-
January 19, 2023
When we wear the Brown Scapular, we live under Our Lady's protection. It's a shield. She guards us against sin and temptation and anxiety.And when we wear the scapular we are also putting on the mantle of Our Lady. When we wear it we go into the world to do battle for Our Lady, for Christ and his Church.
Both are true
A paradox almost always reveals a truth.
For those who want to save their soul, the answer is to love and serve God.
We find ourselves and grow to be the persons that God intended when we place all of our focus on him. But if we only worry and think about ourselves, then we lack spiritual growth.
To find yourself - to save yourself - you have to go outside of yourself and direct your energy towards loving God.
Called to holiness
The Brown Scapular is a beautiful devotion of the Church and one that offers solace to sinners everywhere. In the Scapular we have an assurance from Our Lady that she loves us and is a mother to us.
God loves us and wants to save us and offer salvation, should we accept.
But we must remember that the Brown Scapular is not just an amulet. It doesn't save us magically. Rather it's a means of grace, and by wearing it in devotion to Our Lady, she has promised us sufficient grace for our salvation.
But we still need to cooperate with that grace.
That means that those of us who are devoted to Mary through the Scapular would do well to remember that the Scapular inspires us to greater devotion.
And the Scapular should inspire us to greater devotion - not out of anxiety, because salvation has already been promised to us - but out of love and gratitude.
The Scapular is our uniform
“Just as men are proud that others wear their uniform, so Our Lady, Mother Mary, is pleased when her servants wear their scapular as proof that they have dedicated themselves to her service, and they are members of the family of the Mother of God.” - St. Alphonsus Liguori
As members of the Scapular Apostolate, we're called to live lives of chastity (according to our station in life) in devotion to Our Blessed Mother. Through Mary we seek to submit our will completely to Jesus Christ, to conform ourselves to him in every aspect of our life.
Following Christ is hard in today's world. But the paradox is that Christ promised us that by following him and sacrificing for him, we would find rest.
"Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves.” (Mt 11:29-30).
When we are truly and fully committed to Jesus Christ, then the anxieties of living for self and the world's demands melt away. And we find more grace to reject sin and live more according to the commandments because God always offers abundant grace to those who follow him.
The Brown Scapular gives us assurance of personal salvation, but the true beauty of this promise is that it frees us from the anxiety of death so that we may raise our eyes from an inward focus on ourselves to a deep and joy-filled focus on Christ through the Blessed Mother.
Your Scapular makes you feel protected by Our Blessed Mother. Secure. Let it encourage you today to go that one step further in loving Our Lady and following Our Lord.
God never asks us to do anything that we aren't already made for. Whatever sacrifice God is asking for you in your life, the grace is already there in your life.
Just like Mary, say yes to God today.
If Our Lady has blessed you through the Brown Scapular then consider donating to help us spread this powerful devotion to others.
