Principles # The Word of God and the Rule of Carmel - Part I - OCDS Ongoing Formation Volume I “‘The sword of the spirit, the word of God, must abound in your mouths and hearts. Let all you do have the Lord’s word for accompaniment.’ This invitation was directed to the hermits of Mount Carmel through the Rule of St. Albert. The word of God is both the person of Christ and the scriptures that offer us Christ; and the brethren of Carmel were to live out the richness of Christ within themselves” (Superior General, Fr. Camilo Maccise, O.C.D.). ## Introduction Western monasticism emerged in the late third century and had become an established institution in the Christian church by the fourth century. The first Christian monks who were attracted to asceticism and prayer quickly realized the need for a “rule” to guide their way of life in a community setting. The monastic rules were texts that were written to identify the charism of a particular monastic order and its lifestyle. These rules also gave guidance for managing the day-to-day affairs and practices that formed the backbone of community life. The earliest example of well-known rules includes the Rule of St. Augustine (c. 400), the Rule of St. Benedict (c. 530), the Rule of St. Albert (between 1206-1214), and the Rule of St. Francis (1223). The Word of God — the person of Jesus is the focus of their lifestyle through the pages of these rules: “The Lord grant that you may observe all these precepts in a spirit of charity as lovers of spiritual beauty, giving forth the good odor of Christ in the holiness of your lives: not as slaves living under the law but as men living in freedom under grace” (The Rule of St. Augustine, chapter VIII). “When we wish to suggest our wants to persons of high station, we do not presume to do so except with humility and reverence. How much the more, then, are complete humility and pure devotion necessary in supplication of the Lord who is God of the universe!” (The Rule of St. Benedict, chapter 20). “Many and varied are the ways in which our saintly forefathers laid down how everyone, whatever his station or the kind of religious observance he has chosen, should live a life of allegiance to Jesus Christ—how, pure in heart and stout in conscience, he must be unswerving in service of his Master” (The Rule of St. Albert, Art. 2). “The Rule and life of the Friars Minor is this, namely, to observe the Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ by living in obedience, without property, and in chastity” (The Rule of St. Francis, chapter 1). Surprisingly, their greater emphasis on daily routine and virtuous living in imitation of Christ attracted the married/single men and women living in the secular world as well. The Vatican, recognizing the needs of the time, allowed the creation of Secular/Lay Orders within the The Word of God and the Rule of Carmel p.13 monastic communities. The Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites is one such institute that takes St. Albert’s Rule as a guiding principle to live a life of holiness along with the Friars and Nuns of the Order. “Carmelite Seculars, together with the Friars and Nuns, are sons and daughters of the Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and St. Teresa of Jesus. As a result, they share the same charism with the religious, each according to their particular state of life. It is one family with the same spiritual possessions, the same call to holiness (cf. Eph. 1:4; 1 Pet. 1:15) and the same apostolic mission. Secular members contribute to the Order the benefits proper to their secular state of life” (OCDS Const., Art. 1). Secular Carmelites are Catholic laypersons over the age of 18 (married or unmarried) or ordained diocesan priests or deacons. The following information is taken from the conference by Fr. Ramiro Casale, O.C.D., at the OCDS Congress in Wakefield, MA, Aug. 22-25, in 2024: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFdui_HkkBA&list=PLqSaY3pJZotkPaRMx9VyAJQIRzAn1J3N v: [As of 2021] The OCDS is present in 97 countries with a total of 772 communities canonically erected and 338 in formation. The total number of members is 28,824 with temporary and definitively professed members. The country with the most OCDS in the world is the United States with approximately 6,279 members in three provinces. Members are to read and reflect upon the Rule of St. Albert along with the article on the Rule by Fr. Camilo Maccise, O.C.D., and other writings related to this topic. The discussion will include the influence of the Rule of St. Albert in the Carmelite reform of St. Teresa, and some essential points from Verbum domini (On the Word of God), by Pope Benedict XVI. Required Reading: The Carmelite Tradition: Spirituality in History. Fr. Steven Payne, O.C.D., Copyright, Liturgical Press, 2011. Read pages 1-9 – The Carmelite Rule, (c. 1207) (All quotes in the main texts are taken from this edition.). Collected Works of St. Teresa of Avila, Vol One, The Book of her Life, Spiritual Testimonies and Soliloquies. Read Life, chpts. 32-33. Recommended Reading: Journey to Carith: The Source and Story of the Discalced Carmelites, Peter-Thomas Rohrbach, O.C.D. Copyright, 1966, printed and distributed by ICS Publications. Read pages 41-53. In Context – Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross, and Their World, chapters, 5 and 6, Mark O’Keefe O.S.B. Read-along materials: The Word of God and the Rule of Carmel (included below), Fr. Camilo Maccise, O.C.D., Superior General. Condensed by John Brooks Randle, OCDS. Carmel Clarion, Oct-Nov. 2000. The Word of God and the Rule of Carmel 14 Carmelite Spirituality in the Teresian Tradition, “The Rule and Its Spirit,” chapter III, by PaulMarie of the Cross, O.C.D. ICS. Verbum domini (On the Word of God), His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI, 2010. https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_benxvi_exh_20100930_verbum-domini.html Note: Participants may include essential points from the above articles in their ongoing discussion. The following sessions’ essential points could be used effectively for community formation as well. The Word of God and the Rule of Carmel – Session One 15 ### an Introduction to the Rule of St. Albert (May Take Multiple Sessions, as needed.) Participants are asked to read the text beforehand and note points they would like to discuss. These questions from Fr. Donald Kinney, O.C.D., would be appropriate:  What can I take from these readings to incorporate into my daily life as a Christian and a Secular Carmelite?  What did I read that has personal meaning for me?  