Hi friends, years ago I had a locution in which Jesus asked me to cover my head at Mass. I "argued" with Him over this for about 5 days, as I did NOT want to do it. I do not like standing out, especially at Mass, and no one does this anymore. Anyway, He finally said something to me loud and clear, which made me change my mind and do it. I am a 3rd order Carm and did confess this to my provincial, who said to follow the order and offer up any suffering I feel which I have been doing for many years now and not really thinking much of it. It wasn't until recently I remembered those exact words He said, that I felt there is maybe more to it. Since this is a group so devoted to Mary, I'd like to share what He said, and get your reflections on if there is more to it than just the obvious. Here goes: Many years ago I had just become a 3rd Order Carmelite, and one of my promises was to become one of Mary's servants and have a daily devotion to her. One morning I left Mass and I clearly felt a nudging (no voice at that point) that I should cover my head. I immediately put it out of my head hoping forever, basically saying NO. I turned on the radio as I drove home, and a talk show was talking about veils at Mass so I turned it off and mentally said, NO. I got home and turned on the TV and an old movie with Jackie Gleason was on. He was walking into a Church with a little girl, and after he dipped in the holy water he took off his hat. The little girl then took off her hat also and Jackie quickly put it back on her head, indicating SHE had to wear it. This was along with the strong feelings and promptings inside as I'm sure you prayerful people get a lot too. I then started to "argue" with Jesus about this, claiming every reason in the book why I didn't want to do this and would not. He was silent for a few days, and then just when I thought I had Him convinced, He said the following loud and clear: "My Mother is there and her head is covered. Are you above My Mother??" Well that was the end of it, I had no argument against that especially since I had just promised to be her hand maid. Anyway, I of course didn't think too much of it until I was recently praying at Mass, and remembered it. So Mary is at Mass. She is at EVERY Mass everywhere or just my Mass? Do you see where I am going with this? If Mary is at every Mass everyday, that is a very divine feat I would think. Can my guardian angel attend EVERY Mass at all times, or is he just going with me. Am I missing some deeper meaning to this? What if anything do you guys think? I have had many many locutions over the years, and 2 apparitions and I do dismiss many of them as not sure, but this is one I definitely was sure of and so was my spiritual director, just from the other promptings that came with it.
Hi Carmel, out of interest, what do you cover your head with at Mass, do you wear one of those lace mantillas or a hat or scarf? I would not mind covering my head with a scarf or hat but would feel very awkward putting on a mantilla, as I have seen some women do. Did you receive any indication of what type of head covering to use? Thanks.
Carmel...I don't see the problem here...Jesus wants your head covered...just do it. It not like it some big deal...I remember when most girls covered there head with a veil. When ones sees this...one knows its time to get serious...especially a good "sign" for the boys. It is a simply sign of humility and purity. A outward witness that is sorely lacking. So...just do as the Lord commands.
I started out wearing a Chapel Cap, hoping no one would notice. I have since mostly been wearing my black mantilla which is longer. I do stick out, and really have had to just not let myself think about it. Oh I also treated myself to a beautiful hat that I wear sometimes in the winter. Oh and no, He did not indicate what He wanted. He said the sentence above and that's been all He has communicated to me about it since so I'm assuming any modest covering will do. I did try to convince Him my long hair was enough, but He didn't buy it.
Hi, I DO cover my head everytime, but that is not the point I was making. I only shared this because as I said, the simple sentence Jesus said seems to maybe hold a little more insight into Mary's role with the Eucharist. Perhaps I'm wrong. That's why I asked for your insight.
Carmel,..This is a very good article which may give you some insight. One of the questions I would ask also is when and why was this custom of veiling abandoned? Is it a sign of the times? What has happened to the modesty in dress in the house of God. I attend the Latin Mass where it is very rare to see a women,..even young girls without a veil;..it feels like the most natural thing in the world and there is a certain beauty that raises the femininity and humility of which God created us women to be. Our Lady of Good Success predicted The spread of heresies: “As these heresies spread and dominate, the precious light of Faith will be extinguished in souls by the almost total corruption of customs. I admire your courage in doing what Our Lord requested, honoring Him above all human respect. There are probably more women than you think who would like to wear the chapel veil as yourself, but are afraid to do so in the Novus Ordo Mass. I also struggle with this when I cannot attend the Latin Rite,..please pray for me as I have many of the feelings you did about standing out. http://www.sacramentals.org/HeadCoverings.pdf
Sunburst, from my talks with Jesus over the years I would say to do it. He will richly bless you for honoring His Mother in this way. He always is so grateful for any honor given to His beloved Mother, and it's like He could care less what anyone does or says against Himself, but He is very protective over her. Also, head coverings don't go with jeans, or casual, so it will help you to dress in a modest dress that he will also appreciate. I've been doing it so long people in my parish are used to me, and it's much easier now.
