www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Question to Latin Catholics

Dear Amici,

A question about some RC devotions that I grew up with . . .

It seemed to me that the scapular and the Miraculous Medal were in the forefront because wearing them guaranteed one wasn't going to go to hell, if one prayed etc.

That is how I seemed to have interpreted those devotions.

Is that a correct view? How should one view them?

Is not the view that the Brown Scapular "guarantees" salvation a kind of "Catholic Calvinism" where one is "saved" and does this not introduce a kind of "spiritual relaxation" with respect to spiritual struggle in the Life of Christ that shouldn't be there?

Alex

Dr Alex

I've known very traditional RC priests who have warned against viewing the scapular as a good luck charm, but instead promote the idea of it as a constant reminder of our faith. A tiny minority of RC's take belief in the scapular to the extreme, even insisting that one should even wear it in the shower (supposedly if you handle the shower head just right, you can avoid getting the scapular wet) Still as Mother Angelica has said "It's Not a Lucky Rabbit's Foot".

My brother Alex,

Your post had me scrambling...to me the Scapular is not a magical amulet, but a reminder of the commitment to the devotion...I wear the one bearing the Crusaders Cross, Saint Benedict Medal and Crucifix, the same as seen on Mel Gibson...

Thoughts...

james

Dr. Alex

As one invested in the scapular (except I gave mine to a soldier who was on his way to Iraq the last time I was on a plane) I wore mine "religiously."

The scapular is a sign of devotion to the Theotokos, it's kinda like being wrapped in her mantle. The devotion says that whoever dies clothed in it won't go to hell and will get out of purgatory on Saturday.

Some legends have said that people have tried to kill themselves and it didn't work until they took off the scapular. One in particular tried to drown himself and washed back ashore, tried to hang himself and the rope broke, and I think he finally took it off and got runover by a car or something!

Really, it is a sign of devotion to and the protection of the Most Holy Virgin Mother of God. But to put in it an intrinsic kind of magic power would be to slip into the sin of superstition. So, it isn't an Ex Cathedra kind of thing but a pious devotion. Like the other approved Marian apparitions, ie. Knock, Guadalupe, Lourdes, Fatima, Medjugorie (no, wait that has been suppressed by the local bishops, yet people still go!) You are free to believe or disbelieve and it really doesn't affect your salvation.

Alex,

I wear one. I really don't know why. I have worn one for a very long time.

Do I say the prayers associated with wearing it? No, but I can't seem to stop wearing it either.

I take it off when I go jogging, swimming, bathing, or some other sport. I wear it the rest of the time.

I have NO IDEA what the theology behind it is. I just know for me it is like a WWJD braclet.

Does this help?

I think the general idea is that if one wears the Scapular or Medal with and acts in accordance with its requirements, living life as a Catholic Christian should, the wearing of the Scapular or Medal will bring graces to the one who wears it.

If one acts in accordance with what Our Lady asks of those who wear these things, how can they be lost?

Naturally, Our Lady is not saying that simply by wearing these things one could do whatever he wishes and still be saved.

Logos Teen

Dear Friends,

Thank you!

I too wear mine habitually. When I started to become "more Byzantine" starting in my first year of university, I began to reinterpret these devotions in an Eastern way - some would say that it is impossible, but nothing really is, you know . . .

So, yes indeed, the scapular is the Mantle of Protection of the Theotokos and I've seen Western images of our Lady extending her cloak over monastics and others. Same thing!

And the medal depicts the Mother of God in exactly the same way as she appeared over the Coptic Church at Zeitun and also in Orthodox icons for the feast of the Conception of St Anne - according to www.oca.org. [oca.org.]

And during the Kyivan Baroque period, similar medals were worn by Orthodox saints and members of the Orthodox brotherhood of the Immaculate Conception.

I don't believe that the scapular wearing means I can relax since I'm going to heaven anyway.

I don't know where that "feeling" came to be in me, but I refuse to accept that.

Spiritual life is about constant spiritual struggle and my relation to the scapular today is simply an extension of my Eastern devotion to the Mantle of Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos - nothing more.

See y'all in heaven!

Alex

The Brown Scapular has always been a sacramental of the Carmelite Order. There has historically been a great deal of misinformation relating to the Brown Scapular and it being viewed as a good luck charm or "get out of Hell free card". It is neither.

Because of this perceived need, the Carmelites published a short catechesis on the Scapular titled "The Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel: Catechesis and Ritual". I believe it can be ordered from ICS (Institute of Carmelite Studies) website: http://www.icspublications.org
You might want to call them up and ask.

