Titus Brandsma Archives

Deeper, Richer Lives

Carmelite homily for Wednesday (Week 13), July 1, 2020 – Lectionary 379 (Matthew 8:28-34)

In today’s Gospel we have the demoniacs of the Gadarenes, who live amongst the tombs away from people. If anyone comes near, they holler at them and scream at them and try to hurt them. Who are these demoniacs of the Gadarenes? I think it’s you and me! Cause don’t we act that way? If someone gets too close to something vulnerable or is critical of me, or anything like that, don’t I holler? don’t you holler? don’t we scream? don’t we hurt? Jesus brings peace and healing by asking ‘who are they?’ and having them realize who they are. Titus Brandsma – Blessed Titus Brandsma – writes, “Knowledge of ourselves, of our deepest being, though it is difficult, is absolutely necessary.” I think that’s all Jesus did to these demoniacs, and to us, is to tell us who we really are. With that healing, with that peace, we can lead deeper, richer lives.

Would You Like a Flower?

Carmelite homily for Thursday (Week 12), June 25, 2020 – Lectionary 374 (Matthew 7:21-29)

In today’s Gospel Jesus uses the metaphor of building a house. And to listen to his word is like to build a secure, strong house, and to not listen to his word is to build a flimsy house built on sand which will get washed away. But we’re Carmelites! We’re mendicants which means wandering friars. We’re homeless! That’s our call. Not to build a strong house but to be homeless. Even Mount Carmel, our first foundation, is in ruins. Blessed Titus Brandsma writes, “Carmel is the mountain of flowers and with full hands the children of Carmel have strewn these flowers over all the earth.” That’s how we live in Christ; that’s how we follow the word. We wander everywhere over the earth saying, ‘would you like a flower?’

The Mystical Life

Carmelite homily for Monday (Easter V), May 25, 2020 – Lectionary 297 (John 16:29-33)

In today’s Gospel Jesus tells the Apostles they’re going to be afraid; they’re going to run; they’re going to abandon him; they’re going to go to their homes. But he tells them, ‘take courage and be not afraid.’ But they don’t see the bigger picture; they don’t see the hand of God; they don’t see the plan of God. They don’t see Jesus for who he really is. Blessed Titus Brandsma writes, “Carmel, unlike the children of our day, is not afraid of the mystical life.” That’s the call of today’s Gospel – the mystical life, the spiritual life. To connect heart to Jesus, to connect mind to Jesus, to take on the mind of Jesus. To see the deeper plan, to see God’s hand. And when we see that, and live that, we cannot be afraid.

A Really Delightful Flower

Monday, December 5, 2019 – Immaculate Conception — Carmelite homily for Lectionary 689

Carmel means “Garden of God.” Carm = Garden; El = God. And so there’s this tie with flower throughout Carmelite literature and Carmelite spirituality. That’s why Therese calls herself a “Little Flower” because she compares herself to the big flowers, the prize roses like John or Teresa. Mary, according to Titus Brandsma, her symbol is the sunflower because it follows the sun but with its head down. Today the Church celebrates this great Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception – a delightful flower in the world’s and in Carmel’s garden. We’re named after Mary, after all. Saint Titus Brandsma says, “The devotion to Mary is one of the most delightful flowers in Carmel’s garden.” That’s what we celebrate today: a really delightful flower in Carmel’s garden.

Holding Up the Mirror

Carmelite homily for Lectionary 500 | Presentation of Mary | Thursday, November 21, 2019

Today we celebrate the feast of the Presentation of Mary in the Temple. Blessed Titus Brandsma says, “Mary is the mirror in which we should ever watch ourselves; the mother whom her children ought to resemble more and more.” When we look at Mary we see woman of faith, woman of trust, woman of prayer, woman of nurturing, woman of loyalty, woman of life. And when we hold that to ourselves; when that’s our mirror where we see ourselves, I think, when the Lord comes, unlike in today’s Gospel when there’s a lament over Jerusalem, the Lord will not lament us because we will resemble his mother. Mary is the mirror in which we ought to watch ourselves; the mother whom her children ought to resemble more and more. Let us hold up that mirror.

Flowers in the Garden of God

Carmelite homily for Lectionary 480 – Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Carmel means “Garden of God” – Carm-El. That’s why the saints, the Carmelites saints, are likened to flowers, like the Little Flower called herself “Little Flower.” Here’s what Titus Brandsma in his book, “Carmelite Mysticism Historical Sketches,” says about Mary. “Mary is like a sunflower. This flower rises high above the other flowers. It is a simple flower. It can grow in all gardens. It is tall and firm with deep roots, always pointing towards the sun, yet keeping its head down in humility.” Today, in the Gospel, Jesus uses agricultural – gardening – metaphors. What kind of flower are you? Are you a weed? Are you a beautiful flower? Are you like Therese, a simple flower?

Jesus In My Cell

Carmelite homily for Lectionary 476 – Thursday, October 24, 2019

From his prison cell in Dachau, Titus Brandsma wrote a poem called Before a Picture of Jesus in My Cell.

A new awareness of thy love encompasses my heart;
Sweet Jesus, I in thee and thou
in my shall never part.

No grief shall fall my way but I
shall see thy grief-filled eyes;
the lonely way that thou once walked
has made me sorrow-wise.

All trouble is a white-lit joy,
that lights my darkest day;
thy love has turned to brightest light
this night-like way.

If I have thee alone,
the hours will bless
with still, cold hands of love
my utter loneliness. 

Stay with me, Jesus, only say;
I shall not fear
if, reaching out my hand,
I feel thee near.

Today’s Gospel is filled with upset and anxiousness and conflict but I think when we just put our hand in the hand of Jesus we can rise above it or live apart from it. That’s the call of today’s Gospel.

11th Hour

Carmelite homily for Lectionary 464 – Thursday, October 10, 2019

Blessed Titus Brandsma was a Dutch Carmelite, arrested by the Nazis and slated to be executed at Dachau. When the nurse came in to give him his lethal injection, he said, “let us pray together” and handed her his rosary. She said, “I can’t pray.” He said, “Just do the line, ‘pray for us sinners.’” That was the last execution she did. She walked out of the concentration camp never to do that again and pursued instead a life of holiness. In today’s Gospel, it’s like the 11th hour and the guy is asking for loaves. It’s actually never the 11th hour.

Martha and Mary

Carmelite homily for Lectionary 462 – Tuesday, October 8, 2019

In today’s Gospel we have the story of Martha and Mary. The time-honored interpretation is that Martha represents the ‘active life’ and Mary represents the ‘contemplative life.’ Blessed Titus Brandsma says “The lives of the Carmelite saints are evidence that the active and contemplative life can be combined and lead to holiness.” Saint Teresa of Avila says it so much more simply; she says, “Martha and Mary must combine.”