The Brown Scapular: A Consecration in Truth, Protection From Evil

Today is the Feast Day of Saint Simon Stock, the visionary who saw Holy Mother holding the infant Jesus and two brown woolen tabs tied with string. She offered him the scapular of Mount Carmel saying, “Whosoever dies wearing this scapular shall not see eternal fire.”

Eight-hundred years later, the Brown Scapular is worn by priests, consecrated religious, consecrated lay people, those who wear it with devotion but no particular consecration and those like me – not a member of a third order, but having taken a public vow of investiture to wear it always and pray as little as three Hail Marys and as much as a rosary everyday.

I became interested in the Brown Scapular because of Fatima. Just before the Miracle of the Sun in Portugal in 1917, Lucia had a vision of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. She understood from the silent vision that she was to become a Carmelite sister. However, Lucia also understood that Our Lady wanted everyone to wear the Scapular, even if it was informally.

The pastor of the church where I attended daily Mass today did not celebrate the Feast of Saint Simon Stock explicitly, but the first reading and Gospel took me exactly to the reasons I wear the Scapular.

Saint Paul reminded the Ephesians in Acts 20 that he taught them about Jesus day and night, but he knew “wolves” were coming to twist the teachings, and that many followers of Jesus would be led astray. For the Gospel, Jesus prays in John 17, “Father, make them one as You and I are One.”

It is disturbing that there are so many differing ideas of Jesus. The centuries have seen heresies that He was God in spiritual form and only pretended to die, or that He was really an angel, or that He was just a man pretending to be God. There have been thousands of interpretations of His existence and teachings. And today we see the same. We could say with Pontius Pilate, “What is truth?”

But Jesus is a real historical person. I don’t have to make Him up for myself. I don’t want to just hear people’s opinions. I want to know who the real Jesus is. There are so many versions and sects. Isn’t it true even today that there are “wolves” who would twist what is true?

So, I realized in prayer years ago that Mary could tell me what is true. She would know her Son best. She spent the most time with Him on earth than any other person - there for His conception, there for his birth and childhood, there for his public ministry, there at the cross and there at Pentecost. Mary was the one who knew Him the longest. I trust her opinion over mine. And the Apostles clearly trusted her to keep her present.

Jesus says in the Gospel today, “Your word is truth, Father. Consecrate them in truth.” And that’s what I want. I believe that Mary will keep me in the truth. I believe that, as the Jesus asked the Father today to keep us from the Evil One while we are in the world but not of it, Mary will keep us protected under those brown tabs that are really her woolen mantle.

Father Will proclaimed the High Priestly Prayer of Jesus in the Gospel today, not intentionally celebrating the Feast of Saint Simon Stock. But I pulled out my Scapular and kissed it. Today’s Gospel was a reminder of why I wear it, and I thank the Father that Jesus’ prayer was answered for me in it.