This is by far the most in-depth explanation and treatment you can find about the Brown Scapular, and is from the Carmelites themselves and approved by the Vatican. It in no way demeans or diminishes this beautiful Marian sacramental, it only makes it more powerful. It is really calling for a revival of the traditional scapular (plain brown cloth, no images etc.) and for use of the scapular medal substituted for the wool scapular only if their is a necessity (and not simply as a matter of preference).

You may want to read this while you're at it.
http://www.rc.net/lansing/ctk/carmelites/ocds1.htm

Peter John

Hi Alex,

I have mixed feelings about these things.

I respect the authority that approved them and I respect my brothers and sisters who find them spiritually enriching.

However, I'd like to think that these brothers and sisters would also find in their hearts a respect for those of us who disagree with them in this regard.

It doesn't bother me that God would say that this or that would "guarantee" their way to heaven.

God wants to save us, that pretty much is clear. If He is with us, who shall be against us?

Getting to heaven should not be all that difficult. Demanding? Yes. Difficult? Maybe not.

But what I find most unique and precious about God's love is that it is free, and I want to keep it that way.

I do not want the thought that I have heaven guaranteed to creep up into my spiritual life so I take God's love for granted because of something I did or something I wear.

My only reason to take God's love for granted is because, by His grace, I have come to know Him and how He loves. This is the "True Light", which we have seen and which saves us.

If God ever decided not to love me, I want to go into oblivion that very moment. I do not want to reach for an "I.O.U. Heaven" medal or scapular or book or whatever.

God doesn't coerce me to love Him, I don't see why I need to coerce Him to love me.

Of, as St. John of the Cross says:

I am not moved, my God, to love You,
by the heaven you have promised me;
nor am I moved by the feared hell,
to stop offending You.

You move me, Lord. It moves me to see You,
nailed to the Cross and ridiculed,
It moves me to see your body so hurt,
I am moved by your insults and your death.

Your love moves me and in such a way,
that even without heaven I would love you,
and even without hell I would fear you.

You don't have to give me that I love you,
for even if what I hope for I did not hope for,
the same that I love you I would love you.


(My translation)


Shalom,
Memo

Well said, Alex!

Below is an icon of Our Lady of Mount Carmel written by well-known Benedictine iconographer Brother Claude Lane. As you can see he bases it on the Pokrov icon. Notice how the Theotokos holds a brown scapular alongside with Her mantle.

[Linked Image]

Dear Griego,

Where can one order a copy of that beautiful and meaningful icon?

Alex

Dear Memo,

Very good!

I'm afraid I was very much like that in my younger years, but again I was a member of the Blue Army and I did whatever I was told!

The symbolism connecting the scapular to the Holy Protection has made it into a meaningful Eastern-based devotion.

And we all have our devotions to Our Lady - we should always respect our various sacramentals and try not to impose our own on others on the grounds of a misguided zeal.

I found it interesting that no where in his document on the Rosary does Pope John Paul the Great EVER mention the Fatima decade prayer . . .

In recent times, I have been drawn to the Marian devotion of St Seraphim of Sarov and have now given in and where a medallion of his Icon, the Joy of all Joys, with an image of St Seraphim on the back - and this with an Orthodox cross similar to the one he wore.

There was a time in England when people developed partisan groups defending their own particular Marian shrine . . . somehow forgetting that all these shrines honoured the SAME person in Our Lady!

We honour all of Our Lady's icons, images and sacramentals, and in choosing one particular one, we pay tribute to them all.

Alex

Dear Peter John,

I have that book - thank you for your post!

Is there a place where one can order a plain Scapular as you described?

I like to think that wearing a scapular signifies a commitment to practising the spirituality of the Order to which it belongs in some way.

Alex

One scapular story. An American GI was washing up at a pump in France this was WWII. He took off his scapular while washing and forgot to put it on again. While marching back to camp he realized he forgot it and went to retrieve it. While he was gone, his company was ambushed and completely wiped out.

He made it back to camp, utterly depressed since his best friend was killed during the ambush, and since his scapular was no where to be found.

A few hours later, his friend amazingly shows up. The soldier asks his friend how he escaped the ambush and came out alive. The friend says "You were washing up, and I noticed you left this behind..." The friend was now holding up the scapular he went back to retrieve for his friend.

Alex,

Since I have never seen the icon available for purchase either at a store or through a catalog, I believe the best way to obtain a copy is by contacting Br. Claude Lane at Mount Angel Abbey in Oregon. His page on the Mount Angel website is http://www.mtangel.edu/NEWS/br_claude.html The link at the bottom of the page will take you to a gallery of his icons.
The homepage of the abbey's website lists " rkester@mtangel.edu " as its e-mail address. You may be able to contact Br. Claude through this address.
I hope this helps. Let me know if you are successful in getting a copy.

God bless you,
griego