What, if anything, does the Holy Spirit want me to share with others? Required Reading: The Carmelite Tradition: Spirituality in History, Fr. Steven Payne, O.C.D., pages, 1-5. Note: Sub-titles are added to the main text for clarification. Explanatory Note: “Apart from the Bible itself, no text is more fundamental for Carmelite spirituality than what has come to be known as the Rule of St. Albert. It has shaped generation after generation of Carmelites and is the original articulation of the spiritual ideal to which all Carmelite renewal movements have attempted to return. Yet at least in its earliest form it is not technically a “rule” at all in the strict canonical sense, but a simple formula vita (formula of life), composed for a single community of medieval hermit-penitents on Mount Carmel in Crusader Palestine, by someone who was not himself a member” (The Carmelite Tradition: Spirituality in History, pg. 1). From The Carmelite Tradition: St. Albert of Jerusalem: St. Albert of Jerusalem was born around 1150 in the diocese of Parma [Italy], and later joined the canons regular of Mortara before being chosen as bishop of Bobbio in 1184. A year later he was named bishop of Vercelli, a post he ably filled during the next two decades. In 1205 he was elected patriarch of Jerusalem and subsequently took up official residence in Acre, near Mount Carmel, because Jerusalem itself remained under Muslim control. During his distinguished career he played a role in drawing up rules for several religious groups and carried out many important diplomatic missions for the pope. He was martyred in 1214. Hermits on the Western Slopes of Mount Carmel: Much about the first recipients of the Rule of St. Albert remains obscure. We do not even know their names. Tradition has given the name “Brocard” to their leader, though only his first initial, “B,” appears in the earliest manuscripts. Most scholars today agree that they were a group of “Latin” hermits who assembled sometime around the beginning of the thirteenth century in the wadi-ain-es-Siah near the “spring of Elijah” on the western slopes of Mount Carmel, already sacred to the memory of the prophet Elijah as the site of his contest with the prophets of Baal (1 Kgs. 18:20-46). Europe was in the midst of a religious revival and devout Christians everywhere were seeking a more “apostolic” life (that is, one more closely imitating the poor and simple lifestyle of Jesus and His apostles) in contrast to the perceived complacency and wealth of the traditional monastic orders. At the same time, as noted earlier, a deepening The Word of God and the Rule of Carmel – Session One 16 spiritual focus on Christ’s humanity inspired many to go on pilgrimage to the Holy Land to visit the sites associated with Jesus, and sometimes even to remain, dedicating themselves to prayer and penance. Such were the first Carmelites. We do not know precisely when they settled on Mount Carmel. Presumably, it was some time after the Third Crusade (1189-1192), that is, after Richard the Lionhearted had recaptured from Saladin’s Muslim troops the narrow coastal strip that included Acre, Mount Carmel, and the wadi-ain-es-Siah. In all probability, the hermits had been living on Mount Carmel for some time before they requested Albert’s intervention. The Rule of St. Albert bears no date, but we know that it must have been delivered to the Carmelites between 1206, when Albert first arrived in Acre, and 1214, when he was assassinated. “Formula Vitae” – Rule of St. Albert: The text is in the form of a letter from the patriarch of Jerusalem to “his beloved sons in Christ, B. and the other hermits under obedience to him, who live near the spring on Mt. Carmel” (para. 1). Albert notes at the outset that there are already “many and varied” approved ways of living “a life of allegiance to Jesus Christ … pure in heart and steadfast in conscience, … unswerving in the service of [one’s] Master” (para. 2). Indeed, at the time, new groups like the Carmelites were being pressured to conform to more familiar models of religious life by adopting one of the existing rules. But Albert evidently approved of what he observed in this hermit community and wished to grant their request for a particular formula vitae “in keeping with your avowed purpose” (para. 3), which suggests to many commentators that there had been some kind of consultation process. The hermits may even have presented him with a preliminary draft indicating what they hoped would be included. In any case, the fact that this document differs so dramatically from other legislations seems to imply that it was based on what the hermits were already living, or aspiring to live, rather than on some alien model. Thus, despite many points of contact with the earlier desert and monastic traditions, and traces of the influence of John Cassian throughout the document, these first Carmelites consciously opted for an alternative to the Benedictine model, at least as it was being lived at that time. Note: John Cassian was a Christian monk and theologian celebrated in both the Western and Eastern churches for his mystical writings. Cassian is noted for his role in bringing the ideas and practices of early Christian monasticism to the medieval West. Albert required first that they have a prior chosen for the office by common consent (see para. 4). Unlike the traditional monastic abbot who served for life as the supreme authority and spiritual father of his community, the Carmelite “prior” was to be simply the first among equals, chosen for a set term of office, and making decisions in regular consultation with the brethren he served. Again, in contrast with the Benedictine tradition of dormitory living, each Carmelite hermit was to have his own cell, presumably to better support a life of intense personal prayer. Albert goes on to offer a few general guidelines regarding the duties of the prior, the daily schedule, community prayer, common ownership, fraternal correction, fasting, abstinence, and so on. He instructs the hermits, as they prepare for their spiritual battles, to “clothe yourselves in God’s armor” (para. 18), which includes chastity, holy meditations, holiness of life, faith, and the word of God. The longest paragraphs in this formula vitae are devoted to work and silence. The Word of God and the Rule of Carmel – Session One 17 Particularly notable throughout is the spirit of freedom and balance. Albert was content to lay down a few key points and leave the rest to the ongoing discernment of the group. His use of many qualifying phrases— “if necessary,” “if it can be done without difficulty,” “unless bodily sickness, or feebleness, or some other good reason, demand a dispensation”—allows for great flexibility (cf. paras. 14-16). And though, in closing, Albert encouraged the brothers to ever greater generosity of spirit, he reminded them to use holy discretio, which is “the guide of the virtues” (para. 24). Thus, the text reveals far more about the original spirit of the thirteenthcentury hermits in the wadi-ain-es-Siah than about the details of their daily life, which is why it has proved so durable an inspiration for generation after generation of their successors living in vastly different times and circumstances. Returning West and Adaptations of the Rule: Nevertheless, the hermits themselves soon felt the need for some adaptations as they began returning West in the face of mounting Muslim pressures in Palestine. They quickly discovered that the eremitical lifestyle they had followed in the wadi did not easily translate to the very different climate and culture of western Europe, where they also were suspected of violating the Fourth Lateran Council’s 1215 ban against the further founding of new religious orders. Accordingly, they were eager to seek papal approval as well as certain “clarifications” and “mitigations” of their formula vitae. Responding to their request, Pope Innocent IV promulgated a slightly revised version in 1247. The changes he approved included meals and canonical office in common, some moderating of the requirements regarding silence and abstinence, and most importantly, permission to establish foundations “where you are given a site suitable and convenient for the observance proper to your Order” (para. 5). The Carmelites interpreted this clause as allowing houses in the towns and cities, where they soon began assimilating themselves to the ranks of the mendicants (Franciscans, Dominicans) and began sending their students to the universities. In 1432, Pope Eugene IV granted further dispensations, which many saw as symptomatic of a decline in religious observance. Reform