My wife and I have found a new hobby: watching cooking competition shows.
We love to see hopeful chefs enter a kitchen with determined eyes and a focused mindset. They lay out all their tools, they preheat the oven, and they are ready for business.
For me, the hardest thing about cooking is the preparation. But on these shows, the chefs have everything ready for them. So, then it’s just a matter of using their skills and techniques to create a masterpiece.
We also have the tools in our faith that allow God to build a masterpiece in our souls. One such tool is the Scapular. The Scapular is a sacramental. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church (no. 1670),
"Sacramentals do not confer the grace of the Holy Spirit in the way that the sacraments do, but by the Church's prayer, they prepare us to receive grace and dispose us to cooperate with it."
This sacramental is associated with Our Lady of Mount Carmel. According to the Congregation for Divine Worship,
"The Scapular is an external sign of the filial relationship established between the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother and Queen of Mount Carmel, and the faithful who entrust themselves totally to her protection, who have recourse to her maternal intercession, who are mindful of the primacy of the spiritual life and the need for prayer."
The word scapular means ‘relating to the shoulder.’ This is because of how it can be worn. You put it over your head and let it rest on the shoulders. This is the style of habit worn by the Carmelites. They are a Catholic religious order focused on deep prayer, silence, and devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
It almost appears like an apron. Similar to wearing a cooking apron when you are ready to prepare food in the kitchen, wearing an apron of faith like the scapular prepares us for service. It is a physical symbol of committing to receiving Mary’s love and protection.
The Church gives us all the ingredients and tools we need to grow in love, including the beautiful devotion of the Scapular. Let us continue to call on Mary in this journey of life.
Now I want to pray and eat!
Daniel Quintero is a stand-up comedian currently attending Mary, Mother of the Church Catholic Parish. His favorite motto: “Awkwardness does not exist.”
Pilgrim Center of Hope provides events, experiences, and media; initiating a desire in people to encounter Jesus Christ in their daily journey of life. See what’s happening & let us journey with you! Visit PilgrimCenterOfHope.org.
