FEAST OF ST SIMON STOCK, 16TH
MAY
Flos Carmeli, vitis florigera, splendour caeli, virgo
puerperal singularis. Flower of Carmel, tall vine blossom laden; splendour of
heaven, childbearingyet maiden, none equals thee.Thus begins the Carmelite hymn
Flos Carmeli said to have been composed
bySt Simon.The feast of our parish patron saint goes hand in hand with
celebrating andproclaiming the glories of Mary. To be under the patronage of St
Simon Stock is tobe assured of the protection of Mary, the Mother of God, whom
the Carmelite Order looks upon as patron, beauty and sister, and whose purity
of heart Carmelites seek to imitate by doing away with all that leads away from
Jesus. All men and women on this earth have the power to do good or to do evil,
to transgress or not transgress as the Lesson from the Book of Wisdom puts it
in today’s Mass: from our first parents who used this power to such sad effect;
through hall the great patriarchs and prophets of the people of Israel, and all
the apostles and saints who have preceded us down the ages. The Virgin Mary
alone can with certainty be honoured as one who had the power to transgress and
yet did not transgress. And yet she is a sign of certain hope that we too can
be faithful and confident in the midst of the trials we experience in this vale
of tears. St Simon is held by the Carmelites as one of their most famous even
if also their most obscure early Carmelite saints. He is described as an
Englishman, the sixth prior general of the Carmelites, who prayed to the Virgin
Mary for assistance for his Order, and who in return received a vision of Our
Lady holding the Carmelite scapular as a pledge of salvation. Very few facts
are known about him, but since a cult developed around his tomb in Bordeaux, he
must have developed a reputation for holiness. The scapular is now worn by many
who trust in Mary’s protection. Strongest of armour, we trust in thy might:
under thy mantle, hard pressed in the fight, we call to thee (Hymn Flos Carmeli
) Pope Pius XII in a letter to the Carmelites in 1950, the 7th centenary of the
institution of the Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, commended this
devotion: The Holy Scapular, which may be called the Habit or Garment of Mary,
is a sign and pledge of the protection of the Mother of God. But not for this
reason, however, may they who wear the Scapular think that they can gain
eternal salvation while remaining slothful and negligent of spirit May they all
see in this keepsake of the Virgin herself a mirror of humility and purity; may
they read in the very simplicity of the Garment a concise lesson in modesty and
simplicity: above all may they behold in this same Garment, which they wear day
and night, the eloquently expressive symbol of their prayers for the divine assistance;
finally may it be to them a Sign of their Consecration to the Most Sacred Heart
of the Immaculate Virgin.
Blessed is the man who is found blameless the Book of Wisdom
teaches. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes; truly,
I say to you, he will gird himself and have them sit at table, and he will come
and serve them says Jesus in today’s Gospel. By St Simon’s example and with his
intercession, we trust in our sweet/gentle Mother who in Carmel reigns (Hymn)
and we pray to her: Share with your servants that gladness you gained and now enjoy
(Hymn)
Hail Gate of Heaven with glory now crowned bring us to
safety where thy Son is found true joy to see.
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