of St. Teresa and the Primitive Rule of Carmel: Thus when Teresa of Avila in the sixteenth century called for a return to the spirit of the “Primitive Rule” of Carmel, she actually had in mind the Innocentian version, which Carmelites of her time described as “primitive” when contrasted with the mitigation of Eugene IV. In fact, with its stronger emphasis on the communal dimension of Carmelite life, the Innocentian version, though not the earliest, was better suited to her reform efforts. Today it is Albert’s formula vitae, with the Innocentian modifications, that stands at the head of most Carmelite legislation. The following pages, therefore, present the reconstructed original version of Albert’s Rule, with the Innocentian modifications and additions indicated in italics. The Essence of the Rule of Carmel: What, then, is this Rule all about? Many authors of the past have insisted that its “heart” lies in the precept that “each one of you is to stay in his own cell or nearby, pondering the Lord’s law [i.e., Scripture] day and night and keeping watch at his prayers unless attending to some other duty” (para. 10). Thus, in The Way of Perfection St. Teresa writes that “our primitive rule states that we must pray without ceasing. If we do this with all the care possible—for unceasing The Word of God and the Rule of Carmel – Session One 18 prayer is the most important aspect of the rule—the fasts, the disciplines, and the silence that the order commands will not be wanting” (Way, 4.2). Some more recent commentators, however, would also insist on the centrality (both in the text and in the life of the first hermits) of the “oratory” where the Carmelites are “to gather each morning to hear Mass” (para. 14), and of the elements of life in common sketched out in the surrounding paragraphs. But, however one interprets the balance between personal prayer and community life in Albert’s formula vitae, certainly both are crucial in the Carmelite tradition. More surprising are the apparent omissions. Albert’s text says nothing directly about the apostolate, although we know the first hermits had established themselves near a source of fresh water along the main pilgrim route, and so presumably attracted many visitors. Moreover, the two biblical figures who would assume such importance in the later Carmelite tradition, Elijah and Mary, are not even mentioned by name. Their presence must be found “between the lines.” Albert addresses his text to the hermits living “near the spring,” known to the locals as the “spring of Elijah;” thus, the first Carmelites had founded at a site resonant with memories of the great prophet. Likewise, the “oratory” that Albert had directed them to build they dedicated to Mary, who thus became the “Lady of the place” and their adopted patron. Such seemingly small details had a decisive impact in shaping Carmelite spirituality ever after. The Word of God and the Rule of Carmel – Session Two 19 ### The Carmelite Rule (c. 1207) (May Take Multiple Sessions, as needed.) Required Reading: The Carmelite Tradition: Spirituality in History, pgs. 5-9. Explanatory Note: The following is Saint Albert’s formula vitae (formula of life), with the 1247 additions and modifications by Innocent IV indicated in italics. In cases where Innocent IV replaced some of Albert’s text, the two versions are indicated by [Alb.] or [Inn.] (The Carmelite Tradition, pg. 5-9). Note: Sub-titles and Scripture references are added to the Rule for clarification and understanding of the text from the biblical perspective. Points for reflection/discussion: It is recommended that the participants take the time necessary to discuss the Rule for deeper understanding, including its implications for Seculars today. Opening Word – Salutation or Prologues 1. Albert, called by God’s favor to be Patriarch of the Church of Jerusalem, bids health in the Lord and the blessing of the Holy Spirit to his beloved sons in Christ, B. and the other hermits under obedience to him, who live near the spring [of Elijah] on Mount Carmel. Starting Point – Exordium 2. Many and varied are the ways [cf. Heb. 1:1] in which our saintly forefathers laid down how everyone, whatever his station or the kind of religious observance he has chosen, should live a life of allegiance to Jesus Christ [cf. 2 Cor. 10:5] — how, pure in heart and stout in conscience, [cf. 1 Tim. 1:5] he must be unswerving in service of his Master. Exposition (narration) 3. It is to me, however, that you have come for a rule of life [formula vitae] in keeping with your avowed purpose, a rule you may hold fast to henceforward; and therefore: 4. The first thing I require is for you to have a Prior, one of yourselves, who is to be chosen for the office by common consent, or that of the greater and maturer part of you; each of the others must promise him obedience—of which, once promised, he must try to make his deeds the true reflection [cf. 1 Jn. 3:18]—[Inn.] and also chastity and the renunciation of ownership. 5. [Inn.] If the Prior and brothers see fit, you may have foundations in solitary places, or where you are given a site that is suitable and convenient for the observance proper to your Order. 6. Next, each one of you is to have a separate cell, situated as the lie of the land you propose to occupy may dictate, and allotted by disposition of the Prior with the agreement of the other brothers, or the more mature among them. The Word of God and the Rule of Carmel – Session Two 20 [Inn.] However, you are to eat whatever may have been given you in a common refectory, listening together meanwhile to a reading from Holy Scripture where that can be done without difficulty. 8. None of the brothers is to occupy a cell other than that allotted to him, or to exchange cells with another, without leave of whoever is Prior at the time. 9. The Prior’s cell should stand near the entrance to your property, so that he may be the first to meet those who approach, and whatever must be done in consequence may all be carried out as he may decide and order. 10. Each one of you is to stay in his own cell or nearby, pondering the Lord’s law day and night [cf. Ps. 1:2; Joshua 1:8] and keeping watch at his prayers [cf. 1 Pet. 4:7] unless attending to some other duty. 11. [Alb.] Those who know their letters, and how to read the psalms, should for each of the hours, say those our holy forefathers laid down and the approved custom of the Church appoints for that hour. Those who do not know their letters must say twenty-five “Our Fathers” for the night office, except on Sundays and solemnities when that number is to be doubled so that the “Our Father” is said fifty times; the same prayer must be said seven times in the morning in place of Lauds, and seven times too for each of the other hours, except for Vespers when it must be said fifteen times. [Inn.] Those who know how to say the canonical hours with those in orders should do so, in the way those holy forefathers of ours laid down, and according to the Church’s approved custom. Those who do not know the hours must say twenty-five “Our Fathers” for the night office, except on Sundays and solemnities when that number is to be doubled so that the “Our Father” is said fifty times; the same prayer must be said seven times in the morning in place of Lauds, and seven times too for each of the other hours, except for Vespers when it must be said fifteen times. 