Not so long ago a national event took place in the CatholicChurch. I won’t say what or where, but let me hasten to add,it took place in England, not Scotland. A bishop preached at it.The comment afterwards was “We didn’t get either a sermonor a homily. No, we got a history lesson!” Far be it fromme to give you a history lesson on this very historic occasion,the 25th pilgrimage to this little gem, the Priory Church of StMary of Mount Carmel.
So historically, just the bare bones. In 1330 the Dundas familyinvited the Carmelites to make a foundation here. It was on thecondition that prayers would be offered “for the souls ofthe Grantor and his wife, his ancestors and successors”.Those wishes are still being fulfilled today, now by the EpiscopalianChurch in Scotland whose members restored this chapel in 1889.
This province’s Glasgow Third Order Chapter started in 1962and seven years later it was canonically erected. Note seven years,the number of perfection. In 1974 to mark the Silver Jubilee ofthe Carmelite friars returning to Aylesford, the Glasgow membersdecided to visit the Priory Church here at South Queensferry.Suffice it to say that it became much more than just a visit.Mass was celebrated by the then spiritual director, Fr JosephAbbley. Canon Ernest Brady, the then Episcopalian incumbent, madethis possible by his gracious and very warm reception. The verycordial reception has been there ever since. We are extremelygrateful for this and therefore thank very sincerely the presentincumbent, Rev. Terry Harkin, and his parishioners.
We have come here today to pray to God and to honour him. Butwe have also come to honour Mary and the saints, especially thesaints of Carmel, in particular Mary and Elijah, the models forus Carmelites. By honouring them, we worship God who made themsaints.
In the first reading for the Solemnity of Our Lady of MountCarmel, the prophet Elijah adopts a posture of profound prayer.His confidence that after the very long drought rain is imminentremains unshaken. He recognises God’s hand in the small cloud,which appeared after the seventh attempt by the servant. Onceagain the number seven. The passage shows that God is at workat more than one level: in the downpour Elijah outruns Ahab’schariots! Many have seen in the small cloud a foreshadowing ofMary, the great intercessor for us, her children.
In the Old Testament no king is mentioned without also thementioning of his mother. The Queen Mother was a very importantfigure in those days. She was honoured and respected. And theking’s subjects saw her as the intercessor par excellence.As you know this year we celebrate the 100th birthday of the presentQueen Mother. Because of her lovely personality, over the yearsher influence must have been great.
The parallels between the queen mothers of the Old Testament andMary, the Queen and Mother of the new era, are obvious. She gavebirth not just to a king, but to the King of kings. As we heardin our second reading: “When the appointed time came, Godsent his Son, born of a woman …to enable us to become God’schildren” (Gal.4:4). Let us not be afraid to approach Mary,in whom God was able to work marvels.
The Second Vatican Council told us that the greatest honour wecan give Mary and the saints is to imitate their lives. The firstbeatitude in the New Testament goes to Mary with Elizabeth exclaiming:“Yes, blessed is she (you, Mary) who believed that the promisemade by the Lord would be fulfilled”. What made Mary so greatwas that she was able to say “yes” to God, and keptsaying that all through her life. Yes, as we heard in the Gospel,right up to the crucifixion of her Son, and beyond that event.We call her the Flower of Carmel, the Flos Carmeli.
Let the of the Flos stand for her in God and the faith she has in us, her children.
Let the stand for her for both God and us.
Let the remind us of her to God, her “Yes” to God.
And let the recall to us her to God and to us, like her Son, pleading for us.
Mary is able to be a model for us in all those virtues, becauseshe was a woman of prayer, pondering on God’s word and onGod’s events in her life.
I congratulate you on this jubilee. May this pilgrimage becontinued for many years to come and may it inspire you to livein the presence of God, as Mary and Elijah did.
