Scapular

[Randy_Carson]

I guess it was my own fault for trusting someone else without searching the scriptures like the bereans.

There’s certainly nothing wrong with trusting someone, but there are times when we need to do some homework for ourselves when we want to go deeper.

Take the Bereans, for example. They certainly searched the scriptures, but they also accepted the proper interpretation of the OT that was given to them through Paul’s authoritative oral teaching.

Ironically, it was the Thessalonians who were the true sola scripturists, for they refused to accept Paul’s preaching and rejected the Messiah – even though he reasoned with them for three Sabbaths from the scriptures. They refused to “go beyond what was written” and rejected Paul’s interpretations and his gospel.

Even today, there are those who refuse to acknowledge the teaching authority of the leaders of the Church that Jesus founded beginning with Peter, the rock (cf. Mt. 16:18) and the proper interpretation of the full revelation of God found in Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition. But I digress.

It’s great that you can see that there really is a good reason and explanation for the scapular devotion even though you did not understand it fully at the time.

Perhaps you will discover that there are many things within the Catholic faith that have good explanations which somehow excaped you previously.

Hope this helps. :tiphat:

 

[lak611]

There’s certainly nothing wrong with trusting someone, but there are times when we need to do some homework for ourselves when we want to go deeper.

Take the Bereans, for example. They certainly searched the scriptures, but they also accepted the proper interpretation of the OT that was given to them through Paul’s authoritative oral teaching.

Ironically, it was the Thessalonians who were the true sola scripturists, for they refused to accept Paul’s preaching and rejected the Messiah – even though he reasoned with them for three Sabbaths from the scriptures. They refused to “go beyond what was written” and rejected Paul’s interpretations and his gospel.

Even today, there are those who refuse to acknowledge the teaching authority of the leaders of the Church that Jesus founded beginning with Peter, the rock (cf. Mt. 16:18) and the proper interpretation of the full revelation of God found in Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition. But I digress.

It’s great that you can see that there really is a good reason and explanation for the scapular devotion even though you did not understand it fully at the time.

Perhaps you will discover that there are many things within the Catholic faith that have good explanations which somehow excaped you previously.

Hope this helps. :tiphat:

Excellent post. You show the truths of the Catholic Faith in the Bible!

 

[heathernoel]

Thank you for this post!It answered so many of my questions!

What you are asking about is called the Scapular Promise given to St. Simon Stock by Our Lady of Mount Carmel in 1251 AD. St. Simon had been praying for his Order, the Brothers of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, because it was in danger of being suppressed in England (that’s a long story that doesn’t really apply here). He composed the beautiful “Flos Carmeli” or “Flower of Carmel” prayer, asking for Mary’s intercession for the Order. She responded by appearing to him and promising him that his habit, the scapular of his Order, would be a sign of salvation to all who wear it, thus encouraging him and promising to always be with the Order.

It was taken up by the laity as a private devotion and approved by the pope as a sacramental. In more modern times it was reduced to to small pieces of wool (not paper) attached by strings and worn on the shoulders like the religious habit. As time passed and the need arose, the Scapular Medal was approved for those serving in the military who could not wear the cloth scapular, and also for those living in weather conditions in which the cloth doesn’t hold up well. The medal has all the same indulgences attached to it as the cloth scapular.

The Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel or Brown Scapular as it is commonly called is not a tailsman against evil or a charm. It is a sacramental that reminds the wearer that he has promised to live his baptismal vows according to the spirituality of Carmel, the religious order. It is a help to devotion and prayer whose promise only applies if one is living one’s life in a state of grace. And that is probably more than you ever wanted to know.

 

[Della]

Thank you for this post!It answered so many of my questions!

You’re welcome. It’s too bad the thread got hijacked, though.