12. [Alb.] None of the brothers must lay claim to anything as his own, but your property is to be held in common [cf. Acts 4:32; 2:44]; and of such things as the Lord may have given you each is to receive [cf. Acts 4:35] from the Prior—that is from the man he appoints for the purpose— whatever befits his age and needs [cf. Acts 4:35]. However, as I have said, each of you is to stay in his allotted cell, and live, by himself, on what is given out to him. [Inn.] None of the brothers must lay claim to anything as his own, but you are to possess everything in common; and each is to receive from the Prior—that is from the brother he appoints for the purpose—whatever befits his age and needs. 13. [Inn.] You may have as many asses and mules as you need, however, and may keep a certain number of livestock or poultry. 14. An oratory should be built as conveniently as possible among the cells, where, if it can be done without difficulty, you are to gather each morning to hear Mass. 15. On Sundays too, or other days if necessary, you should discuss matters of discipline and your spiritual welfare; and on this occasion the indiscretions and failings of the brothers, if any are found at fault, should be lovingly corrected. The Word of God and the Rule of Carmel – Session Two 21 16. You are to fast every day, except Sundays, from the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross until Easter Day, unless bodily sickness or feebleness, or some other good reason, demands a dispensation from the fast; for necessity overrides every law. 17. [Alb.] You are always to abstain from meat unless it has to be eaten as a remedy for sickness or great feebleness. [Inn.] You are to abstain from meat, except as a remedy for sickness or feebleness. But as, when you are on a journey, you more often than not have to beg your way, outside your own houses you may eat foodstuffs that have been cooked with meat, so as to avoid giving trouble to your hosts. At sea, however, meat may be eaten. 18. Since man’s life on earth is a time of trial [cf. Job 7:1], and all who would live devotedly in Christ must undergo persecution [cf. 2 Tim. 3:12], and the devil your foe is on the prowl like a roaring lion looking for prey to devour [cf. 1 Pet. 5:8], you must use every care to clothe yourselves in God’s armor so that you may be ready to withstand the enemy’s ambush [cf. Eph. 6:11]. 19. Your loins are to be girt [cf. Eph. 6:14] with chastity, your breast fortified by holy meditations, for, as Scripture has it, holy meditation will save you [cf. Prov. 2:11]. Put on holiness as your breastplate [cf. Eph. 6:14], and it will enable you to love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and strength [cf. Deut. 6:5], and your neighbor as yourself [cf. Mt. 19:19; 22:37-39]. Faith must be your shield on all occasions, and with it you will be able to quench all the flaming missiles of the wicked one [cf. Eph. 6:16]: there can be no pleasing God without faith; [and the victory lies in this—your faith]. On your head set the helmet of salvation [cf. Eph. 6:17] and so be sure of deliverance by our only Savior, who sets his own free from their sins [cf. Mt. 1:21]. The sword of the spirit, the word of God [cf. Eph. 6:17], must abound [cf. Col. 3:16] in your mouths and hearts [cf. Rom. 10:8]. Let all you do have the Lord’s word for accompaniment [cf. Col. 3:17; 1 Cor. 10:31]. 20. You must give yourselves to work of some kind, so that the devil may always find you busy; no idleness on your part must give him a chance to pierce the defenses of your souls. In this respect you have both the teaching and the example of Saint Paul the Apostle, into whose mouth Christ put his own words [cf. 2 Cor. 13:3]. God made him preacher and teacher of faith and truth to the nations [cf. 1 Tim. 2:7]: with him as your leader you cannot go astray. “We lived among you,” he said, “laboring and weary, toiling night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you; not because we had no power to do otherwise but so as to give you, in your own selves, an example you might imitate. For the charge we gave you when we were with you was this: that whoever is not willing to work should not be allowed to eat either. For we have heard that there are certain restless idlers among you. We charge people of this kind and implore them in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that they earn their own bread by silent toil” [2 Thess. 3:7-12]. This is the way of holiness and goodness; see that you follow it [cf. Is. 30:21]. 21. The Apostle would have us keep silence, for in silence he tells us to work [cf. 2 Thess. 3:12]. As the Prophet also makes known to us: Silence is the way to foster holiness [cf. Is. 32:17]. Elsewhere he says: Your strength will lie in silence and hope [cf. Is. 30:15]. The Word of God and the Rule of Carmel – Session Two 22 [Alb.] For this reason I lay down that you are to keep silence from Vespers [Evening Prayer] until Terce [the third hour of daytime prayer] the next day, unless some necessary or good reason, or the Prior’s permission, should break the silence. [Inn.] For this reason, I lay down that you are to keep silence from after Compline [Night Prayer] until after Prime [first hour of daytime prayer] the next day. At other times, although you need not keep silence so strictly, be careful not to indulge in a great deal of talk, for, as Scripture has it—and experience teaches us no less—sin will not be wanting where there is much talk [cf. Prov. 10:19], and he who is careless in speech will come to harm [cf. Prov. 13:3]; and elsewhere: The use of many words brings harm to the speaker’s soul [cf. Sir. 20:8]. And our Lord says in the Gospel: Every rash word uttered will have to be accounted for on judgement day [Mt. 12:36]. Make a balance then, each of you, to weigh his words in, keep a tight rein of your mouths, lest you should stumble and fall in speech, and your fall be irreparable and prove mortal [cf. Sir. 28:29-30]. Like the Prophet, watch your step lest your tongue give offense [cf. Ps. 38:2], and employ every care in keeping silent, which is the way to foster holiness [cf. Is. 32:17]. 22. You, brother B., and whoever may succeed you as prior, must always keep in mind and put into practice what our Lord said in the Gospel: Whoever has a mind to become a leader among you must make himself servant to the rest, and whichever of you would be first must become your bondsman [servant] [Mt. 20: 26-27; cf. Mk. 10:43-44]. 23. You other brothers too, hold your prior in humble reverence, your minds not on him but on Christ who has placed him over you, and who, to those who rule the Churches, addressed the words: Whoever pays you heed pays heed to me, and whoever treats you with dishonor dishonors me [Lk. 10:16]; if you remain so minded you will not be found guilty of contempt, but will merit life eternal as fit reward for your obedience. Conclusion (Conclusio) 24. Here then are the few points I have written down to provide you with a standard of conduct to live up to: but our Lord, at his second coming, will reward anyone who does more than he is obliged to do. See that the bounds of common sense [discretio] are not exceeded, however, for common sense is the guide of the virtues. The Word of God and the Rule of Carmel – Session Three 23 ### The Role of St. Albert’s Rule in the Carmelite Reform of St. Teresa Required Reading: The Collected Works of St. Teresa of Avila, Vol. One. St. Teresa’s Life, chpts. 