Brian's Spiritual Blog

Sunday of the Announcement to the Virgin Mary

2017-11-15T21:59:00.000-05:00

Sunday of the Announcement to the Virgin Mary

November 25, 2017

Biblical Story

The biblical story of the Visitation of the Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary is found in the first chapter of the Gospel of Luke (1:26-39). The Archangel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary, who was living in Nazareth, and said to her, “Hail, O favored one, the Lord is with you.” Mary was perplexed and wondered what kind of greeting this was.

The angel told her not to be afraid, for she had found favor with God. He said, “You will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

Mary responded to the angel by asking how this could happen since she had no husband. The angel told her that the Holy Spirit and the power of God would come upon her, and that the child to be born of her would be called holy, the “Son of God.”

The angel then proceeded to tell the Virgin Mary that her cousin Elizabeth had conceived a son in her old age (John the Baptist), and affirmed that with God nothing is impossible.
In faith and obedience to the will of God, Mary replied to the angel, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be according to your word.” Upon her response, the angel departed.
It is on this Sunday in the Maronite Catholic Church, Maronite Christians commemorate both the divine initiative of God, whereby He took on flesh from the Virgin for our salvation, and the human response, whereby Mary freely accepted the vocation offered to her. He elected to become man, and He desired to do this with the willing agreement of her whom He chose as His mother. Mary could have refused, for she was not a passive instrument, but an active participant with a free and positive part to play in God’s plan for our salvation.

Galatians 3:15-22

The Promise to Abraham

Brothers and Sisters:

I give an example from daily life: once a person’s will has been ratified, no one adds to it or annuls it. Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring; it does not say, “And to offsprings,” as of many; but it says, “And to your offspring,” that is, to one person, who is Christ. My point is this: the law, which came four hundred thirty years later, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise. For if the inheritance comes from the law, it no longer comes from the promise; but God granted it to Abraham through the promise. Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring would come to whom the promise had been made; and it was ordained through angels by a mediator. Now a mediator involves more than one party; but God is one. Is the law then opposed to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could make alive, then righteousness would indeed come through the law. But the scripture has imprisoned all things under the power of sin, so that what was promised through faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. Praise be to God always!

Luke 1:26-38

The Birth of Jesus Foretold

The Evangelist said:

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her. This is the truth. Peace be with you.

Visitation of the Virgin Mary to Elizabeth

2017-11-15T21:58:00.000-05:00

Ephesians 1:1-14
Salutation / Spiritual Blessings in Christ

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus and are faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory. Praise be to God always!

Gospel According to St. Luke 1:39-45

During those days Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, "Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled."

Meditation/thought's:

One thing that is associated with the celebration of Christmas everywhere is giving. Christmas is the celebration of giving. Christmas is the one time in the year when everyone is sure to give and receive a present, even if its just a Christmas card. People will spend a lot of time and money shopping for the perfect Christmas gift. We put up Christmas trees and decorate our homes to surprise family members with our gifts and to be surprised with theirs. Santa Claus is the perfect symbol of Christmas because Santa is the one who gives and gives and never gets tired of giving. Christmas is a feast of giving even from God's point of view. For at Christmas we celebrate the mystery that "God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life" (John 3:16). God gives, and the people of God give, and that is the spirit of Christmas.

If Christmas is the feast of giving, then the question of what to give and how to give becomes very important. After all what is worth doing is worth doing well. How can we improve on the quality of our giving? How can we improve on the quality of our Christmas celebration? Today's Gospel reading helps us to answer some of these questions.

The Gospel according to St. Luke, we read the story of Mary visiting with Elizabeth. What gift did Mary bring to Elizabeth? We are not told that she brought foodstuff, although she might as well have brought some. We are told she brought just one thing: herself. She gave Elizabeth the gift of her very presence. This is the best and the hardest gift of all. It is easy to send flowers, it is easy to send a gift via mail, but to give the gift of ourselves, to make out the time to be with somebody, that is the gift that many people long for but do not receive at Christmas. You can give your family members and friends a costly gift, but the gift of oneself, your presence, and time is more valuable than any gift you can buy. Following Mary's example in today's Gospel story, we must, in addition to the flowers and parcels, give of ourselves, our presence, our time. We must find the time to visit and be with people. This is the greatest gift because its value cannot be calculated in terms of money.

Another point we can make out of Mary's gift to Elizabeth is that one should give not according to one's convenience but according to the needs of the receiver. It was not convenient for Mary to travel the lonely, dangerous road from Galilee to the hills of Judea. It was certainly for her an uphill task. But Elizabeth needed a helping hand. She was six months pregnant and would no longer be able to go and draw water from the village well, to look after the crops in her garden and the animals in her farm, she would no longer be able to go to the market to do her shopping. So Mary, as soon as she learned that Elizabeth was six months pregnant went with haste and stayed with her for about three months, meaning, until she gave birth. Mary gave to Elizabeth what she needed when she needed it. That is the perfect gift.

Do you know one thing everybody needs today? Everybody needs encouragement. Someone who is alone? Everybody needs the interior peace and joy that comes from the Holy Spirit. This is what Mary's visit did for Elizabeth. Mary brought the Holy Spirit with her to visit Elizabeth. Mary's visit was an inspiration to Elizabeth. When you visit people this Christmas, let us try to bring some inspiration into their lives, let us seek to bring them closer to God, and let us try to share with them the Spirit of God in us, the Spirit of consolation, of courage, of peace and joy, just as Mary did, bring them the Holy Spirit that is within you.

2016-08-26T09:44:00.003-04:00

Saint Marina the Monk, Saint. Marina (Margaret), Great Martyr, of Antioch in Pisidia

Marina, distinguished as Marina the Monk and also known as Pelagia and as Mary of Alexandria, was an 8th-century, a Christian Saint of Byzantine of Syria in the area now part of of the Country Lebanon.

Born Mariam, Marina was the daughter of wealthy Christian parents. Marina's mother died when she was very young and she was raised in devout Christian life by her father Eugenius. As her age of marriage drew near her father wished to retire to the Monastery of Qannoubine in the Kadisha Valley of Lebanon after he had found her a husband. When Marina learned of her father's plan she asked why he intended to save his own soul "and destroy mine"? When asked by her father, "What shall I do with you? You are a woman", Marina answered that she would renounce women's clothing and live as a monk, in the body she was supposed to take. She then immediately shaved the hair from her head and changed her clothes. Her father, seeing his daughter's strong determination gave all his possessions to the poor and traveled with her to the Kadisha Valley to live in monastic community life, sharing a cell with her under the name Marinus.

After ten years of prayer, fasting and worship together her father died, leaving her alone. Marina increased her level of asceticism and continued to conceal the fact that she was a woman. The other monks attributing her soft voice to long periods of prayer and strict ascetic life. One day, the abbot of the monastery sent her with three other monks to attend to some business for the monastery. As the journey was long, they were forced to spend the night at an inn. Also lodging there was a soldier of the eastern Roman front. Upon seeing the beauty of the inn keeper's daughter the soldier defiled her virginity and impregnated her, instructing the daughter to say, "It was the monk, Father Marina, who has done this to me."

After some time, it was discovered that the inn keeper's daughter was pregnant and, as was agreed, she told her father that Marina was to blame. On hearing the story, the man went furiously to the abbot of the monastery. The abbot calmed the man and told him that he would see to the matter. He called for Marina and reprimanded her severely. When she realized what was happening she fell to her knees and wept, confessing to the false accusation and asking forgiveness. The fact that there was no attempt to deny the fault made the abbot so furious that he told her to leave the monastery. She left at once and remained outside the gates as a beggar for quite a long time. When the inn keeper's daughter gave birth, he took the child and gave him to Marina. She fed the child with sheep's milk, provided by the local shepherds, and remained caring for him outside the monastery for ten years. Finally the monks convinced the abbot to allow Marina to return; he accepted but he also imposed heavy penalties upon her. She was to perform hard labour in cooking, cleaning and carrying water in addition to her regular monastic duties.

At the age of forty, Marina became ill. Three days later she died. The abbot ordered that her body was cleaned, her cloths changed and that she was transferred to the church for funeral prayers. While cleaning and sewing her, the monks discovered that she was, in fact, a woman, and became very distressed. The monks informed the abbot, who came to her side and wept bitterly for the wrongs he had done. The abbot then called for the inn keeper and informed him that Marina was actually a woman. The inn keeper went to where the body lay and also wept for the pain and suffering which he had unjustly brought upon her. During the funeral prayers, one of the monks who was blind in one eye, after he touched the Saint, received full sight again. God also allowed a devil to torment the inn keeper’s daughter and the soldier. This caused them to travel to where the Saint was buried. There they both confessed their iniquity in front of everyone and asked for forgiveness

Some Statistics on Saint Marina

Born 8th century AD

Died July 19, 750 AD +/-

Venerated in Maronite Catholic, Albanian Orthodox Church and Coptic Orthodox churches.

