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MARY THE FIRST CONTEMPLATIVE

The hermits of Mount Carmel had a special devotion to Mary the Mother of Jesus as their Patroness, Virgin Mother, Sister and as beauty of Carmel. Patronage of Mary was as accepted reality of the middle age. If contemplation is the gift of God, Mary was the most suited person for this gift. It is given to whomsoever He wishes to give. God has most willingly given it to her. She is the most beautiful child of God who is his goodness has created her without original sin; and therefore Mary’s heart echoes only one work “love”. Contemplation is nothing else but loving God.

“And on her head a crown of twelve stars”. [Rev. 12. 1] The woman depicted in this passage is the symbol of the Church. The Church means each one of us. Mary is the first Christian; therefore she is the Church too. The twelve stars are the teaching of Christ, the gift of the Holy Spirit. She is filled with the Holy Spirit, “Hail Mary full of Grace”. When God looks at a person to be raised to contemplation, He sees this gift in the person. Who else on earth than Mary who is worthy of such a favors?

“A sword shall pierce through your soul”. [Lk. 2:35] The suffering and death of her Son was the sword that pierced her soul. She had to sacrifice her only Son the only possession she had on earth, and say once more her fiat, “Thy will be done” for the redemption of mankind,. The weight of sin of the world, his sufferings, and the rejection he experienced from his own people all these were the swords into her soul. She was close to her Son as mother, as Christian and as a disciple. When we think over her life as a contemplative what we understand is that she pondered all these in her heart. Every incident in the life of Jesus took her back to her “Yes” to the will of God. She received the Word of God into her heart and let it grow in her as God, in her womb as a child and gave to the world; and asked us to do whatever this Word tells us; and at the foot of Cross to receive the Motherhood of mankind. By our daily meditation of the life of Jesus, loving Him unconditionally, we copy Mary who pondered her son’s life in her heart as Man and God. Contemplation is love; it is to live the mysteries of Christ in our life in loving conversation and in conformity with the Will of God. The love of God in her was manifested in her love for others.

She went in haste to serve her cousin Elizabeth; serving God whom she contemplated with deep faith and submission to God was living in her as a person. Her faith was manifested at the birth of Jesus in the manger, at the escape to Egypt to save his life. She worshiped God in her Son caressing him with most tender love, who revealed himself in the ordinary life as her son and Savior of the world. She in turn became a true disciple of Jesus and an intercessor for the people.

Jesus gave us His mother to be our mother. He has given to us this precious gift as our model by giving her as our mother to imitate her, follow her and love her. We Carmelites honor her as our Patroness, Sister and Mother who journeyed with her Son Jesus in love. Mary is a typical model who desires to be a contemplative.

Let us accept the Word of God into our life, carrying it and pondering it in the heart. Let the Word of God we hear in the daily Mass form Jesus in us and give birth to Him and give to the world by our good actions and behavior. Watch over it till it has grown perfectly in the heart. And give to the World. And be true daughters of our Most Holy Mother St. Teresa.



Frequently Asked Questions
We get an impression that you do not speak; can you clarify?
This is the doubt many people have since Cloistered Monasteries are known in India as “Mindamadam.” Cloistered Carmels should have been better known as “Avruthi Madam” which would be the better translation.
Although our life is centered on prayer, silence and solitude, this does not mean we do not speak. We speak to people when they contact us for various needs. We speak among ourselves when needed. Apart from this we have two hours of recreation daily.
Do you watch movies?
We do not have a television. According to our constitutions we can occasionally watch matters that are of a religious nature. We have the possibility of watching something spiritual and enriching in our computer if needed. It is the Responsibility of the Prioress to regulate the use of media.