I've noticed in the last 10 years when people bring up the offertory gifts...everyone use to kneel...now everyone just bows. What's up with that? Also...so many new and differing...responses...it can but confusing. The worst torture for me is the long drawn out and dronish "Our Father". I'm just an old head I guess...but come on...where the old ways really that bad? Fortunately... I'm at a parrish now that has done away with all the fluff and puff and sticks to the rubics of sacred worship. I actually look forward and love going to Mass again. I hope everyone finds their home for worship. And God bless you if you feel so inclined to wear a head veil...I'm all for it.
I never knew that the covering of a woman's head was talked about in the Bible. This is just a reminder to me that I need to devote some time to reading the Bible. I read the link Sunburst provided and read Carmel's words from Jesus. It makes so much sense, but no one is veiled at the Churches in my area. It seems like it would be a distraction to those in my parish if I suddenly showed up with one. Side note: Carmel I always look for you posts hoping that you will write about your locutions and apparitions. I am still trying to reconcile what Jesus told you about marriage and the possible outcomes with the upcoming synod. Can you tell us more about your apparitions and locutions?
I never knew that the covering of a woman's head was talked about in the Bible. This is just a reminder to me that I need to devote some time to reading the Bible. I read the link Sunburst provided and read Carmel's words from Jesus. It makes so much sense, but no one is veiled at the Churches in my area. It seems like it would be a distraction to those in my parish if I suddenly showed up with one. Side note: Carmel I always look for you posts hoping that you will write about your locutions and apparitions. I am still trying to reconcile what Jesus told you about marriage and the possible outcomes with the upcoming synod. Can you tell us more of your
One more comment... you were asking for feedback on Mary being at every mass or just your mass. I have heard it said by priests that there has only been and only will be one mass. We are not recreating the last supper we are truly present at the last supper. Our minds can't fully understand how this works in the context of time as we know it, but that is how a priest on our local Catholic radio station recently explained. Every mass is really one mass. I am still struggling to understand this, but I hope to. So, I can imagine Mary would be present with all the angels and the communion of saints at our one holy mass.
Carmel, The Mass is the Sacrifice of Golgotha, and Mary was there at the foot of the Cross offering Jesus to God the Father, and offering herself. She is present ALWAYS, at every Mass. She is also ALWAYS present wherever the Eucharist is. I don't have the quotes for this but I've read it many times from mystics and saints. The human body of Christ is made of the flesh of Mary. They are SO UNITED in everything. They are the New Adam and the New Eve. Although always keeping it very clear that Jesus is God-and man, and Mary is only human but fully divinized, full of Grace on earth and risen into Glory, by God's gift. Mary being SO GREAT, she is SO HUMBLE... As for other reflection on your experience, it seems to me that the words you heard are an invitation to really imitate Mary, to cling to her, to learn from her, to pray to her to teach you and lead you to Jesus. You may want to ask Mary what do you need to learn from these words, and from her. Thank you for sharing this strong experience. The synchronicities of the radio in the car and the movie are quite strong confirmations of the words you heard. And also the assurance of your confessor is also important.
At Mass all of heaven is present and Mary is the example of perfect humility and respect for our Lord and her son Jesus Christ. I am sure that Mary continues to wear her veil as a sign of honor and respect and a sign of a woman's submission to God's delegated authority over her and in her. As the Our Father states ,Thy Kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. We here need to be like those in heaven as an example of total submission to all present. As the angels and saints show their perfect and total submission to God, we as followers of Christ should do the same. I think that Mary speaks to all of us when she said, "Do what ever He tells you." I know I try to show outwardly and inwardly the respect that is due to Him my savior in my method of genuflecting, sign of the cross, kneeling, response through prayer and song and in the way I dress. When I see a women wearing a chapel veil it is another reminder to me the respect that is due to him and I think we all need these reminders at times. Is it required to wear a head piece no. Is it an honor to wear a hat or chapel veil? That is up to each women and her main man, Jesus. Read more at: https://www.ewtn.com/expert/answers/head_coverings_in_church.htm
The Holy Mass is also the Wedding Feast of the Lamb, all are invited to attend, and our Holy Mother is present, just like at Cana.
Hi Joanne, reading the Bible completely through really helped me get to know Jesus, His religion He practised and explained the Eucharist when compared to the Passover. It took me a year to do, but highly recommended! I will share some more of my experiences if He gives me permission. He never told me to or said I was not to. He did ask me to talk more about marriage years ago if anyone asked, but I live alone and pretty quietly and really haven't shared much except for here and of course face to face with close persons in my life.