Feast June 18

Solemnity of Saint Peter and Saint Paul - 2016

2016-06-30T17:08:00.001-04:00

Maronite Icon of Saint Peter and Saint Paul

We remember today Saints Peter and Paul who guided the early church just after the time of Jesus. Both died as martyrs for the faith in Rome, in the early years after Jesus' Death and Resurrection, sometime around the yeas of 50-60 A.D., just thirty years after the death of Jesus. Peter was crucified upside down in the courtyard to the left of St. Peter’s Basilica (in the courtyard behind the arch where the Swiss Guards stand on duty) at his request as he did not want to be looked upon as his death in the same way as Jesus, and Paul was beheaded between Rome and the sea, in a place now called Tre Fontane (Italian for three fountains after the legend that the three springs in the spot mark the three places where Paul’s head bounced after being beheaded). Paul did not receive the same death as Peter, as Paul was a Roman Citizen and could not be crucified. Peter was buried in the nearest cemetery which was on top of Vatican Hill and St. Peter’s Basilica was later built on top of Peter’s tomb, the main altar being directly on top of his tomb. Paul was also buried in the nearest cemetery and the Basilica of St. Paul’s outside the Walls was later build on top of his tomb, the main altar being directly on top of his tomb.

Each of these two saints is important for different reasons. Peter is important because he was the first Pope and kept the church united which was growing very rapidly in the years following Pentecost. In the first years after Pentecost it was the Jews who accepted Jesus as the Savior and so the early church was a very Jewish church. But as time went on Paul began to preach also to non-Jews, the Gentiles as they were called. All of us are Gentiles. His preaching was very successful and he brought huge numbers of non-Jews into the church, so much so that the number of Jews in the church was greatly outnumbered by non-Jews. It is because of Paul that we are now in the Church. So both Peter and Paul had very important tasks in the early church, Peter maintaining the unity in the church which during his lifetime had already spread throughout the Middle East and Europe, and Paul who taught the Jews that Jesus is the fulfillment of their Old Testament hopes and taught the non-Jews that Jesus is the Savior. Whenever you see statues of Peter and Paul, usually Peter is holding a key, symbolizing his duty as head of the church, and Paul is holding the Bible, symbolizing his preaching.

In his second letter to the Corinthians Paul tells us something of the difficulties in his preaching journeys (2 Cor 11:24-25,27):

Five times I have been given the thirty-nine lashes by the Jews; three times I have been beaten with sticks; once I was stoned; three times I have been shipwrecked, and once I have been in the open sea for a day and a night; I have worked with unsparing energy, for many nights without sleep; I have been hungry and thirsty, and often altogether without food or drink; I have been cold and lacked clothing.

Three times Paul set out from Syria where he was based and preached all over what we now call Turkey, and in his second and third journeys he preached all over Greece also. Although not one of the Twelve Apostles we call him an apostle of the nations.

It is interesting to note the personalities of both Peter and Paul. Peter was impetuous, telling Jesus that he would die with him on Holy Thursday night if necessary (John 13:37) but later that night he denied he knew him. We also remember Peter’s objection to Jesus’ prediction that he would suffer and die in Jerusalem and Jesus said ‘Get behind me Satan because they way you think is man’s way and not God’s way’ (Matt 16:23). Yet what made Peter a suitable candidate for Jesus’ call was his love, so three times Jesus asked him if he loved him and asked him to look after the flock.

Paul was a controversial character in his own way. He had a fiery personality. In his early life he channeled that fire towards persecuting the Christians in Jerusalem, even witnessing the death of Stephen, the first martyr for Jesus (Acts 8:1). After his conversion Paul’s preaching was fiery and upset the churches. In Acts we read that Paul then returned to Tarsus, and the next sentence says it all, “the churches throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria were left in peace” (9:31). Paul spent 10 years back in Tarsus before he began his preaching. It was a time for him to cool down and learn what the death and resurrection of Jesus meant for us all. Why did God call Paul? Paul was a highly educated Pharisee and it would be only someone like him who could see that faith in Jesus demanded a totally new relationship with God for Jews, and also he had a very strong personality which he needed to help the Jews to accept that Jesus was the Savior of all peoples, and that because of Jesus there is no difference between Jew and non-Jew. Paul had the strong personality needed for that daring challenge and the insight to see that faith in Jesus the fulfillment of their Old Testament hopes was now required for salvation.

As we look at the personalities of Peter and Paul, we see that God called them to use their personalities to spread the Gospel, Peter to use his impetuous love to look after the flock, and Paul to use his training as a Pharisee and his strength of character to ensure that the non-Jews would be welcomed into the church. It is a reminder to us that our talents and our weaknesses too can become God’s means of helping others, if we allow. We don’t have to be perfect for God to work through us, God can work through us, faults and all, as he did with Peter and Paul.

Birth of John the Baptist, The Forerunner - His Name will be John!

2013-12-07T21:45:00.000-05:00

Icon of the Birth of John the Baptist, The Forerunner

Galatians 4:21-5:1

Brothers and Sisters:
Tell me, you who desire to be subject to the law, will you not listen to the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and the other by a free woman. One, the child of the slave, was born according to the flesh; the other, the child of the free woman, was born through the promise. Now this is an allegory: these women are two covenants. One woman, in fact, is Hagar, from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery. Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. But the other woman corresponds to the Jerusalem above; she is free, and she is our mother. For it is written, “Rejoice, you childless one, you who bear no children, burst into song and shout, you who endure no birth pangs; for the children of the desolate woman are more numerous than the children of the one who is married.” Now you, my friends, are children of the promise, like Isaac. But just as at that time the child who was born according to the flesh persecuted the child who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now also. But what does the scripture say? “Drive out the slave and her child; for the child of the slave will not share the inheritance with the child of the free woman.” So then, friends, we are children, not of the slave but of the free woman. For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Praise be to God always!

Luke 1:57-66
The Birth of John the Baptist
The Evangelist said:
Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him Zechariah after his father. But his mother said, “No; he is to be called John.” They said to her, “None of your relatives has this name.” Then they began motioning to his father to find out what name he wanted to give him. He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And all of them were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began to speak, praising God. Fear came over all their neighbors, and all these things were talked about throughout the entire hill country of Judea. All who heard them pondered them and said, “What then will this child become?” For, indeed, the hand of the Lord was with him. This is the truth. Peace be with you.

Meditation

“Among those born of women no one is greater than John” (Luke 7:28). These words which our Lord said about John the Baptist are probably behind the solemn feast of the birthday of John the Baptist which we celebrate today. This is the church’s way of saying with Jesus that “among those born of women no one is greater than John.”

The gospel story of the birth of John focuses on the naming ceremony. Why does the gospel show such an interest in the naming of the child? But not everybody would agree with this view. In biblical times, and still today in many African cultures, personal names function the way business names do, that is, they aim to convey what the bearer of the name stands for. When Simon shows that he could be relied on as a leader of the apostles, he gets the name “Rock.” When the sons of Zebedee, James and John, petition Jesus to call down lightning from heaven to burn up the inhabitants of a Samaritan village who do not welcome Jesus, they get a new name “Sons of Thunder.” Names reveal an essential character or destiny of the bearer.

The name John means “God is gracious.” His birth signals the beginning of a new era in God-human relationship, an era to be characterized by grace and not by law. God himself gave John that name and it was revealed to his father Zachary in a vision as we heard a few weeks ago for the Announcement to Zachariah (Luke 1:13). Zachariah did not believe the Angels words, so by Gods will he could not talk anymore, The Angel delivered the name that would be given to this baby. That this name was given to the child already before his birth shows that God has a purpose and plan for the child. The words of Isaiah apply equally to John: “The lord called me before I was born, while I was in my mother's womb he named me. … he formed me in the womb to be his servant (Isaiah 49:1, 5). In John we see that God already has a purpose for His children before they come into this world, and so the challenge of life is for them to discover this purpose and to be faithful to its demands.

The purpose for which God created you may require that you walk to a different drumbeat than other people. For John it required that he live in the desert far from normal human contact and civilization. God’s purpose for his life dictated even the minutest details of how he would dress and eat, since he had to dress in rough animal skin and eat the vegetarian food of locusts and wild honey. He adopted a lifestyle that would enhance his calling in life. He did not go for any unnecessary trappings that would weigh him down or encumber his life. To discern what God is calling us to be we need to cultivate some sort of desert in our lives where we can listen to God. We need to make Samuel’s words to the Lord, “Speak, your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3;10) part of our daily prayer. And, to be faithful to the call of God, we need the courage and discipline to keep away from any choice of association or lifestyle that does not help us along the path to which God has called us. John is great today not just because God called him to a special vocation but because he walked faithfully in the path that leads to the goal that God had set for him.