32-33. Carmelite Spirituality in the Teresian Tradition, “The Rule and Its Spirit,” chapter III, by PaulMarie of the Cross, O.C.D. ICS. In Context: Teresa, John of the Cross and Their World, chapter 6, by Mark O’Keefe, O.S.B. ICS. Explanatory Note: The Carmelite Rule played a significant role in Teresa’s reform in sixteenth century Spain. The Carmelite Order has no known founder but sprang from the “desire of the heart” of those first hermits to follow Christ in love and dedication. The Rule of St. Albert and the experience of the Carmelites gave definitive depth and shape to the Carmelite charism of prayer. Points for reflection/discussion:  Teresa had been a nun of the Carmelite Monastery of the Incarnation in Avila for twenty-five years (1535-1562) when she began the Discalced Reform. She always spoke affectionately of her monastery. However, in the Life, she speaks with concern about the decline of the spirit of the Carmelite charism of prayer in her monastery.  Referring to the papal bull of Pope Eugene IV and his further modification of the Rule of St. Albert – “…the Rule was not kept in its prime rigor but was observed the way it was in the whole Order, that is, according to the bull of mitigation” (Life, 32:9).  She further observes several other problems associated with the life of prayer and contemplation in the monastery due to the mitigation of the Rule. Nuns were allowed to go outside of the monastery to attend to the needs of the benefactors, and Teresa was one of them. “There are other disadvantages... even though I was one who did so a great deal, was now a serious one for me because some persons to whom the superiors couldn’t say “no” liked to have me in their company; and when urged, the superiors ordered me to go. So, by reason of their commands I wasn’t able to remain in the monastery much” (Life, 32:9).  The life of enclosure – essential for a life of tranquility, silence, and contemplation – likewise suffered. All of these were bound to undermine the broader sense of observation of the Rule and spirit of recollection in the monastery as St. Albert envisioned: “Each one of you is to stay in his own cell or nearby, pondering the Lord’s law day and night and keeping watch at his prayers…” (Rule #10).  The Carmelite General Rubeo (Giovanni Battista Rossi, 1566-1567) and Teresa seem to have had different views of what Carmelite reform would mean. “Rubeo’s aim was to bring the Incarnation more fully into conformity with the mitigated rule of 1432 …  Teresa, on the other hand, wanted her reform to return more fully to the eremitical and contemplative focus of the mitigated rule of 1247 with an eye to the founding vision of the Carmelites, as she understood it” (In Context, by Mark O’Keefe, O.S.B., chpt. 6).  For these reasons, Teresa founded her first reformed monastery of St. Joseph in 1562.  The Rule played a vital role in founding the monasteries with greater silence and solitude in an enclosed environment. “We observe the rule of our Lady of Mt. Carmel The Word of God and the Rule of Carmel – Session Three 24 [the Rule of St. Albert] and keep it without mitigation as ordained by the Friar Cardinal Hugo of Saint Sabina and given in 1248, in the fifth year of the pontificate of Pope Innocent IV” (Life, 36:26).  Teresa is referring to their giving up the text mitigated by Eugene IV, which was observed as ordained by Innocent IV. This was the juridical and spiritual point of departure for her reform (see footnote to Life, 36:27).  The Discalced Carmelites were established as a separate province within the Order in 1581. Finally, on December 20, 1593, Pope Clement VII established the Discalced Carmelites as an independent religious order with their own superior general and administration. Thus, her first monastery and her subsequent foundations were to follow the primitive Rule of our Lady of Mount Carmel – St. Albert’s Rule of 1247, which is still followed by the whole Order to this day.  Teresa wanted a small community to follow Christ’s counsels as perfectly as possible. This implies careful observance of the Rule, and for Teresa the essential element of the Carmelite rule is unceasing prayer.  “Had Carmel remained truly faithful to this central precept of prayer, recollection [contemplation], and a life of union with God – yet at the same time without giving up its apostolate – no Teresian reform might have been necessary. Perhaps there is no better way than this of showing how essential to Carmelite spirituality is this priority of contemplation [as the source of all apostolic] action that alone makes possible the preservation intact of its true ideal” (Carmelite Spirituality in the Teresian Tradition, pg. 33).  In all her subsequent writings, Teresa did not fail to recall the Rule of St. Albert and the eremitical spirit of Carmel: With pleading, she reproves: “We don’t keep some of the very ordinary things of the rule, such as silence, which isn’t going to do us any harm” (The Way of Perfection, 10:6). o “… you have a rule that commands you to pray unceasingly – for that’s what it commands us – and that you have to keep it” (Way, 21:10). o “So, I say now that all of us who wear this holy habit of Carmel are called to prayer and contemplation. This call explains our origin, we are the descendants of men who felt this call, of those holy fathers on Mount Carmel who in such great solitude … sought this treasure, this precious pearl of contemplation” (Interior Castle, 5:1.2).  “She was a realist, so she understood that the whole life of Carmel had to be reconsidered as a function of contemplative life. Strict enclosure, silence, work in solitude must be [established] so that union with God could develop in most favorable surroundings. Under an original yet basically traditional form, Carmel was to live again the life and spirit of its origins, thanks to Saint Teresa” (Carmelite Spirituality in the Teresian Tradition, pg. 36).  “The best proof of this is given us by the response the Carmelites themselves made to the reform. If St. John of the Cross and the first discalced were won over to the reform, it is because they discovered in it what we have attempted to analyze: this primitive spirit [of the Rule], this original soil, without which nothing would flower, without which Carmel would cease to be” (Teresian Tradition, pg. 36). The Word of God and the Rule of Carmel – Session Three 25  “Once again, Teresa has rediscovered and completely renewed the spirit of her Order [within the context of St. Albert’s Rule], which has two purposes, one dependent on the other: contemplation that unites the soul with God and reveals the infinite value of souls, then overflows in the apostolate” (Teresian Tradition, pgs. 43-44). The Word of God and the Rule of Carmel – Session Four 26 ### On the Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church Verbum Domini and the Rule of St. Albert Explanatory Note: “The rule is brief, unlegalistic, and scripturally oriented. Despite its brevity there are thirty-seven [or more] citations from the pages of Scripture, either in the form of direct quotations or Biblical allusions… The Carmelite rule is a rule of renewal, a return to the unfettered spirituality of the Gospels” (Journey to Carith, pgs. 43-44). “The spirituality of Carmel has no difficulty in developing the basic elements drawn from its biblical origins within an evangelic life of perfection. Henceforth, it is in the light of Jesus Christ and in dependence on him, characteristics of the Rule from its very first lines, that Carmel’s spirituality must be considered” (Carmelite Spirituality in the Teresian Tradition, pg. 23). In this session, we will read and reflect on some essential points from Verbum domini (On the Word of God) by Pope Benedict XVI. “The interpretation of sacred Scripture would remain incomplete were it not to include listening to those who have truly lived the word of God: namely, the saints… The most profound interpretation of Scripture comes precisely from those who let themselves be shaped by the word of God through