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Dear Charles,

Does this mean you are joing the ICCBF?

Alex

What can I say. Over the last day or two, I have read, re-read and re-read again the "Rite of Blessing of and Enrollment in the Scapular of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel" site that monksilouan told us about. I am not the brightest soul on the Brzantine Forum but even I must come to the realization that my information appears to be outdated. This dispite the fact that priests I contacted today are not aware of the new Rite. God forbid I would go against Church authority and I beg God's forgivness if I have lead any souls astray.

My first post on the Byzantine Forum was about how the Order does not value isolates enough to maintain contact.

Pray without ceasing....Michael ICCBF

Dear in the Lord Carmelitanum:
Your zeal and concern for the things of the Holy Church of God and the Order of Carmel are most praiseworthy! I, too ask your forgiveness for not showing loving understanding but rather being determined to prove that I was in the right. Sometimes I can get so caught up in something that the most important thing is forgotten: My brother or sister in the Lord. In your case, a fellow Carmelite. Please forgive my forcefulness which was not under the control of the Holy Spirit but proceeded from my need to be correct. May all the Saints of Carmel and Saint Silouan the Athonite pray for each of us and obtain for us serenity of heart and a peace-filled mind. Again, my friend, I humbly beg your forgiveness.
your little brother and fellow Carmelite,
Silouan, Mary's sinful monk

Mea Culpa

After much prayer I found a Carmelite site (shown below) and saw it myself. I would ask all interested souls to chech this site. Just cut and paste, I still don't know how to give you a link.


http://www.geocities.com/toc_phil/brown.html

I came to the Byzantine Forum to seek and learn. I accomplished that. I thank my brother monksilouan and beg his forgiveness. I am a fool...but I tried to convince brother Alex of that already. I urge all souls to find the site for proof.
Pray without ceasing...Michael

You are NOT, I repeat NOT a fool. You have just been zealous for the truth as you saw it. There is nothing at all to be ashamed of. You are a blessing to us all. I wish there were more Carmelites with your zeal for the Truth. You were incorrect. So what??!! That's why pencils have erasers. You were acting in good faith. That's all the Lord asks from any of us. Don't be so hard on yourself. Blessed Teresa of Calcutta wrote: "God does not ask us to be successful; he asks us to be holy!"
your little Carmelite brother, Silouan

I am interested. I tend to be very slow to join anything, but watch and observe for awhile before making decisions. BTW, I am reading a small book called "The Practice of the Presence of God," by Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection. You are probably familiar with him, but for the sake of those who are not, he was a 17th-century lay Carmelite. He advocated being always in the presence of God and talking lovingly and humbly to Him in all that one does. He said, "we must trust God once and for all and abandon ourselves to Him alone."

Feast Day of St. Mary Magdalen de' Pazzi
Carmelite Virgin, born 2 April, 1566; died 25 May, 1607. Of outward events there were very few in the saint's life. She came of two noble families, her father being Camillo Geri de' Pazzi and her mother a Buondelmonti. She was baptized, and named Caterina, in the great baptistery. Her childhood much resembled that of some other women saints who have become great mystics, in an early love of prayer and penance, great charity to the poor, an apostolic spirit of teaching religious truths, and a charm and sweetness of nature that made her a general favourite. But above all other spiritual characteristics was Caterina's intense attraction towards the Blessed Sacrament, her longing to receive It, and her delight in touching and being near those who were speaking of It, or who had just been to Communion. She made her own First Communion at the age of ten, and shortly afterwards vowed her virginity to God. At fourteen she was sent to school at the convent of Cavalaresse, where she lived in so mortified and fervent a manner as to make the sisters prophesy that she would become a great saint; and, on leaving it, she told her parents of her resolve to enter the religious state. They were truly spiritual people; and, after a little difficulty in persuading them to relinquish their only daughter, she finally entered in December, 1582, the Carmelite convent of Santa Maria degl' Angeli, founded by four Florentine ladies in 1450 and renowned for its strict observance. Her chief reason for choosing this convent was the rule there followed of daily Communion.

Caterina was clothed in 1583, when she took the name of Maria Maddalena; and on 29 May, 1584, being then so ill that they feared she would not recover, she was professed. After her profession, she was subject to an extraordinary daily ecstasy for forty consecutive days, at the end of which time she appeared at the point of death. She recovered, however, miraculously; and henceforth, in spite of constant bad health, was able to fill with energy the various offices to which she was appointed. She became, in turn, mistress of externs--i.e. of girls coming to the convent on trial--teacher and mistress of the juniors, novice mistress (which post she held for six years), and finally, in 1604, superior. For five years (1585-90) God allowed her to be tried by terrible inward desolation and temptations, and by external diabolic attacks; but the courageous severity and deep humility of the means that she took for overcoming these only served to make her virtues shine more brilliantly in the eyes of her community.

From the time of her clothing with the religious habit till her death the saint's life was one series of raptures and ecstasies, of which only the most notable characteristics can be named in a short notice.


