“Every scapular I wear the thread breaks in the middle, I don’t understand what’s happening, even the small thread rosary I wear I find broken when I get up in the morning,” said one of my nephews while chatting looking troubled. His mind seemed disturbed and looked for answers, as he has great devotion to Mother Mary, the Holy rosary and the Scapular. Having inquired what type of scapular he used, I enlightened him not to worry and advised to use a brown scapular. There are varieties of scapulars found on religious articles stores. I also have had a similar experience when I ran out of brown scapulars. I used the black nylon thread scapulars having to keep changing often even four to five per year.
The brown scapular is unique. The one that I use is more than two years in spite of daily wear even during shower. Earlier sometimes some scapular would leave colour on the inner wear when worn yet, I preferred to have colour on the wear than to part with the brown scapular! I saw an elderly priest distributing brown scapulars to every penitent who came to him for confessions!
I have had the privilege to pray at Mount Carmel on my visit to the Holy Land. The first Carmelites were Christian hermits living on Mount Carmel in the Holy Land during the late 12th and early mid-13th century and they dedicated the chapel built in the midst of their hermitages to the Blessed Virgin, whom they conceived of in chivalric terms as the “Lady of the place.”
Since the 15th century, popular devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel has centred on the Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, also known as the Brown Scapular. Traditionally, Mary is said to have given the Scapular to St Simon Stock who had a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Scapular symbolises her special protection and calls the wearers to consecrate themselves to her in a special way. The liturgical feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is celebrated on July 16.
The solemn liturgical feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel was probably first celebrated in England in the later part of the 14th century. Its object was thanksgiving to Mary, the patroness of the Carmelite Order. “Brothers of the Blessed Virgin Mary” at Cambridge, England in 1374. The date chosen was July 17; on the European mainland this date conflicted with the feast of St Alexis requiring a shift to July 16, which remains the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel throughout the Catholic Church.
According to the Church on the Brown Scapular: “The scapular is a Marian habit or garment. It is both a sign and pledge. A sign of belonging to Mary; a pledge of her motherly protection not only in this life but after death. As a sign, it is a conventional sign signifying three elements strictly joined: first, belonging to a religious family particularly devoted to Mary, especially dear to Mary, the Carmelite Order; second, consecration to Mary, devotion to and trust in her Immaculate Heart; third, an urge to become like Mary by imitating her virtues, above all her humility, chastity, and spirit of prayer.”
May we patronise the Brown Scapular for our body as a precious jewel or pearl worn round our neck! Our Lady of Mount Carmel, pray for us.