The neighborhood in which John was born did not help him to realise his divine calling. In fact they wanted to prevent John from receiving his God-given name and identity. They wanted to give him his father’s name “Zachariah.” They objected to his being named John because “None of your relatives has this name” (Luke 1:61). For them what a child can be is determined by what his family and lineage has been. Their dream of a wonderful future for the child is limited by his family background. But God’s dream for us far exceeds anything that has been in our family background. Our life’s work is to wake up and make God’s glorious dream for us a reality.

As we celebrate the birth of John the Baptist and read the marvellous story of how he got his God-given name, let us ask ourselves: If God willed it to have an angel appear to me, would i believe and would I listen and do what the angel asks of me, or would i be like the Priest Zachariah and question and not believe the angel? If I am now to receive a new name, a name that represents my God-given identity and calling in life, what would that name be? If you do not know your God-given name, the name which represents all that God sent you into the world to be and to accomplish, then it is time to find out by listening in prayer. This is because our greatness as children of God, like the greatness of John the Baptist, consists in discovering what God has created for us to be and living out the demands of that call without any questions or doubts and ........without compromise.

Jesus sending the 12 Apostles

2012-07-01T22:52:00.000-04:00

Gospel Reading
Matthew 10: 16 - 25
The Lord Jesus says to His Disciples

"See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of them, for they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues; and you will be dragged before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them and the Gentiles. When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you at that time; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next; for truly I tell you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master; it is

enough for the disciple to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household!”

Maronite Celebration of Pentecost and the Rite of Kneeling on Pentecost

2012-05-30T22:12:00.000-04:00

Description of the Icon

This Icon of Pentecost is full of many colors. It shows us the Light of the Holy Spirit and the Ora(light) of the first reconciliation of the 11 Apostles and others who were there. The first Sacrament of "Reconciliation"

"And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them,
"Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven;
if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." John 20:22-23

The Icon shows the Blessed Mother in the center. The 11 Apostles are the there with her

and surround her during this event. The leaders of the Catholic Church, at its infant stage

are depicted. The women in front of the Blessed Mother and the 11 apostles are shown as women who are kneeling and who are showing their faith in the Lord. These women are also symbols of the sacrifice for the faith that many would endure. The blue and orange circle at the top of the Icon represents God the Father and his divinity. The dove, which is a well known symbol of the Holy Spirit is clearly visible over everyone and is also visable in each of the tonges of fire over each persons head. This Icon is the the ultimate representation of the strength and fire of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the Catholic Church.

The Rite of Kneeling dates back over 1,000 years.

RITE OF KNEELING ON PENTECOST

From the Qurbono, the Book of Offering According to the Antiochene Syriac Maronite Church, Season of the Glorious Resurrection, Dated 1994, St. Maron Publications

This rite is composed of three stations/qawney of the canonical hours of the office with their proper psalms, hymns, hoosoyeh (prayer of forgiveness), and readings. The stations are addressed to the Three Divine Persons: the first to the Father; the second to the Son; the third to the Holy Spirit. Each station is concluded by kneeling in honor of each Divine Person: on the left knee (for the Father), on the right knee (for the Son), and on both knees (for the Holy Spirit).

ADORATION OF THE FATHER

The congregation stands with reverence and in prayer, imploring the coming of the grace of the Holy Spirit, while they repent for their sins.

Invitation to Kneel

The celebrant faces the congregation and cries in a loud voice:

“Let us kneel before the Lord on the left knee!”

Diaconal Proclamation
Deacon: Let us kneel and ask the Lord for His mercy. Bend your knee to the exalted Godhead and receive pardon of your faults from the Holy Spirit. In the likeness of tongues of fire, He was sent to the Upper Room so that you may receive, by His hovering, happiness of life, confidence, and victory.

Meanwhile, the celebrant prays silently, then stands up and cries aloud:

Celebrant: By the power of God, stand up!

Prayer
Celebrant: This is the day of salvation and consolation. The Father poured forth His gift of tongues, renewed by the Spirit. He divided them among the apostles, that they might call the nations back from error. Rejoicing with the disciples of the Son, we adore and praise Christ, so that we may receive the pardon of our faults and glorify Him, now and forever.

Congregation: Amen

ADORATION OF THE SON

The celebrant faces the congregation and cries in a loud voice:

“Let us kneel before the Lord on the right knee!”

Diaconal Proclamation
Deacon: Let us kneel and ask the Lord for His mercy. With the angels who worship Him in fear, we bend our knee and adore the Father of truth; for He is our maker and Lord. Before Him, all knees bend, and to Him, all tongues give praise. By Him, all nations live.

Come, let us worship the true Son, sent by the Father of Light. He knelt on our behalf, offered prayer for our sake, and raised us up from our fall from grace. He showed His mercy to us and forgave us. Let us worship the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, and bend our knee before Him. On this day, He was sent from the mysterious depths of the Father and came to us. By His hovering over us, He took away our sins and clothed us with glorious victory.

Meanwhile, the celebrant prays silently, then stands up and cries aloud:

Celebrant: By the power of God, stand up!

Prayer
Celebrant: This is the day when heaven and earth, angels and seraphim, exult with the apostles; for they received the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete. On this day, the saving unction taken away from Adam our father, because of his disobedience, was restored to us. With it, the disciples were anointed, the nations were granted forgiveness, and all races were allotted salvation. We glorify and praise You, O Christ, Your Father, and Your Holy Spirit, now and forever.

Congregation: Amen

Paraclete, Comforter (L. Consolator; Greek parakletos), an appellation of the Holy Ghost. The Greek word which, as a designation of the Holy Ghost at least, occurs only in St. John (14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7), has been variously translated "advocate", "intercessor", "teacher, "helper", "comforter". This last rendering, though at variance with the passive form of the Greek, is justified by the Hellenistic usage, a number of ancient versions, patristic and liturgical authority, and the evident needs of the Johannine context. According to St. John the mission of the Paraclete is to abide with the disciples after Jesus has withdrawn His visible presence from them; to inwardly bring home to them the teaching externally given by Christ and thus to stand as a witness to the doctrine and work of the Savior. There is no reason for limiting to the Apostles themselves the comforting influence of the Paraclete as promised in the Gospel (Matthew 10:19; Mark 13:11; Luke 12:11, 21:14) and described in Acts 2.

ADORATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

The celebrant faces the congregation and cries in a loud voice:

“Let us kneel before the Lord on both knees!”

Diaconal Proclamation
Deacon: Let us kneel and ask the Lord for His mercy. Bow your heads, O mortals, and worship God, the Holy Spirit. He speaks through the prophets; to visionaries. He whispers the secrets of hidden things; and to seers, He reveals the future. Then in the likeness of tongues of fire, He descended upon the blessed disciples. To Him are due glory and thanksgiving, now and forever.

Meanwhile, the celebrant prays silently, then stands up and cries aloud:

Celebrant: By the power of God, stand up from the earth!

Prayer
Celebrant: Lift up Your heads and sign yourselves with the cross of light. Place in your souls the assistance and salvation that comes from the Holy Spirit, whom we worship in true faith with the Father and the Son, now and forever.

Congregation: Amen.

Reading for the Sunday of Pentecost:

Acts 2

New International Version (NIV)

The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost

2 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. ²Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. ⁴All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues^[a] as the Spirit enabled them.

⁵Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. ⁶When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. ⁷Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? ⁸Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? ⁹Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,^[b] ¹⁰Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome ¹¹(both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” ¹²Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”
¹³Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”

Peter Addresses the Crowd

¹⁴Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. ¹⁵These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! ¹⁶No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

¹⁷“‘In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.
¹⁸Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.
¹⁹I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
²⁰The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
²¹And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’^[c]

2012-02-02T10:25:00.000-05:00

Celebrating the Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple

Presentaion of Our Lord in the Temple

Luke 2:22-35

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 2:22-35.

The Evangelist Writes:

When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, ‘Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord’), and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, ‘a pair of turtle-doves or two young pigeons.’ Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying, ‘Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.’ And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, ‘This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed and a sword will pierce your own soul too.’

This is the Truth, Peace be with you!

Some Comentary on the Reading and the Feast Day

Known originally as the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord is a relatively ancient celebration. Forty days after Jesus Christ’s birth, Mary and Joseph, brought Christ to the Temple to make the customary offering for purification; a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons (according to the Law of Moses (Leviticus. 12:2-8), a woman who gave birth to a child was forbidden to enter the Temple of God for forty days).