I really have been thinking about this all morning, and this makes a lot of sense to me! I pretty much knew this also but haven't really ever meditated on Mary's role in the Eucharist before, and just feel called to meditate on that this lent. As I said, after all these years I suddenly thought about Jesus statement to me in a deeper context than just the obvious. I did have one insight to the above, when I had part of my ulna bone removed and they put a plate and 6 screws into my arm near my wrist. When the nerve block wore off it was truly excruciating! and the pain pills did nothing for about 28 hours. Anyway, I had spent the night with my Inlaws so they could keep an eye on me after surgery, and didn't want to wake them with my moaning and was trying really hard to bear it. I decided it must have been somewhat of the sensation Jesus felt in His wrists on the cross, so I offered it up and begged God to let me take the pain away from Jesus 2000 years ago on the cross in his right wrist and I'd suffer it for Him instead. I didn't really know if that was possible but I so wanted to give Jesus a little relief as I could feel no relief even to breathe very well. I used the argument that there was no "time" in eternity so God should be able to do that. I felt Jesus thank me in my heart, and I was so happy. The people I told about this have scoffed it so I usually don't mention it much. I know it does sound kind of crazy but it really was the first time I had contemplated Him on the cross outside of "time". And believe me, I had many hours that night of thinking about Him up there.
Here is the movie! The link has the whole movie but if you go to 51:20 it will be the part that I saw when I turned on the TV that day. He showed the little girl how to make the sign of the cross and then showed her to keep her hat on in church.
Pere Lamy the wonderful French priest /mystic gives a wonderful description of Our Lady being present at one of his masses. http://www.mysticsofthechurch.com/2009/11/pere-lamy-father-john-edward-lamy.html Apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Grey "This was the 9th September, 1909. I had come [to Grey] nearly every year, and the Parish Priest of Violot was with me. They gave me handsome vestments put out for a prelate who was to come and who didn't arrive. I began my Mass. The Abbe Lemoine was in the interior of the chapel to the right, on the kneeler which is still there. The Blessed Virgin appeared to me suddenly, and at the same time the devil. It caused me violent emotion. I was in great doubt but I did not dare to believe because of my unworthiness, that I was facing the Most Blessed. It was so much beyond me. The Blessed Virgin came down from the ceiling, throned in great glory, so gently, so gently. She was as if in a furnace of light. Her glory went through everything gradually. The candles, the chalice, the altar vestments and myself, like the sun going through water. How far did the glory reach? You need to know what the glory of God is, when you think of what He gives to the dearest of His creatures. It was just like a sun. I never saw the end of it. She came down from the ceiling like that, with Her hands joined. She wore a little smile before letting Her voice be heard. When She uncrossed Her hands, it seemed to make an eddy around Her." "She first exchanged a word or two with the demon. During the descent, She said to Lucifer, who appeared behind Her, 'Is that you?' (Lucifer) ; , I have leave from the Father.' ‘So be it.' replied the Blessed Virgin Then, as if She were questioning him, 'You know how to obey the Father?' He gave no answer but I felt crushed. She extinguished Her glory. The lesser glory never left Her during all the Mass. I still stayed at the Dominus Vobiscum. Had I dared, I would have fled into the vestry, if I had not been at the altar. When I looked at the Parish Priest of Violot, he put his two hands over his face and his face in his book, and leaned his whole weight on the kneeler. I kept saying, ‘I shall be well defended.' She talked. She asked me questions. I did not dare to answer. She stood upright. She was of middle height. With the movement that She made, there was like a little storm of glittering spangles. Her crown only appeared when She stood up. Her feet were just about the height of those chairs. She stayed a little above the ground. With the right hand, She signed to me very maternally, 'Go on,' to give me back my courage. I said within myself, ‘If you are the Blessed Virgin, show me.' She said: 'I am the Mother of God.' When She said, • I am the Mother of God,' very gently, I seemed to melt away within. I did not doubt the word of the Mother of God. I believed Her, but She came in poor company (the fiend)." "When I commemorated the martyrdom of St. Gorgonius She smiled gently. It was the prayer of Her Nativity. At the ut quibus beatae Virginis, I bowed to Her. She bowed to me, very graciously. What humility, even in Heaven 1 And for me, a mountebank of the umpteenth class 1 I saw Her reflection in the glass before me in the altar-card. The interview went on, and so as not to cause too long a break, She signed to me to read the Epistle." “The little altar server said: 'Is it the Blessed Virgin, Father? ' as he took the book from the Epistle side to the Gospel side. I said to him, low, e Don't talk, you will make Her go away,' She looked on him with motherly tenderness. She stayed aside to let him pass and took Her place again at the middle of the altar. When I said the Munda cor meum, She left the middle of the altar and went to the Gospel side." " After the Gospel, the priest comes back to say the Credo. She took her place again at the side of the priest, almost in front of the book. She let him begin the Credo; at the Incarnatus est, She bowed as if to say, 'That is so.' At the Sub Pontio Pilato, She put forward Her closed hands upon the altar, clencing Her fists in a gesture of mighty sorrow. Her arms were just beside me (and he showed a distance of five inches). I was so upset that I made a mistake. I muddled things. When She saw that I wasn't getting over it, She went on with the Credo as if She were saying the Mass. My mistake had given me such a shock. She put me back where I stopped, very gently. (And, smiling, he said): She knows Her prayers well."
