of the Son of God; Immaculate Virgin, assist me in my necessity. Oh, Star of the Sea, help me and show me you are my Mother. Oh, Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and Earth, I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart to succor me in my necessity. (Mention your request here) There are none that can withstand your power. Oh, Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee. (say three times). Holy Mary, I place this prayer in your hands. (say three times). Amen.