The prophetess Anna and the aged Simeon met Mary Joseph and the Child Jesus. Simeon sensed the fulfillment of Isaiah’s puzzling prophecies of a virginal birth (Isaiah 7:14), and received God Incarnate just as he was promised he would before his death. Then Simeon praised God singing a hymn now called the Nunc Dimittis: “Now let Your servant depart in peace, O Master” (Luke 2: 29-32). Also, in the Temple was Anna the Prophetess. She had been a widow for many years. Anna was about eighty-four years old and spent her time in the Temple worshiping, fasting, and praying. When she saw the Christ Child she praised God and spoke of him to all who were awaiting the Messiah. After Jesus was presented in the Temple, the family returned to Galilee to the town of Nazareth. The Bible tells us that Jesus grew and became strong, and was filled with wisdom. (Luke 2:22-40)

Sunday of the Priest - “You are The Priest for eternity in the image of Melchizedek.”

2012-01-26T15:41:00.004-05:00

Icon of St. Melchizedek

Hebrews 7

1This Melchizedek is The King of Shalim, Priest of The Most High God, and he met Abraham when he returned from the massacre of Kings and blessed him. 2And Abraham distributed to him a tenth of everything that he had with him; but his name is interpreted, “King of Righteousness” and again “King of Shalim”, which is, “King of Peace”, 3Without his father and his mother being written in the genealogies, neither having beginning of his days nor end of his life, but in the likeness of The Son of God, his Priesthood remains for eternity.

4But how much greater is This One than the man Abraham, Chief of The fathers, to whom he gave the tithe of the best? 5For those of the sons of Levi who received Priesthood had a commandment of The Written Law to take a tenth part from those people of their brethren, as also they had come forth from the loins of Abraham. 6But This Man who is not written in their genealogies received the tithe from Abraham and blessed him who had received The Promise. 7But without dispute, he who is lesser is blessed by him who is greater than he. 8And here the children of men who die receive tithes, but there, he about whom the Scriptures testify that he lives. 9And as a man, let us say about him that by Abraham, Levi, who receives tithes, was caused to tithe. 10For he was yet in the loins of his father when he met Melchizedek.

11If perfection therefore is by Priesthood of Levi, ( for by it The Written Law was established to the people ), why was another Priest needed to arise in the image of Melchizedek? But does it say that he would be in the image of Aaron? 12But just as there was a change in The Priesthood, in this way there was also a change in The Law. 13For he about whom these things were said was born from another tribe, from which a man never ministered at the altar. 14For it is revealed that our Lord arose from Judah, about which tribe Moses never said anything concerning Priesthood. 15And moreover, again, it is apparent by this that he said that another Priest arises in the image of Melchizedek, 16He who was not by the law of carnal commandments, but by the power of an indestructible life.

17For he testified about him, “You are The Priest for eternity in the image of Melchizedek.”

18But there was a change in the first testament because of its impotence, and there was no benefit in it. 19For The Written Law perfects nothing, but hope, which is greater than it, entered in its place, by which we approach God. 20And he confirmed it to us by an oath.

21For they were Priests without an oath, but this one, with an oath, as he said to him by David: “THE LORD JEHOVAH has sworn and will not lie, that you are The Priest for eternity in the image of Melchizedek.”

22This Covenant, of which Yeshua is The Guarantor, is entirely better.

23And there were many Priests because they were dying and were not permitted to continue. 24But This One's Priesthood, because he is Eternal, does not pass away. 25And he can give life for eternity to those who come near to God by him, for he lives always and offers prayers for our sakes.

26For because this Priest also was right for us: pure, without malice and without defilement, who is separate from sin and exalted higher than Heaven, 27And he has no compulsion every day as The Chief Priests to offer sacrifice, first for his sins and then for the people, for This One did it one time by his Life which he offered. 28For The Law establishes weak men as Priests, but the word of the oath which was after The Law, The Son, who is perfect for eternity.

Gospel of Luke 12 42:48

41Peter said, “Lord, are You addressing this parable to us, or to everyone else as well?” 42And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and sensible steward, whom his master will put in charge of his servants, to give them their rations at the proper time? 43“Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes. 44“Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 45“But if that slave says in his heart, ‘My master will be a long time in coming,’ and begins to beat the slaves, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk; 46the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces, and assign him a place with the unbelievers. 47“And that slave who knew his master’s will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will receive many lashes, 48but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.

WEEK OF THE REVELATION OF CHRIST’S MYSTERY TO NICODEMUS

2012-01-20T23:54:00.000-05:00

THIRD SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY

John 3:1-16

WEEK OF THE REVELATION OF CHRIST’S MYSTERY
TO NICODEMUS

The Apostle said: Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. He came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.” Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’ The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered him, “Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? “Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. This is the truth. Peace be with you

Sunday of the Announcement to Zechariah - Happy Season of Announcements Maronite Cathoic Church

2011-11-12T22:18:00.017-05:00

Icon of the Announcement to Zechariah

The Angel Gabriel meeting the Priest Zechariah. The Angel Gabriel tells Zechariah that he and his wife will conceive a son.

Prayer of Forgiveness(Hoosoyo)
Sedro
O Lord of heaven and earth in times past you spoke to your chose ones through messengers and angels.
Adam heard you walking through the garden, and your voice led Abraham to a strange and new land.
Moses say you in a cloud and in a pillar of fire. Your Mysterious words appeared on the wall, traced by an unknown hand.
Through these means you have prepared a straight and level path for the final reveler of your mystery.
You have spoken, yet you have no mouth.
You have no feet, yet you have led.
You have never know sin, but you are infinite in your mercy toward sinners.

Birth of John the Baptist Foretold

Luke 1:25

The Evangelist said,

⁵ In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named ^[a]Zacharias, of the division of ^[b]Abijah; and he had a wife ^[c]from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. ⁶ They were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord. ⁷ But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in ^[d]years.

⁸ Now it happened that while he was performing his priestly service before God in the appointed order of his division, ⁹ according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. ¹⁰ And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer outside at the hour of the incense offering. ¹¹ And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. ¹² Zacharias was troubled when he saw the angel, and fear ^[e]gripped him. ¹³ But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will ^[f]give him the name John. ¹⁴ You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. ¹⁵ For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit ^[g]while yet in his mother’s womb. ¹⁶ And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. ¹⁷ It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, TO TURN THE HEARTS OF THE FATHERS BACK TO THE CHILDREN, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

¹⁸ Zacharias said to the angel, “How will I know this for certain? For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in ^[h]years.” ¹⁹ The angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who ^[i]stands in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. ²⁰ And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”

²¹ The people were waiting for Zacharias, and were wondering at his delay in the temple. ²² But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them; and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he kept ^[j]making signs to them, and remained mute. ²³ When the days of his priestly service were ended, he went back home.

²⁴ After these days Elizabeth his wife became pregnant, and she ^[k]kept herself in seclusion for five months, saying, ²⁵ “This is the way the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked with favor upon me, to take away my disgrace among men.”

Celebrating the Feast Day of St. Theresa - October 1

2011-09-28T16:45:00.000-04:00

St. Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face, better known as "The Little Flower," St. Therese of Lisieux, was born in Alencon, France in 1873. She was the youngest child of Louis and Zelie Martin, who were themselves declared "Venerable" by Pope John Paul II in 1994. All five of the Martin children who reached adulthood became nuns; four of them became Discalced Carmelites.

Therese was drawn to God from a very young age. At the age of 15, she received special permission from her bishop to enter the Carmel of Lisieux. There, Therese lived a life of humility, simplicity, and childlike trust in God. By word and example, she shared this "little way of spiritual childhood" with the novices in her community.

On the night between Holy Thursday and Good Friday in 1896, Therese experienced her first hemoptysis (spitting up of blood) from tuberculosis. Over the next 18 months, her condition steadily deteriorated. In the months prior to her death, she prayed for the grace to "spend my heaven doing good on earth" and promised that after her death she would send "a shower of roses" from heaven. Offering her sufferings for the salvation of souls, Therese died of tuberculosis on September 30, 1897, at the age of 24.

Upon her death, the nuns received permission to distribute Therese's autobiography, comprised of material that she had written at the command of her superiors and the request of one of her sisters in the monastery. Published on the first anniversary of her death as "The Story of a Soul," the initial printing of 2,000 copies quickly sold out. In the following years, hundreds of thousands of copies of her autobiography were printed, and it was translated into many languages.
As people read about this unknown nun and sought her intercession, letters started pouring into the Carmel reporting favors received through her prayers. By the time she was beatified on April 29, 1923, the Carmel was receiving 800 to 1,000 letters daily.

St. Therese was solemnly canonized by Pope Pius XI on May 17, 1925. On December 14, 1927, Pope Pius XI proclaimed St. Therese Principal Patroness, equal to St. Francis Xavier, of all missionaries, men and women, and of the missions in the whole world. On May 3, 1944, Pope Pius XII named St. Therese Secondary Patroness of France, equal to St. Joan of Arc.

