OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL

Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel

The Introit of the Mass is as follows: "Let us rejoice in the Lord and celebrate a festal-day of the Blessed Virgin Mary, on whose solemn feast the angels rejoice, and give praise to the Son of God. My heart hath uttered a good word; I speak of my works for the King."

Prayer
O, God, Who hast honoured the Order of Carmelites with the particular title of the most Blessed Virgin, Thy Mother, mercifully grant that, protected by her prayers whose commemoration we this day celebrate with a solemn office, we may deserve to arrive at joy everlasting. Who livest, etc. Amen.

EPISTLE. Ecclus. xxiv. 23-31
As the vine I have brought forth a pleasant odour: and my flowers are the fruit of honour and riches. I am the mother of fair love, and of fear, and of knowledge, and of holy hope. In me is all grace of the way and of the truth, in me is all hope of life and of virtue. Come over to me, all ye that desire me, and be filled with my fruits. For my spirit is sweet above honey, and my inheritance above honey and the honeycomb. My memory is unto everlasting generations. They that eat me, shall yet hunger: and they that drink me, shall yet thirst. He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me, shall not sin. They that explain me shall have life everlasting.

Explanation
The Church applies this epistle to Mary, thereby encouraging us fervently to honour the blessed Mother of God, in whom the Eternal Wisdom dwelt bodily, through whom He was given to us, that by her intercession our understanding may be enlightened, our will strengthened, and we be inspired with fresh zeal to practise ourselves, and to prevail on others to practise also, whatever is chaste, becoming, and holy.

GOSPEL. Luke xi. 27, 28
And it came to pass, as he spoke these things, a certain woman from the crowd, lifting up her voice, said to him: Blessed is the womb that bore thee, and the paps that gave thee suck. But he said: Yea rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God, and keep it.

After "Devaout Instructions" by Fr Goffine