listening, reading and assiduous meditation. It is certainly not by chance that the great currents of spirituality in the Church’s history originated with an explicit reference to Scripture” (Verbum domini, #48). Points for reflection/discussion: The Saints and the Interpretation of Scripture:  “Every saint is like a ray of light streaming forth from the word of God,” observes Pope Benedict in his encyclical, Verbum domini (On the Word of God) (Verbum domini, #48). He specifically recalls the writings of the Carmelite saints and their love for Gospel teachings: o “The Carmelite Saint Teresa of Avila, who in her writings constantly uses biblical images to explain her mystical experiences, says that Jesus himself revealed to her that ‘all the evil in the world is derived from not knowing clearly the truths of sacred Scripture’ (Verbum domini, #48 The Saints and the interpretation of Scripture, Footnote, St. Teresa of Avila, Life, 40:2). o “Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus discovered that love was her personal vocation by poring over the Scriptures, especially chapters 12 and 13 of the First Letter to the Corinthians; the same saint describes the attraction of the Scriptures: ‘No sooner do I glance at the Gospel, but immediately I breathe in the fragrance of the life of Jesus, and I know where to run’” (Verbum domini, #48 Saints and the interpretation of Scripture, footnote, Story of a Soul). o “Then, after speaking in many and varied ways through the prophets, ‘now at last in these days God has spoken to us in His Son’ (Heb. 1:1-2)” (Verbum dei, Part 1 of Verbum domini, an allusion to the writings of St. John of the Cross and his interpretation of the Bible text). The Word of God and the Rule of Carmel – Session Four 27 o “God could answer as follows… Fasten your eyes on him alone because I have spoken and revealed all and in him you will discover even more than you ask for and desire… For he is my entire locution and response, vision and revelation, which I have already spoken, answered, manifested and revealed to you by giving him to you as a brother, companion, master, ransom, and reward” (Ascent, 2.22:5). o “…and then the martyrs of Nazism and Communism, represented by Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein), a Carmelite nun…” (Verbum domini, #48 Saints and the interpretation of the Scripture).  “Through the intercession of these saints..., let us ask the Lord that our own lives may be that ‘good soil’ in which the divine sower plants the word, so that it may bear within us fruits of holiness, ‘thirtyfold, sixtyfold, a hundredfold’ (Mk. 4:20)” (Verbum domini, #49).  “Holiness inspired by the word of God thus belongs in a way to the prophetic tradition, wherein the word of God sets the prophet’s very life at its service. In this sense, holiness in the Church constitutes an interpretation of Scripture which cannot be overlooked. The Holy Spirit who inspired the sacred authors is the same Spirit who impels the saints to offer their lives for the Gospel. In striving to learn from their example, we set out on the sure way towards a living and effective hermeneutic of the word of God” (Verbum domini, #49). The need to transcend the “letter”:  “In rediscovering the interplay between the different senses of Scripture it thus becomes essential to grasp the passage from letter to spirit [as the saints did] …To attain to it involves a progression and a process of understanding guided by the inner movement of the whole corpus, and hence, it also has to become a vital process. Here we see the reason why an authentic process of interpretation is never purely an intellectual process but also a lived one, demanding full engagement in the life of the Church, which is life ‘according to the Spirit’ (Gal. 5:16)” (Verbum domini, #38, emphasis added). The Word and Silence:  “The word, in fact, can only be spoken and heard in silence, outward and inward. Ours is not an age which fosters recollection; at times one has the impression that people are afraid of detaching themselves, even for a moment, from the mass media. For this reason, it is necessary nowadays that the People of God be educated in the value of silence. Rediscovering the centrality of God’s word in the life of the Church also means rediscovering a sense of recollection and inner repose” (Verbum domini, #66). “Silence is the way to foster holiness” (Rule of St. Albert, #21).  “We must never forget that all authentic and living Christian spirituality is based on the word of God proclaimed, accepted, celebrated and meditated upon in the Church” (Verbum domini, #121). The Word of God and the Rule of Carmel – Session Four 28 On the reading of Scripture: “It is truth that must be sought in Holy Scripture, not beauty of expression. It should be read with the same spirit in which it was written. We must seek the good of our soul rather than literary style... Think more of what is said than the one who said it. Humans soon pass away; God’s truth remains forever. Through the Scripture God speaks to us in many ways, despite those He uses as instruments. Too often we are led by curiosity to read Holy Scripture and want to understand and argue passages we should simply pass over. If you wish to profit by the reading of Scripture, then do so with humility, simplicity, and faith, and never try to acquire a reputation for being a scholar. Inquire, and then listen meekly to what the saints tell you” (The Imitation of Christ, chapter 5, St. Joseph edition). “May the Holy Spirit awaken a hunger and thirst for the word of God, and raise up zealous heralds and witnesses of the Gospel.” Verbum domini, #122 Carmelites celebrate the Feast of the author of the Carmelite Rule, St. Albert of Jerusalem, on September 17th. Albert did not impose his own ideas on the group of hermits who came to him – he listened to what they told him about their way of life, and he adapted it and gave it structure. Prayer Lord God, through Saint Albert of Jerusalem you have given us a Rule of life according to your Gospel, to help us attain perfect love. Through his prayers may we always live in allegiance to Jesus Christ, abide by his Rule, and serve faithfully in the Church and communities. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. The Word of God and the Rule of Carmel – Bibliography 29 ## Bibliography Payne, Steven, O.C.D. The Carmelite Tradition: Spirituality in History. Liturgical Press, 2011. The Collected Works of St. Teresa of Avila: The Book of her Life, Vol. One. ICS, Washington D.C. 1987. Rohrbach, Peter-Thomas. Journey to Carith: The Source and Story of the Discalced Carmelites, 1966. Reprint, ICS, 2005. Maccise, Camilo, O.C.D. “The Word of God and the Rule of Carmel.” Condensed by John Brooks Randle, OCDS. Carmel Clarion, Oct-Nov. 2000. Paul-Marie of the Cross, O.C.D. Carmelite Spirituality in the Teresian Tradition. ICS, 1997. Pope Benedict XVI. Verbum domini – On the Word of God, Libreria Vaticana, 2010. O’Keefe, Mark, O.S.B. In Context: Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross, and Their World. ICS, 2020. The Word of God and the Rule of Carmel – Read-Along Material, Maccise 30 ## Read-along Material ### The Word of God and the Rule of Carmel The following article was written by Superior General Fr. Camilo Maccise, O.C.D., and has been condensed by John B. Randle, OCDS. It is reprinted [in Carmelite Digest] by permission from Carmel Clarion, Oct.