Most recently, Pope John Paul II named St. Therese a Doctor of the Church on October 19, 1997, World Mission Sunday. "Doctor of the Church" is a title given to a select few saints "on account of the great advantage the whole Church has derived from their doctrine". She became only the third woman in the Church to be so honored, joining St. Catherine of Siena and St. Teresa of Jesus, foundress of the Discalced Carmelites.

In her life and her writings, St. Therese anticipated the teachings of the Second Vatican Council by showing that the path of holiness is open to all. She understood that what matters in the Christian life is not great deeds, but great love, and that anyone can achieve the heights of holiness by doing even the smallest things well for love of God. "All is well," she wrote, "when one seeks only the will of Jesus."

Exaltation of the Cross

2011-09-10T21:58:00.000-04:00

The Exaltation of the Holy Cross
Feast Day

Bashlomo l'Moryo netcashaf
(in peace, we pray to the Lord)

We adore thee, O Christ, and we bless thee,
for by thy cross thou hast redeemed the world.

+ + +

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him may not perish, but have everlasting life.

- John 3:16 (Douay)

This feast was observed in Rome before the end of the seventh century. It commemorates the recovery of the Holy Cross, which had been placed on Mt. Calvary by St. Helena and preserved in Jerusalem, but then had fallen into the hands of Chosroas, King of the Persians. The precious relic was recovered and returned to Jerusalem by Emperor Heralius in 629.

The lessons from the Breviary tell us that Emperor Heraclius carried the Cross back to Jerusalem on his shoulders. He was clothed with costly garments and with ornaments of precious stones. But at the entrance to Mt. Calvary a strange incident occurred. Try as hard as he would, he could not go forward. Zacharias, the Bishop of Jerusalem, then said to the astonished monarch: "Consider, O Emperor, that with these triumphal ornaments you are far from resembling Jesus carrying His Cross." The Emperor then put on a penitential garb and continued the journey.

Triumph of the Cross
This day is also called the Exaltation of the Cross, Elevation of the Cross, Holy Cross Day, Holy Rood Day, or Roodmas. The liturgy of the Cross is a triumphant liturgy. When Moses lifted up the bronze serpent over the people, it was a foreshadowing of the salvation through Jesus when He was lifted up on the Cross. Our Mother Church sings of the triumph of the Crosinstrumentedtrument of our redemption. To follow Christ we must take up His cross, follow Him and become obedient until death, even if it means death on the cross. We identify with Christ on the Cross and become co-redeemers, sharing in His cross.

We made the Sign of the Cross before prayer which helps to fix our minds and hearts to God. After prayer we make the Sign of the Cross to keep close to God. During trials and temptations our strength and protection is the Sign of the Cross. At Baptism we are sealed with the Sign of the Cross, signifying the fullness of redemption and that we belong to Christ. Let us look to the cross frequently, and realize that when we make the Sign of the Cross we give our entire self to God — mind, soul, heart, body, will, thoughts.

O cross, you are the glorious sign of victory.
Through your power may we share in the triumph of Christ Jesus.

Symbol: The cross of triumph is usually pictured as a globe with the cross on top, symbolic of the triumph of our Savior over the sin of the world, and world conquest of His Gospel through the means of a grace (cross and orb).

Celebrating the Birth of the Virgin Mary to Joachim and Ann

2011-09-08T13:39:00.002-04:00

Icon of the Birth of the Vigin Mary - The Blessed Mother

History:

The Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary was celebrated at least by the sixth century, when St. Romanos the Melodist, an Eastern Christian who composed many of the hymns used in the Eastern Catholic and Eastern Orthodox liturgies, composed a hymn for the feast. The feast spread to Rome in the seventh century, but it was a couple more centuries before it was celebrated throughout the West. The source for the story of the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary is the Protoevangelium of James, an apocryphal gospel written about A.D. 150. From it, we learn the names of Mary's parents, Joachim and Anna, as well as the tradition that the couple was childless until an angel appeared to Anna and told her that she would conceive. (Many of the same details appear also in the later apocryphal Gospel of the Nativity of Mary.)

The September 8 date helped determine the date for the feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8 (nine months earlier).

SEDRO from the Maronite Prayer of the Faithful – Safro

Mary, the spirit finds itself powerless to describe your humility and the dignity to which you were raised.

The angle came to salute you in the name of the Most High, and in all humility you responded to him:

I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your will. Because of your humility and your dignity, all generations call you blessed. The all-powerful has crowned you Queen of heaven and earth, Queen of angels and men.

Scripture Reading
A Reading from the Book of Sirach

Before all ages, in the beginning, he created me, and through all ages I shall not cease to be. In the holy tent I ministered before him, and in Zion I fixed my abode. Thus in the chosen city he has given me rest in Jerusalem in my domain. I have struck root among the glorious people, in the portion of the Lord, his heritage. “Like a cedar in Lebanon I am raised aloft, like a cypress on Mount Hermon, like a palm tree in Engedi, like a rosebush in Jericho.”

I spread out my branches like terebinth, my branches so bright and so graceful. I bud forth delights like the vine; my blossoms become fruit fair and rich. Come to me, all you that yearn for me and be filled with my fruits, you will remember me as sweeter than honey, better to have than the honeycomb. He who eats of me will hunger still, he who drinks of me will thirst for more, he who obeys me will not be put to shame, and he who serves me will never fail. All of this is true of the book of the Most High’s covenant, the law that Moses commanded us as in inheritance for the community of Jacob.

Eleventh Sunday of Pentecost

2011-08-19T21:19:00.003-04:00

ELEVENTH SUNDAY OF PENTECOST SEASON

The Repentance of Zacchaeus the Tax Collector

Luke 19:1-10

He came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town. Now a man there named Zacchaeus, who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man, was seeking to see who Jesus was; but he could not see him because of the crowd, for he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus, who was about to pass that way. When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house." And he came down quickly and received him with joy. When they all saw this, they began to grumble, saying, "He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner." But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, "Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over." And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost."

Feast of The Assumption of The Blessed Mother, also known as the Dormition or the Falling Asleep of The Blessed Mother

2011-08-13T07:12:00.002-04:00

Coptic Icon

The Dormition of the The Blessed Mother(Theotokos in Greek): Κοίμησις Θεοτόκου, Koímēsis, often anglicized as Kimisis) is a Great Feast of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches which commemorates the "falling asleep" or death of the Theotokos (Mary, the mother of Jesus; literally translated as God-bearer), and her bodily resurrection before being taken up into heaven. It is celebrated on August 15

Pslam 45

Your throne, O God,^[c] will last for ever and ever;
a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.
⁷ You love righteousness and hate wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions
by anointing you with the oil of joy.
⁸ All your robes are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia;
from palaces adorned with ivory
the music of the strings makes you glad.
⁹ Daughters of kings are among your honored women;
at your right hand is the royal bride in gold of Ophir.

Alleluia! O Mother who gave Life to us,
petition on our behalf
the Son who appeared from you:
may he remove from us the blows of punishment,
and keep away divisions and disputes.
May he lead us in the path of life in which we journey
at all times.
On your memorial day,
we sing praise to your only Son.

Alleluia!
Blessed are you, O Mary,
for God, who feeds all creatures,
was nourished by you
and rested on your breast.
O Wonder!
The Son of God was nourished
by a human creature!
He assumed what is ours
and gave us what is his.
On his mother's memorial let us proclaim:
Glory to you, O Lord.

Alleluia!
As dew was falling gently
over the city of Ephesus
Saint John wrote to its people.
He instructed them to celebrate
the memory of the Blessed Mary,
three times each year:
In January, during the time of planting of the seeds;
in May, during the time of harvest;
and in August, during the time of the grapes.
For the mysteries of life are prefigured in these months.

Alleluia!
On your memorial day, O Blessed Mary,
angels and mortals are overwhelmed with joy.
The dead rejoice in their tombs
because of the glory in creation.
God will bless
those who celebrate your memory with faith
and pour his mercy upon them.

Alleluia!
Who is to see a new ship
sustaining the One who is mighty;
the One who sustains and rules all creation.
Mary bore him, yet he bears all creation.
He nourishes all living creatures,
yet she nourished him with her milk.
He is the Maker of all infants,
yet he dwelt, as an infant, in her womb.
The fiery beings in the heights
sing hymns of praise to him!
Alleluia!

Maronite Icon

Maronite Catholic: Qolo (Hymn) of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Qurbono, The Book of Offering, Maronite Catholic Church | English rendering 1994 | Ancient Maronite

Qolo: Assumption Entrance Hymn

TRANSFIGURATION - August 6th

2011-08-07T22:48:00.000-04:00

Maronite Icon - Transfiguration

All three Synoptic Gospels tell the story of the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-8; Mark 9:2-9; Luke 9:28-36). With remarkable agreement, all three place the event shortly after Peter's confession of faith that Jesus is the Messiah and Jesus' first prediction of his passion and death. Peter's eagerness to erect tents or booths on the spot suggests it occurred during the Jewish weeklong, fall Feast of Booths.