First, these raptures sometimes seized upon her whole being with such force as to compel her to rapid motion (e.g. towards some sacred object).
Secondly, she was frequently able, whilst in ecstasy, to carry on work belonging to her office--e.g., embroidery, painting, etc.--with perfect composure and efficiency.
Thirdly--and this is the point of chief importance--it was whilst in her states of rapture that St. Mary Magdalen de' Pazzi gave utterance to those wonderful maxims of Divine Love, and those counsels of perfection for souls, especially in the religious state, which a modern editor of a selection of them declares to be "more frequently quoted by spiritual writers than those even of St. Teresa". These utterances have been preserved to us by the saint's companions, who (unknown to her) took them down from her lips as she poured them forth. She spoke sometimes as of herself, and sometimes as the mouthpiece of one or other of the Persons of the Blessed Trinity. These maxims of the saint are sometimes described as her "Works", although she wrote down none of them herself.
This ecstatic life in no wise interfered with the saint's usefulness in her community. She was noted for her strong common-sense, as well as for the high standard and strictness of her government, and was most dearly loved to the end of her life by all for the spirit of intense charity that accompanied her somewhat severe code of discipline. As novice-mistress she was renowned for a miraculous gift of reading her subjects' hearts--which gift, indeed, was not entirely confined to her community. Many miracles, both of this and of other kinds, she performed for the benefit either of her own convent or of outsiders. She often saw things far off, and is said once to have supernaturally beheld St. Catherine de' Ricci in her convent at Prato, reading a letter that she had sent her and writing the answer; but the two saints never met in a natural manner. To St. Mary Magdalen's numerous penances, and to the ardent love of suffering that made her genuinely wish to live long in order to suffer with Christ, we can here merely refer; but it must not be forgotten that she was one of the strongest upholders of the value of suffering for the love of God and the salvation of our fellow-creatures, that ever lived. Her death was fully in accordance with her life in this respect, for she died after an illness of nearly three years' duration and of indescribable painfulness, borne with heroic joy to the end. Innumerable miracles followed the saint's death, and the process for her beatification was begun in 1610 under Paul V, and finished under Urban VIII in 1626. She was not, however, canonized till sixty-two years after her death, when Clement IX raised her to the altars in 28 April, 1669. Her feast is kept on 27 May.

Pray without ceasing....MIchael ICCBF

Dear Charles,

Could you, at your leisure of course, write more of your personal reflections on Brother Lawrence's thoughts?

That would be of great spiritual benefit to us all!

Alex

Notes and Questions for Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection (1611-1691)
The Practice of the Presence of God (1693, French; 1724, English)
Robert Harris
January 23, 1999


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Overview
This book is about much more than constant devotion to God or unceasing prayer�though it is about those things. It is also a book about integration�of mind and faith, life and worship, thought and prayer, even physical and spiritual (for Brother Lawrence was brought to the spiritual through the physical). (Page numbers refer to Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection, The Practice of the Presence of God. Tr. Donald Attwater. Springfield, Ill.: Templegate, 1974.)
Things to Think About as You Read
1. Pay attention to the connection between faith and intellect. Brother Lawrence reports being saved by thinking�reflecting on a barren tree (29). This accession of faith through reason or contemplation is one of the philosophical threads from the Renaissance through the 18th century. For faith to arrive through the abstraction of meaning of a winter scene, the mind or reason must be closely involved with the soul. The life of faith must be connected to the life of thought as well: "We must act recollectedly, not with that impetuosity and thoughtlessness that mark an undisciplined mind . . ." (111).
2. Related to the above is the connection between the physical and the spiritual. The physical world can lead to the spiritual world. More than this, the body, heart, and soul are all interconnected, so that "we must carefully watch over the impulses of our heart, which affect the actions of the soul, as well as the actions of the body . . ." (31).

3. There is a connection between knowledge and love: "We must know before we can love; and to know God we must often think about Him" (88). See also page 105.

4. Throughout moral and religious literature, one of the most commonly attacked sins has always been pride. What is Brother Lawrence�s attitude toward or commentary about pride and humility?

5. Aristotle has said that "virtue is an activity of the soul." What is Brother Lawrence�s position?

Notes and Questions
THE FIRST CONVERSATION
Principles of Integration. The First Principle. "That one winter day he noticed a tree stripped of its leaves." One of the vehicles of integration of faith and intellect is to contemplate the physical world in terms of divine meaning and purpose. By doing just that, Brother Lawrence was saved by contemplating a barren tree in the middle of winter. (Compare Romans 1:20.)

The Second Principle. "Thus offer up his life and his happiness to God" and "we ought to give ourselves entirely to God, whether in temporal or spiritual concerns" (30). The second principle of integration is to offer one's whole life to the service of God.

The Third Principle. "We should establish ourselves in the presence of God, talking always with him" (30). The third principle is to establish yourself in the presence of God, which means to enter into a state of continuous prayer. This statement is the heart of the book.

The Fourth Principle. "We must hold fast to faith when God tries our love by inflicting times of spiritual dryness." And "we must carefully watch over the impulses of our heart, which affect the actions of the soul, as well as the actions of the body" (31). The fourth principle is to make an intellectual and emotional commitment to faith, as well as a spiritual one. Here also Brother Lawrence acknowledges that most people have times of spiritual dryness.