-Nov. 2000. “The word of God must abound in your mouths and hearts. Let all you do have the Lord’s word for accompaniment.” The invitation was directed to the hermits of Mount Carmel through the Rule of St. Albert. The word of God is both the person of Christ and the scriptures that offer us Christ; and the brethren of Carmel were to live out the richness of Christ within themselves. The vocation of the brothers on Mount Carmel was to put on Christ and live his mystery within themselves. So it was to the scriptures that they turned in order to draw an understanding of the things of God and gain practical wisdom, spiritual resources, and the certitude they needed as believers who were called to travel the road of Christian integrity and fidelity. Faith is the obedience of the mind and heart to the Divine Lordship that is revealed and acted out in the Gospel. It points out that the baptized, as persons subject to Christ the Lord, are called to serve him in faithful and total dedication. Dei verbum states that the obedience of faith is an obedience by which man commits his whole self freely to God, offering the full submission of intellect and will to God. St. Albert’s plan is the ideal for community life that fully reproduces the form and spirit of the first Christian community of Jerusalem given as an example of Christian community in the Acts of the Apostles. Two elements together in the Rule give it tension. First, fraternal union in community is the bridge for a new rich life of allegiance to Christ. Second, despite living in community and seeking evangelical perfection in fraternal unity, the Carmelite will fight the battle of Christian faithfulness in the “hermitage” while keeping a solitary, ordered vigil in prayer. Two principal parts of the Rule are the “institutional” contained in the structure-giving elements, the fraternal communion and the cult and ascetical practices (from 1-17). In the second “exhortative” part is the evangelical dimension and spiritual purpose of the way of life (from 18-21). We look at three points progressively: (1) a plan for common life inspired by the witness of the Acts of the Apostles, (2) a daily spiritual combat armed with the solitude of the hermitage, and (3) a creative tension between these in the service of the Gospel. Communion and Community In Ephesians, St. Paul writes that the faithful are called to lead a life worthy of the faith in the same grace, in that newness of being and sets them apart as people living in the presence of God. With all humility and gentleness and with patience, they are to support each other in love. Take care to preserve the unity of the Spirit that binds you together (Eph. 4:2-3). This is fraternal communion lived in a practical fashion. The newness of Christ is a mystery of unity (Eph. 4:4-6). The Word of God and the Rule of Carmel – Read-Along Material, Maccise 31 It is necessary to remember that fraternal unity, the lived expression of evangelical love, is a hallmark of the life proposed in the Rule of Carmel. It is reflected in the way the prior or prioress is elected (para. 4); in how each one will have an assigned cell (para. 6); the common table and listening to the reading of scripture (para. 7); the celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours together (para. 11); possessing material things in common, each one receiving whatever befits his/her age and needs (para. 12); the daily celebration of the Eucharist together (para. 14); regular meetings of the community and faults lovingly corrected (para. 15); benevolent discretion in the corporal penances proposed (para. 16 & 17); the prior or prioress as humble servant of the community (para. 22); and the exhortation to humbly reverence the prior or prioress (para. 23). Charity is what “builds up” the Church and gives the people of God the possibility of living as a community of brothers and sisters. It includes patience and humility, goodness and compassion, kindness and mutual respect, generosity and service, and understanding and pardon. United Heart and Soul St. Albert saw in Acts that union is what is original in a sincere living of Christianity and a “cornerstone” of the first communities. The whole group of believers was united, heart and soul (Acts 4:32). It was a community where each individual, invested intimately with divine energy from the Spirit, had received “a new heart and spirit.” No one claimed private ownership of any possessions, as everything they owned was held in common (Acts 4:32b). Poverty befits a community “united heart and soul,” bound in practice to give witness to Christian unity (Acts 2:44-45 & 4:34-35). Poverty is experienced as a sign of fraternal union and as a witness to that unity of hearts, the communion that distinguishes the people of the New Covenant. The Rule of Carmel has the same approach towards poverty; none of the brothers and sisters must lay claim to anything but are to possess everything in common. And each one is to receive from the prior or prioress—that is from the one appointed for that purpose— whatever befits his or her age and needs (para. 12). The Fountainhead of Fraternal Communion The brothers and sisters in Christ are united in the practice of love because a unifying mystery is operating within them, a gift from above that is ever welcomed and made to thrive. The first believers of Jerusalem were “united heart and soul,” because the source of their charity was the teachings of the Apostles, the breaking of bread, and prayer. These three values grow out of the very structure of the Christian way of life proposed by St. Albert. The Teaching of the Apostles The teaching of the Apostles sets out the truth of Christ, the life-giving grace of Christ, the new law of Christ. The religious of Carmel will listen to the word of God by meditating on it, letting themselves be filled by its riches. Faithful to the Breaking of the Bread In Acts 2:46 is a reference to a daily Eucharist. The unity of charity is expressed in the “breaking of bread” and deriving from “a participation in the body of Christ.” St. Albert gives prominence to the Eucharist in Carmelite community life. “Each morning” all the brothers and sisters will The Word of God and the Rule of Carmel – Read-Along Material, Maccise 32 take part together in the Eucharistic celebration, the source of heavenly strength and fraternal unity. The Rule specifies that the Eucharist will be celebrated in an oratory built for this purpose “among the cells”: a center point signifying something that is life-giving and unifying, signifying the search for unity centered on the body of Christ. Keeping Watch in Prayer The Council says that the Church is fed by the bread of life of the table, both of the word of God and of the body of Christ. Carmelites are called to the same table each day. In Acts 2:42, Luke adds the practice of prayer. In prescribing a life characterized by frequent prayer for the brothers and sisters of Carmel, St. Albert had a similar vision in mind. In the solitude of prayer and the daily celebration of the psalms, the religious would praise God for the mystery of his grace and express the richness of evangelical life and fraternal communion particularly through petition and thanksgiving. Clothe Yourselves in God’s Armor The hermits to whom the document of St. Albert was addressed came from the Latin West with the intention of taking part in different ways in the restoration of Christianity in the Holy Land and the conquest of the holy city of Jerusalem. The so-called “war of God” fought with earthly weapons against infidels was replaced with the conquest of the heavenly Jerusalem with the weapons of solitary prayer; holy penance; and of faith, hope, and charity. The way to be trodden is marked by combat and constancy, vigilance, and perseverance. This earthly journey will be full of