One of the Transfiguration accounts is read on the second Sunday of Lent each year, proclaiming Christ's divinity to catechumens and baptized alike. The Gospel for the first Sunday of Lent, by contrast, is the story of the temptation in the desert—affirmation of Jesus' humanity. The two distinct but inseparable natures of the Lord were a subject of much theological argument at the beginning of the Church's history; it remains hard for believers to grasp.

"At his Transfiguration Christ showed his disciples the splendor of his beauty, to which he will shape and color those who are his: 'He will reform our lowness configured to the body of his glory'" (Philippians 3:21) (St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae).

Tradition names Mt. Tabor as the site of the revelation. A church first raised there in the fourth century was dedicated on August 6. A feast in honor of the Transfiguration was celebrated in the Eastern Church from about that time. Western observance began in some localities about the eighth century.

On July 22, 1456, Crusaders defeated the Turks at Belgrade. News of the victory reached Rome on August 6, and Pope Callistus III placed the feast on the Roman calendar the following year.

Celebrating the Feast of St. Elijah

2011-07-19T23:54:00.001-04:00

The Ascension of The Prophet Elijah

Elijah and the 1260 days of drought, Widow of Zarephath

1 Kings 17:1 And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.
1 Kings 17:2 And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying,
1 Kings 17:3 Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.
1 Kings 17:4 And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.
1 Kings 17:5 So he went and did according unto the word of the LORD: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.
1 Kings 17:6 And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.
1 Kings 17:7 And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.
Elijah the Tishbite had to make a strong proclamation to King Ahab: “As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.” The period with neither dew nor rain lasted for 3 1/2 years, and for much of this time, Elijah was at the brook Cherith.
When Elijah issued this proclamation, Ahab would have been stunned. The prophet then fled quickly to the brook Cherith and hid himself there, as instructed. “Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan [in Israel].” The word from God continued, “You shall drink water from the brook, and I have commanded ravens to feed you there.” The ravens brought Elijah bread and flesh morning and evening. Elijah’s necessities were thus provided for.
Like a bedouin, Elijah dressed in rough skins, or hairy garments. For him to have gone to Ahab, the king of Israel, who had a notorious reputation, and issue this proclamation was a courageous act. The message would have been delivered with confidence.
Ravens are flesh-eating birds. In fact, the word “ravenous” comes from “raven.” Therefore, we can be sure that the meat they brought to Elijah was freshly slain.
There is a prophetic aspect to this account, for during the period of papal persecution in the Dark and Middle Ages in Europe, worldly unconsecrated people (“ravens”) fed, hid, and helped Christians who were fleeing from brutal persecution. If caught, this “raven” class would have been punished severely, so many risked their lives by helping Christians. In the antitype, Elijah represents God’s people down through the Gospel Age who were preserved and fed from His Word and given time to develop Christlike characters in the hope of being kings and priests in the Kingdom Age. Many were tried and executed, but at least, they had an opportunity to develop their characters.
In time, the brook Cherith dried up, and Elijah had to move to another place. God’s instruction came to him, starting in verse 8.

1 Kings 17:8 And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying,
1 Kings 17:9 Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.
1 Kings 17:10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.
1 Kings 17:11 And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand.
1 Kings 17:12 And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.
1 Kings 17:13 And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.
1 Kings 17:14 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.
1 Kings 17:15 And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.
1 Kings 17:16 And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.

Elijah was told to leave the brook Cherith and go to Zarephath, which is in Lebanon today— and thus was quite a distance to go on foot. First, he went to Zidon, the capital of Phoenicia, as a landmark. Zarephath was located in a little village nearby. When Elijah entered the gate, he saw a woman gathering sticks. God had told him that a widow would sustain him there, so he called out to her, “Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.” Then, being famished, he added, “Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread.”
With a famine in the land, the woman had been gathering sticks to prepare a fire to bake a cake of her last handful of flour mixed with oil. She had to scrape the bottom of the barrel to get the flour, and there was a little oil left in the cruse. Her expectation was that after this last meal, she and her son would die of starvation. Under this dire circumstance, Elijah has asked for something to eat. Imagine being in the woman’s place and getting this request for food!
Elijah next said, “Fear not; go and do as you have said. But make me a little cake first, and bring it to me, and afterward make one for you and your son. For God has said that the barrel will not be emptied of meal or the cruse of oil, until the very day He sends rain to end the famine.”
Elijah’s request was a test on the widow, and faith was involved. Perhaps the woman had been praying, but at any rate, she obeyed in this time of extremity. “And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.”
Elijah must have had a very magnetic, forceful personality. He started his mission by going to King Ahab and reprimanding him to his face with the boldness and courage that were instilled by the Lord. Now he spoke to the widow. His manner of speaking was convincing and persuasive, and she believed him. According to the King James margin, for a “full year,” they ate of the flour and the oil that kept replenishing. Therefore, Elijah was at the brook Cherith for at least two years, and then he was in Zarephath for another year.
Jesus used this widow of Zarephath as an illustration of faith when he was castigating the Israelites for not believing. Even after all his miracles, the number of believers was only 500 of the 7 million or so people who lived in Israel at that time. As an example of faith, Jesus also used Naaman the Syrian leper, who came for help. They had more faith than anyone in Israel.

Celebrating the Feast of St. Sharbel Makhloof

2011-07-15T23:08:00.006-04:00

Biography of Saint Sharbel - Written by Subdeacon Brian Dunn

Saint Sharbel was born in a part of northern Lebanon known as, Bka’kafra. This is an area of large forest of Cedars and is a historical place. His parent’s names were Antoon Za’roor & Brigita Makhlouf. His mother’s maiden name was Shediac and she came from a town known as Besharreh. Saint Sharbel was one of five children born to Za’roor and Brigita.

At a very early age Saint Sharbel suffered a great loss. When he was only four years old, his father passed away on August 8, 1831. It was up to his mother to raise him after his fathers passing. He grew up with his mother and siblings and learned Arabic and Syriac while going to school in the local village. He was known in his village as the “saint” because he demonstrated a very pious and god like life.

Saint Sharbel entered the monastery of Our Lady of Mayfouk in the year 1851. Within one year of his entrance into the monastery Saint Sharbel moved with other novices to the Saint Maron Monastery in Annaya. Then in 1853 he took his solemn vows and changed his name from Joseph to Sharbel. Saint Sharbel then started his schooling at the St. Cyprian’s Monastery in Kfeefan and this is where Saint Sharbel was prepared for the priesthood.

While at the St. Cyprian’s Monastery, Saint Sharbel learned from a priest known at that time as Fr. Nemetallah Kassab Hardini. We know this priest as Saint Hardini. While at the Monastery, Saint Hardini was a mentor for the young students. It is known that Saint Sharbel obtained a final blessing from Saint Hardini before he died.

In July of 1859 Saint Sharbel was ordained a priest with his family present from his home town of Bka’kafra. After his ordination he remained at the Monastery of Saint Maron in Annaya and remained there until 1875. In this same year, he was asked to go to the Hermitage of Saints Peter and Paul.

While Saint Sharbel was at the Monastery of Saint Maron and the Hermitage of Saints Peter and Paul he would take on the most difficult chores. Throughout these he was dedicated to his calling and his superiors and always did what they asked of him. He was obedient to his mother and his superiors all his life. Saint Sharbel always had God on his mind and he consecrated his entire life to God. The people also remembered his continuous communication with God, his love of the Blessed Sacrament, his devotion to the Virgin Mary and his compassion to the poor and the sick.

Saint Sharbel passed away on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1898 surrounded by many priests and brothers of the Monastery and Hermitage. Many people came to see him and kissed his hands and feet. At that time people said that he was already a saint and that he was lucky, when they came to pay their respects.

That night when the body of Saint Sharbel was in the Church, the monks could see a light coming from the door of the Tabernacle that was shining around the body of Saint Sharbel.

Saint Sharbel was buried the next day in a very bad snowstorm. The roads were covered with snow and it made it difficult to get to the funeral. When Saint Sharbel was being moved from the church to the muddy grave, the sun came out and the sky cleared with the snow stopping and the wind as well. He was buried in the burial area of Saint Maron’s Monastery.

After Saint Sharbel was buried in the mud of the burial area at the Monastery, the neighboring people could see light emanating from his gravesite each night. The light that emanated from his grave brought many people to the Monastery.