Note that Brother Lawrence was so affected by his contemplation of the tree that "he was not able to say" if his love for God "had at all increased during the 40 odd years which had since passed" (29).

THE SECOND CONVERSATION

"He was always ruled by love, without any other consideration" (33). Love is not transactional for Brother Lawrence, but unconditional. Regardless of whether he was lost or saved, Brother Lawrence says that he tried to live for God (35).

"He was happy when he could pick up a straw from the ground for the love of God" (33). We should seek God for his own sake, not for the sake of what he can give us, or do for us, or forgive us for.

"That we ought to act very simply towards God, speaking frankly to him, and asking his help in things as they occurred" (36). Here Brother Lawrence rejects stiff, formal prayers and shyness towards God and recommends a conversation of the nature of a close friendship.

"The time of prayer was not different from any other" (37). Brother Lawrence regards every time as a time of prayer.

"That our thoughts spoil everything" (38). A wandering mind can be a problem both for the busy and the idle.

THE THIRD CONVERSATION

"That God is indeed honoured by the trust that we put in him and fulfills it with graces" (43). What do you think is the relationship between faith and trust?

"That he was more united with God during his ordinary activities than in religious exercises" and "That many souls get stuck among systems and particular devotions" (45-46). Brother Lawrence believes that virtue and spiritual richness both derive from an active service to God rather than from devotional exercises. Virtue consists in behavior based on supra-individual principles--operating by rules beyond the self--either some abstract ideals or a focus on loving and honoring God. There is a saying, "Do whatever you are willing to do while God, whom you love, is watching."

THE FOURTH CONVERSATION

"We need only to realize that God is close to us and to turn to him at every moment, to ask for his help to learn his will in doubtful things" (47). We must keep God involved in all of our activities.

"We are equally bound to be united to God by work" (49). It is sometimes said that "work is worship."

"That we ought not to get tired of doing little things for the love of God, because he looks at the love rather than the work" (49). Each of us has different abilities, opportunities, and intentions for what we do. God sees our hearts.

THE FIRST LETTER

This letter concerns our perseverance in our intention to serve God.

THE SECOND LETTER

The theme of this letter is that we should worship God for his sake alone and not for what we can derive from our worship.

THE THIRD LETTER

In this letter, Brother Lawrence notes that devotions are only a means to an end, which is to draw closer to God.

THE FOURTH LETTER

We can worship God anywhere by making "a chapel of our heart" (68).

THE FIFTH LETTER

By keeping ourselves always in God's presence, we can fuse our will with God's will.

THE SIXTH LETTER

We should search for God without wearying.

SEVENTH LETTER

We should take time to think about who we are, to "enter into ourselves" and see what is there. Suffering is a path to self analysis: "Why me?" Should be a real question in search of a reasonable answer, not a rhetorical question arising from the naivete or bluff of lack of desert.

EIGHTH LETTER

Prayer does not necessarily mean talking to God; it more often means listening to him.

NINTH LETTER

"We must know before we can love; and to know God we must often think about him" (88). Note here that knowledge is a key and a prerequisite to love.

SIXTEENTH LETTER

"And, as knowledge is commonly the measure of love, the deeper and wider our knowledge, the greater will be our love" (105). Here again Brother Lawrence connects knowledge and love.

SPIRITUAL MAXIMS

NECESSARY PRACTICES FOR ATTAINING THE SPIRITUAL LIFE

"3. We must act recollectedly, not with that impetuosity and thoughtlessness that mark an undisciplined mind" (111). A disciplined mind yields a disciplined soul.


Prya without ceasing....Michael ICCBF

It amazes me all the different ways many have said the same thing - that we should love God with the totality of our being. So are we talking about human life reaching fulfillment only in Christ? Are we getting into theosis? If so, then this Carmelite spirituality is definitely Eastern.

Exactly the point we have been trying to make.
Pray without ceasing....Michael ICCBF

Certainly in its root and foundation it is. Without a doubt.

unworthy,

Elias

Dear Friends in Carmel,

And the Mountain is certainly Christ Himself to which we go to be transfigured in the deifying radiance and Light of His Divine Face!

There is also the Orthodox devotion to the Mother of God referring to her as a Mountain, much like the Psalms makes that reference (she is portrayed holding an uncut mountain rock).

The scapular then is the great sign of our life under the Mantle of her protection under which we experience the constant flow of Divine Grace that comes from Her Son, OLGS Jesus Christ and that drips from her motherly hands as she holds them over us with her mantle!

Most Holy Theotokos of Mt Carmel, save us!

Alex

Dear Friends in Carmel,

What do you think of my new avatar, thanks to the Administrator, that shows the icon of Our Lady of Mt Carmel that the Carmelites originally brought with them to Naples, Italy from the Holy Land?

This is "La Bruna" or "Our Lady of Naples" that Pope John Paul the Great loved as well!

Alex

Brother Alex,
Personally, I think it should be the Official Avatar for members of the ICCBF. Remember we had discussed something to signify membership. Of course, you might want to keep it as your own or the Administrator might not approve. Either way I think it's beautiful.
Pray without ceasing....Michael ICCBF