Our Beautiful Lady

Today is the Feast of our Lady of Carmel. In many ways, this dates back to before the birth of Christ, before the establishment of God’s Church on Earth through Saint Peter. As with much of the oral traditions of the Catholic Faith, the Carmelite Order is rooted in Jewish tradition.

The prophet Elijah in many ways established the Carmelite Order on the Mount of Carmel in what is now Palestine. Elijah successfully challenged the priests of Baal to win the Jewish people’s hearts and turn to the true God. His followers prayed that a virgin would soon give birth to the Messiah, the Christ Child, for the salvation of men. It’s interesting to realize a devotion to Mary began long before the Mother of God was ever born. From the very beginning, God has prepared the hearts and minds of the faithful.

Tradition tells us that Our Lady presented Saint Simon Stock a brown scapular for the Carmelites as a pledge that whosoever dies clothed in this scapular shall never suffer eternal fire. In other words, they shall be spared from hell. I can remember a conversation I once had with a friend, who was once Catholic, but has since moved away from the Church for an easier Christian path. She said it was ridiculous to think wearing a brown bit of cloth around your neck is all you need do to be saved. She really missed the point. First off, nothing is possible if you do not first believe. Therefore, whoever puts on the scapular does so with faith. True faith changes who we are, how we conduct ourselves. The cloth itself does nothing. It is who we become as His children that makes the difference. It also does not mean the wearer can do whatever they please. Remember, Catholics believe there is a Heaven, a Hell and Purgatory. So while the person who dies wearing the scapular might be spared the fires of eternal damnation, it does not give them a free pass straight to heaven either. Purgatory is that place where the soul is cleansed of all sins. Sins are only forgiven when we ask for that forgiveness. If you go to confession, confess everything you have ever done, or thought about doing or failed to do when you should have done something, are absolved of all your wrong doings, walk out of the Church and immediately drop dead, chances are there’s a sin or two on your soul you’ve forgotten about. Only those perfect souls, washed clean by God’s graces of all transgressions can enter heaven. Sin cannot. When Jesus hung on the cross, and He took upon His perfect soul all the sins of the world, for the first time in His entire existence, He felt separated from God the Father, disconnected from His heavenly home. It was then that He cried out “Why have you forsaken me?” It was not that He was forsaken, but that He momentarily was no longer clean. Sin separates us from God.

I, like many other Catholics, wear the Brown Scapular. On a humorous note, I guess I need to pray that I die fully awake since sleeping with a rope around my neck seems like a bad idea. The Catholic faith is filled with symbols and rituals that enrich our prayerful life. Each morning I make the sign of the cross with Holy Water, and offer up my day to Christ, that I may always do His will and follow in His footsteps. There are fonts with Holy Water at our doors so that whenever we leave the protection of our home, we remain protected. That does not mean bad things cannot happen. It just means we have faith that He is with us through all the perils of life and death.

Faith is a wonderful love language between God and His people. Praise be.

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Chipotle Grilled Pork Tenderloin
1/2 Red Onion
4 Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce
4 Garlic Cloves
1 Lime, zested and juiced
1/2 cup Orange Juice
2 tablespoons White Wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Mexican Oregano
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Cumin
1 lb Pork Tenderloin

Cut onion in half from root to tip, peel and slice half the onion, save remaining half for another use. Roughly chop Chipotle Peppers. Peel and coarsely chop garlic. Zest and juice the lime, set aside.

Pour orange juice, lime juice and wine vinegar into a blender. Add the onions, Chipotle Peppers and garlic. Pulse to begin to puree. Add oregano, salt, pepper and cumin. Continue to puree until smooth. Reserve a small amount of the marinade for grilling. Stir lime zest into the remaining marinade.

Pour marinade into a zip-lock bag. Place the pork tenderloin into the bag, coat evenly in marinade, removing as much air as possible. Refrigerate for 8 to 10 hours.

Thirty minutes before cooking, take the pork out of the refrigerator and rest on the counter.

Heat grill for direct grilling over medium-high heat with the lid closed for about 5 minutes. Oat grate with oil, place tenderloin in the center to cook.

Grill for about 12 to 15 minutes, turning every few minutes until the internal temperature reaches 145-degrees. Brush with some of the marinade during the last few minutes to sear.

Transfer to a serving platter, cover and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Pour remaining reserved marinade over the sliced tenderloin. Serve with Mexican Rice as a nice side.

Note: If using a boxed rice, add some Jalapeño Peppers and fresh diced tomatoes for extra flavor

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The Lord is kind and merciful.
He pardons all your iniquities,
He heals all your ills.
He redeems your life from destruction,
He crowns you with kindness and compassion.
The Lord is kind and merciful.