obstacles and snares. Withstand the Enemy’s Ambush Biblical references open the “exhortative” section of the Rule introducing the theme of Christian combat. Man’s life on earth is a time of trial and struggle. Repose is not for the present but the final fulfillment. This general truth calls the Christian with decided urgency. Anybody who tries to live in devotion to Christ is certain to be persecuted. Suffering is inevitable, because Christian fidelity struggles against the hostility of a world seduced by tendencies contrary to the Gospel. Such hostility is part of the evil intent of the tempter. He is the invisible “enemy on the prowl like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” And so, the brothers and sisters of Carmel are to be aware of this, having recourse to suitable means to confront it. Clothe yourselves in God’s armor so that you may be ready to withstand the enemy’s ambush. St. Albert’s expression is to thwart the tempter from piercing the defenses of your souls. St. Albert keeps insisting we put on “the armor of God,” the baptismal grace of Christ within the heart. Christians defend themselves with the supernatural weapons of faith, hope, and charity with the prudent courage and perseverance of a soldier. The Imperative of Christian Commitment The faithful person fights with the weapons that lie within, the riches of new life in which Christ becomes present. St. Albert, in the Rule, develops all the elements contained in the Letter to the Ephesians, with the exception of the so-called “footgear.” St. Albert described a spiritual combat for the following values: chastity with holy thoughts; justice in the framework of love of God and neighbor; faith, without which it is impossible to please God; trust in the one and only The Word of God and the Rule of Carmel – Read-Along Material, Maccise 33 Savior; and the word of God, which should be effective in the heart of each brother and sister and be a guide for all our actions. A Distinctive Religious Proposal Paragraphs 20 and 21 of the Rule are on work and silence. St. Albert directs them: “You must give yourself work of some kind, so that the devil may always find you busy. No idleness on your part must give him a chance to pierce the defenses of your soul.” As for silence, biblical texts such as the following are cited: “Your strength will lie in silence and hope” (Is. 30:15); “Sin will not be wanting where there is much talk” (Prov. 10:19); “The use of many words brings harm to the speaker’s soul” (Sir. 20:8). He warns us again of the need for vigilance lest we fall because of the tongue. Community Life with an Eremitical Orientation A loving fraternal union of this colony of hermits should not let them forget the original purpose of their Rule. An eremitical ideal should not be suffocated by the new structures, rather this ideal should be given form in a more complete and organized religious form of life. The Biblical Proving Ground of the Desert From the Rule’s viewpoint, the time of trial is lived through and overcome like the biblical proving ground of the desert: by persevering in the journey undertaken; being guided by hope in the promised inheritance; waiting on the salvation of the one and only Savior; and believing in the face of all contrary circumstances in God, who promises mercy and faithfully keeps his promises. Heavenly hope, the sign of the ideal hermit, has united them. The Rule insists on having separate cells and the purpose for this: “each of you is to stay in your own cell or nearby pondering the Lord’s law day and night and keeping watch at your prayers unless attending to some other duty” (para. 10). Withdrawing into the hermitage of your cell, you challenge the enemy, as it were, to a duel, humbly confident of having in Christ the strength to make the enemy flee. Keeping Watch in Prayer Jesus said in the Garden, “Stay awake and pray not to be put to the test.” The spirit is willing enough, but human nature is weak. “To pray” means to grow strong in the Lord with the strength of his power in order to stay firm in faith. “Vigilance” in the New Testament is a dynamic waiting and capacity for suffering in “blessed hope.” Christian waiting is uncertain and can be prolonged. It is a waiting in faith, like waiting through the night. As a result, this waiting is a strong test of the perseverance of the faithful. Thus the need to “keep on the watch” and to “be vigilant,” in the same sense as staying awake with eyes wide open and in a state of alert readiness. We must not allow ourselves to be overcome by the weight of a lengthy night. We must prevent the heart from growing weary thus becoming allergic to the things of heaven. It means not allowing the tautness of faith to grow slack, not to give in to the solicitations so secretive, seductive, and insidious of human nature and the tempter. This vigilance is also sobriety, self-control, clear-headedness and sense of reality, and readiness and spiritual healthiness. The necessity to be vigilant is frequently associated with that of prayer. In the hermitage of the cell, the Carmelite will meditate on the word of God and keep The Word of God and the Rule of Carmel – Read-Along Material, Maccise 34 watch in prayer. This is the way to be “strong in the midst of tribulation, constant in faith, and joyful in hope,” advancing on in faithful combat as a trusty servant of Christ towards the prize of eternal life. Conclusion The two principal tendencies that an examination of the biblical data in St. Albert’s document shows us are: (a) life lived in common inspired by the koinonia of the first church at Jerusalem, and (b) eremitical commitment that includes spiritual combat for the purpose of conquering the heavenly Jerusalem. These do not form a dichotomy but are twin themes designed to be lived in deep harmony as a sign of baptismal commitment and evangelical radicalism. St. Albert sees the religious, in the measured solitude of a hermitage cell, being enriched by the word of God, keeping watch in prayer with the awareness of a combatant called to “put on the armor of God,” to remain “constant in the faith,” to keep kindled in the heart the flame of hope for the heavenly inheritance. In this way, Carmelites every day make their own the victory of Christ the Lord. In community relationships, the religious live first of all the ecclesial perfection of love with its daily demands of fraternal unity, in this way giving witness that their eremitical undertaking is a genuine search for Christian fidelity. It is impossible to separate them. Deep down it is about living out the implications of one’s baptism every day in faith, hope, and charity, gradually casting off the old man and being reclothed with the new. This call, joined to one’s personal dignity in Christ and the necessity of walking in the newness of Christ demands that this baptized soldier obtain strength from the Lord and from the grace of baptism in order to grow in love. We cannot point out any other priority. There is certainly a tension present in St. Albert’s Rule, lying in the relationship between the ideal of community and eremitical commitment. However, it is a tension forming part of a unified ideal, a charismatic expression of the newness of Christ. As hermits committed to the combat of Christian faithfulness and gathered together as a sign of Christian communion, the hermits of Mount Carmel will exemplify the Church of God, gathered together in unity. 35 --- **Source:** Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites, *Ongoing Formation Volume I: The Path of Mount Carmel, The Perfect Spirit* (US National Formation Program, 2025).