Upon the time of his death, Saint Sharbel’s superior was not at the monastery. When his superior, Fr. Anthony Mishmshany returned to the monastery, he learned of Saint Sharbel and his passing. He went to his grave and prayed for intercessions on behalf of the monastery. Later when Fr. Mishnshany addresses the community near the monastery he was quoted saying,

“With the death of Fr. Sharbel, we have lost the lightning rod which was protecting the Order, the Maronite Church and Lebanon with his saintly life. We pray God will have mercy on us and grant that the mission of his servant, Sharbel, will remain with us here on earth, just as God promised the house of David that their lamp would be extinguished on earth for the glory of his servant, David.”

He also prayed,

“Lord, of the monastery, for the Order and for Lebanon, preserve the lamp of water which you lighted for your servant, Sharbel, in a miraculous way. Preserve this lamp shining in his body, so that it will illuminate our way in this darkened world. Deliver us from the dangers that surround us. Help us to walk in the path of poverty, chastity and obedience, which we promised to follow in this life when we made our solemn vows. May we reach Heaven, the Promised Land, for this lamp of exile. Amen!”

Also after the first night of his burial in tomb at the monastery, the people who lived in this area could see a bright light that came from the tomb. This light also shined on the church, monastery and cells. It also moved around these and then would return to the tomb.

Why is he Important to the Church?

During the beatification process of Saint Sharbel, Pope Sixtus V, “Give me a monk who observes the spirit and the letter of his monastic rules and I will beatify him in his life.”Saint Sharbel lived a monastic and hermitical in all he did and throughout the days of his life.

Abbot Ignatius Tannoory who was superior of the Maronite Lebanese Order was in the Vatican for the cause of the beatification of Fr. Nematallah, Fr. Sharbel and Sister Rebecca Trayes. The date was October 4, 1925 and he was there to discuss that these three had performed miracles while they were still alive.

Since the 12^th century, the Holy See and Papacy was given the authority to beatify and canonize. Here it was the 20^th Century and not one person or any cause for beatification or canonization had been presented to the Holy See from a Christian of the Eastern Rite Catholics.

Beatification of Fr. Nematallah, Fr. Sharbel and Sister Rebecca Trayes, would help the Maronite Order and it would also help others following the Maronite Order to imitate their lives. If these three were to become Saints, it would only communicate to the entire world that the Maronite Church and the Lebanese Order were in union with Rome and the Holly See.

Also on October 10, 1926 the Maronite Archbishop and Patriarch Elias Peter Hoayek (1843 – 1931) requested from Pope Pius XI to make the Massabki brothers and the Franciscan martyrs of Damascus to start the case of beatification and canonization. That same day, the Pope declared them all blessed.

It was not until the end of the Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican in December of 1965, did the Maronite Catholic known as Fr. Sharbel Makhlouf become a Saint of a Maronite Catholic from the East, by the actual procedures of the Catholic Church. Fr. Sharbel Makhlouf becoming a Saint was a sign of unity from the Pope, Vatican and West as symbol of unity for the East and West and for the entire Christian community worldwide.

His family prepared him for his life in the Monastery, from his parents to his uncles who were in an eremitic life. His own mother was turned away from the monastery when she came to see Saint Sharbel and prayed that he would be a Saint. The qualities of a good family and home and parents and extended family members are the type of life and surroundings that encourage vocations of all types. These are the qualities of developing vocation to the church for the up building of the church.

There are more than 350 cases that have been identified as miraculous. These consist of healing the blind, deaf and paralyzed. Over 100 cases of diseases that were thought to be incurable, were cured by Saint Sharbel. Some of these cases were not just Christians seeking to be cured by his intersession as it has been noted in history that the Muslims were cured.

Information added July 24, 2011

Although this saint never traveled far from the Lebanese village of Beka-Kafra, where he was born, his influence has spread widely.

Pope John Paul II often said that the Church has two lungs (East and West) and it must learn to breathe using both of them. Remembering saints like Sharbel helps the Church to appreciate both the diversity and unity present in the Catholic Church. Like all the saints, Sharbel points us to God and invites us to cooperate generously with God's grace, no matter what our situation in life may be. As our prayer life becomes deeper and more honest, we become more ready to make that generous response.

Quote:

When Sharbel was canonized in 1977, Bishop Francis Zayek, head the U.S. Diocese of St. Maron, wrote a pamphlet entitled “A New Star of the East.” Bishop Zayek wrote: “St. Sharbel is called the second St. Anthony of the Desert, the Perfume of Lebanon, the first Confessor of the East to be raised to the Altars according to the actual procedure of the Catholic Church, the honor of our Aramaic Antiochian Church, and the model of spiritual values and renewal. Sharbel is like a Cedar of Lebanon standing in eternal prayer, on top of a mountain.” The bishop noted that Sharbel's canonization plus other beatification cases prove “that the Aramaic Maronite Antiochian Church is indeed a living branch of the Catholic Church and is intimately connected with the trunk, who is Christ, our Savior, the beginning and the end of all things.”

Joseph Zaroun Makluf was raised by an uncle because his father, a mule driver, died when Joseph was only three. At the age of 23, Joseph joined the Monastery of St. Maron at Annaya, Lebanon, and took the name Sharbel in honor of a second-century martyr. He professed his final vows in 1853 and was ordained six years later.

Following the example of the fifth-century St. Maron, Sharbel lived as a hermit from 1875 until his death. His reputation for holiness prompted people to seek him to receive a blessing and to be remembered in his prayers. He followed a strict fast and was very devoted to the Blessed Sacrament. When his superiors occasionally asked him to administer the sacraments to nearby villages, Sharbel did so gladly.
He died in the late afternoon on Christmas Eve. Christians and non-Christians soon made his tomb a place of pilgrimage and of cures. Pope Paul VI beatified him in 1965 and canonized him 12 years later.

Things to do:

Make a virtual visit to Our Lady of Lebanon Shrine. (Private site but has many nice pictures of the Shrine.)
Listen to an Arabic prayer for God's Mercy from the Great Paraklesis (Supplicatory Prayer) to the Most Holy Theotokos. Notice the frescoes in the video of the praying saints which are from an obscure ancient Byzantine church in Maad, Lebanon, named after St. Charbel the old.
Learn more about the Maronites.
view this blog back in October 2010 - http://bmdunn.blogspot.com/2010/10/post-of-day-st-sharbel-october-21-2010.html

Cited Sources:

Claire M. Benedict (1977,1990). Saint Sharbel, Mystic of the East. The Ravengate Press, Cambridge, Mass.

Fr. Mansour Awad, Translated by Fr. George I. Saad and edited by Chorbishop Norman J. Ferris(1986, 1990). Three Lights From The East, publishing company unknown.

The Most Reverend Pierre Dib, Bishop of Cairo, translated by Very Reverend Chorbishop Seely Beggiani, S.T.D. (1971). History of the Maronite Church. Imprimerie Catholique, Beirut, Lebanon and Maronite Apostolic Exarchate, Detroit, USA

Chapman, J. (1909). Eutyches. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved December 27, 2009 from New Advent:http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05631a.htm

Wikipedia. Patriarch Elias Peter Hoayek, last updated December 28, 2009 and retrieved January 16, 2010 from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elias_Peter_Hoayek

Fifth Sunday of Pentecost calling of the apostles and blessed massabki brothers

2011-07-09T21:22:00.000-04:00

FIFTH SUNDAY OF PENTECOST SEASON

Calling of the Apostles

Matthew 10:1-7

Then he summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness. The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus; Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him. Jesus sent out these twelve after instructing them thus, "Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town. Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, make this proclamation: 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.'

Also, on this Sunday, the Maronite Church remembers the 3 Massabki Brothers.

Luke 12:6-10

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. “I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God. But whoever disowns me before others will be disowned before the angels of God. And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

Feast Day for The Blessed Martyrs Massabki Brothers - July 10

2011-07-09T07:54:00.000-04:00

Their martyrdom
At eight o'clock on the evening July 9th, 1860, Muslim fanatics entererd the Franciscan church in Damascus, where the three brothers were kneeling before the Altar, and gave the Massabkis the choice between death and the acceptance of the Muslim religion. The Massabkis replied:'You may destroy our lives but you cannot destroy our faith in Christ and our souls; we are Christians. I the faith of Chirst we live and in the faith of Christ we shall die.'
They were killed before the altar. In the same night, many Franciscan priests and brothers were killed for their faith.

Beatification

On May 4th, 1926 Patriarch Hoyek addressed a request to the Holy See, asking that the three Massabki martyrs be proclaimed saints. A committee was sent by Rome to make canonical inquiry in Lebanon and Damascus about the lives and virtues of the three brothers and the circumstances of their martyrdom. On October 7th, 1926, Pope Pius XI beatified the three brothers, Francis, Raphael and Abd-el-Mo'ty.

read more about them and their cause for Beatification
http://beatimassabki.com/eng/index.php

2011-07-05T16:00:00.000-04:00

His Beatitude

Patriarch Estephan Boutros El Douaihy

of Antioch

He was known as “The Saint Patriarch,” “The Saint of the Patriarchs,” “The Father of Maronite History,” “Pillar of the Maronite Church,” “The Second Chrysostom,” “Splendor of the Maronite Nation,” “The Glory of Lebanon and the Maronites.”

