Solemnidad de nuestro padre el Profeta Elías

Every July 20th, the Carmelite Family throughout the world celebrates the Solemnity of Saint Elijah, Prophet, considered the spiritual inspiration and "father" of the Carmelite Order. Although the prophet Elijah lived in the 9th century BC—centuries before the birth of the Order—the Carmelites find in him the heart of their charism and way of life. The origin of the bond: From Mount Carmel to the Order. At the end of the 12th century, a group of Latin hermits settled on the slopes of Mount Carmel (in present-day Israel), near the spring traditionally known as Elijah's Spring. Inspired by the prophet's exploits recounted in the Books of Kings, they took Elijah and the Blessed Virgin Mary as their two great models and ideals for life: Mary: Model of listening, purity, and contemplation. Elijah: A model of passionate zeal for God and a hermit's life in the divine presence. The two pillars of Elijah's spirituality All Carmelite spirituality summarizes its vocation through two biblical phrases attributed to the prophet Elijah: The contemplative aspect: "As the Lord lives, whom I serve" (1 Kings 17:1) This represents the incessant search for the face of God, continuous prayer, and silence to listen to God in the "gentle breeze" (as happened to him on Mount Horeb). The prophetic and apostolic aspect: "I have burned with zeal for the Lord God Almighty" (1 Kings 19:10) This represents the courage to defend the truth, fight against the "false idols" of the world, and proclaim the word of God with fervor.