Today we celebrate the Optional Memorial of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, established to commemorate the Blessed Mother’s apparition to Saint Simon Stock on July 16, 1251. Even before that, Mount Carmel has a storied history going all the way back to the Book of Kings. The prophet Isaiah gathered “all the Israelites” and “four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal” (1 Kings 18:20,22) to defend the purity of the Hebrew faith, and he won the challenge against the priests of the pagan god when “The LORD’s fire came down and devoured the burnt offering, wood, stones, and dust, and lapped up the water in the trench” (1 Kings 18:38).
Our Lady chose this place to reveal herself to Saint Simon Stock. Eventually, the Brothers of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel built a small church in the middle of their cells in this same place. For centuries the Carmelites have perceived themselves as personally related to Mary. Their saints and theologians have promoted devotion to her and often championed the mystery of her Immaculate Conception. Our Lady of Mount Carmel, pray for us!