Prayer for Obtaining the Beatification

of Patriarch Estephan (Stephen) Douaihy.

Heavenly Father,
You who have decorated Your Church with
Your saints
Through Your Only Son and Your life-giving Spirit,
You have chosen Your servant the Patriarch Douaihy
And granted him the grace to see the world
With the zeal of Your Kingdom.
He taught the young and the old,
Preached Your Word and lead Your Church,
Faithful to St. Maron and the glory of Lebanon.
He preserved the liturgy of the Church
And explained its sacraments
Such that they became a beacon to guide souls.
He retraced history for posterity
Elevating its dignity and his role.

We beseech You, Oh Lord,
To reveal his holiness for the glory of Your name,
And to make of him a yeast of hope in our world,
A flame of reform in our Church,
And the salt of dignity in our country.
May we through his example
Build Your Kingdom on earth,
Through science, faith, piety and courage.
And may we be
Witnesses for Your redeeming Son,
As temples for Your Holy Spirit,
As apostles for the civilization of love,
And as pioneers for truth and peace.
Praise and glory to You, Oh Lord,
Forever and ever, Amen.

Our Father... Hail Mary...
Glory be...

SIXTH SUNDAY OF GREAT LENT: SUNDAY OF THE MAN WHO WAS BLIND

2011-04-05T16:31:00.000-04:00

SIXTH SUNDAY OF GREAT LENT:

SUNDAY OF THE MAN WHO WAS BLIND

Blind Bartimaeus Receives His Mark 10:46-52

46 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

48 Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”

So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” 50 Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.

51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him.

The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”

52 “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

SEDRO

O only word of God, you are beyond all description and praise. You were born in tim of the Virgin Mary, yet you are the first and the last, the Alpha and the Omega. You Humbled yourself and walked on our roads. Like a guiding lighthouse, you saved the world from darkness. You opened the eyes of thos who were blind to teach us that you are the life-giving source of light. through your wondrous deeds you revealed that you are the long-awaited Messiah, foretold by the prophet Isaiah.

"the eyes of those who are blind will open, those who are lame will leap like a deer, and the tongues of those unable to speak shout with joy."

O Lord, you walked on the sea and calmed the raging storm; you enlightened our pathways, fed the hungry, and brought life to decayed bones. We ask you now to accept our witness and our profession of faith, for you are truly the Son of God and the Savior of the world.

We implore you: with the light of your knowledge, shine in our hearts and in the hearts of all people. Let us rejoice in the vision of your face, as did Bartimaeus on the road to Jericho. Confirm our faith in you and lift up our minds and thoughts to you. Let us not be distracted by the futile things of this world nor be blined by its mirages. May your light shine throughout the entire universe, that all peoples may see your face and find joy in you.

Celebrating Entrance into Lent - The Wedding at Cana

2011-03-06T20:21:00.001-05:00

Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the lamb!" ( Rv 19:9)

John 2

The Wedding at Cana

¹On^(A) the third day there was a wedding at^(B) Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. ²Jesus also was invited to the wedding with^(C) his disciples. ³When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine." ⁴And Jesus said to her, ^(D) "Woman,^(E) what does this have to do with me?^(F) My hour has not yet come." ⁵His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."
⁶Now there were six stone water jars there^(G) for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty^(H) gallons.^[a] ⁷Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water." And they filled them up to the brim. ⁸And he said to them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast." So they took it. ⁹When the master of the feast tasted^(I) the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom ¹⁰and said to him, "Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now." ¹¹This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested^(J) his glory. And^(K) his disciples believed in him.

As we celebrate the beginning of Lent this year, remember the words that the Mother of Jesus said to the people who were serving at the wedding, "Do whatever he tells you." Lent is a time for us to fast, pray and to give back to our community. As you pray this lent, listen to Jesus and do whatever he tells you to do.

Celebrating the Feast of St. Maron 1600 Years 410 AD - 2010 AD

2011-02-07T20:36:00.003-05:00

Brief History of St. Maron

Saint Maron was a priest who became a hermit and through his missionary work, healing, miracles, and teachings of monastic devotion to God became the Father of the Maronite Church. When Saint Maron was a priest he was the disciple of Hermit Zebinas. He then became a hermit and moved to live an ascetic life in isolation to the mountains of Lebanon and Syria and inhabited the area around the 4^th and 5^th century. Geographically speaking he moved to an area that is Cyrrhus (southern Turkey) between Antioch and Aleppo (Syrian City). This was an area that was inhabited by Pagan temple ruins until Saint Maron accomplished to convert an ancient temple to the Babylon god Nabo to his first church. He used his first church for mass and prayers.

Saint Maron lived a monastic, strict and rigorous life and lived to be closer to God through all things. For example, even though he had a tent made of animal fur that could have saved him from the elements he preferred to be exposed to the elements so that he might know God through all things and as a form of mortification. He also celebrated liturgy daily. He prayed days and spent nights standing in prayer. He did not accept the standard type of faithfulness and would add to his daily life additional penance and fasts for weeks on end. He used manual labor to keep his mind away from the temptations of the world. He deprived his body from all means of comfort. He believed that God was in all things and all things were in God so to live in daily prayer and work was to be as close to God as possible.

Saint Maron had tremendous influence on his followers. People would travel long distances to see him. They would travel near and far to be near him. He performed miracles, healed people of physical, spiritual and emotional ailments, ministered to all who followed him. He became their spiritual leader and they became his followers.

Bishop Theodoret identifies Saint Maron’s followers this way, “these anchorites were virtuous and heroic, totally dedicated to a life of contemplative prayers. There were strangers to any other consideration of the world. They were obedient to the church authority and tried to imitate their predecessor in their exercises of austerity”.

Knowledge of Saint Maron developed throughout the Roman Empire. In fact, some historians place Saint Maron and Saint John Chyrsostom as students together in Antioch around the year 398 AD. His exact date of passing is unknown but history notes that his death took place somewhere between the years of 407 AD and 423 AD. What is known is that he was so popular at the time of his death that his death caused mass disturbances, and riots as people were striving to obtain his remains.

Shortly after his passing, and after the Council of Chalcedon in 451AD, Bishop Theodoret started the construction of the Saint Maron Monastery. The Monastery is the center of teaching of the Maronite Church and its theological history. The Maronite Church honors its Patron by celebrating him on February 9^th. Lebanon has promoted Saint Maron to her Patron Saint and honors his feast day as a National Day each year. The monastery bears the name of Saint Maron. It is the only Catholic Church to bear the name of a person and bears the teachings of that man who left the world to live a monastic, ascetic life in the mountains so that he might be closer to God.

To this day there are hundreds of thousands of Maronite Catholics following the teachings of Saint Maron. Truly these people are walking by faith because historical authorities can only agree on the history of the Maronite’s as far back as the 16^th century, a mere 400 years ago. Saint Maron lived and breathed in 400 AD!

The features of the Syriac liturgical tradition takes us back to 400 A.D. At this time in the area of Syria there were three different rites and the areas were either influenced by the Greek or Syriac traditions. The areas of Antioch and Jerusalem spoke Greek and were influenced by the Greeks. The area of Edessa, where there were Chaldeans, spoke Aramaic and was influenced by the Syriacs. Both of these groups of people were influenced by the movement of the Jacobite Church to deny following the Counsel of Chalcedon. The areas of Antioch and Jerusalem followed the movement by the Jacobite Church and became Orthodox. The area of Edessa where the monastery of St. Maron was established sustained some of their roots and heritage and remained Catholic following the Counsel of Chalcedon. The Chaldean Aramaic speaking people of this area formed its own hierarchy and became what is now known as the ancient Syriac rite of Edessa. The liturgy that was created there is known to current day Maronite’s as the Anaphora of St. Peter. Parts of this Anaphora can be found in the Rite of Chrismation and in other parts of the liturgy.

Edessa and Antioch are the birth place of the original rites, the Maronite and the Chaldean, of the Catholic Church. The Syriac liturgical tradition takes its liturgy from Antioch and its Anaphora’s from the Jerusalem Rite. Within the Maronite Rite and Liturgy there are three ancient anaphoras. One that is well known in the Chaldean church, but the Maronite’s identify it as the Anaphora of the third peter. The Maronite Rite also has the ancient anaphora of the Antiochene Rite, known as the Anaphora of the twelve apostles. It has also adopted the Jerusalem and Antiochene liturgy of James. These are the features that characterize the Syriac liturgical tradition.

Written by Subdeacon Brian Dunn

Brian's Spiritual Blog

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