Welcome to this week's edition of Kadishat!
This Sunday, we read Jesus' Parable of the Sower (Luke 8:1-15) in our Maronite Liturgies. In this parable, Jesus describes His word as seeds that fall on different grounds: along the path, on rocky ground, among the thorns and on good soil. Only the seeds that fall on the good soil survive and grow to bear much fruit. May we be the good soil that holds fast to God’s word and produces much fruit by the grace of God in our lives. To read our newsletter for this week, please click on the link below:
Please click here to download the full Kadishat newsletter with ARABIC translation.
Mass for Life
On Thursday August 23 there will be Mass celebrated for Life at 7pm at St Joseph’s Croydon. It will be celebrated in atonement for the sins against life, such as abortion, contraception and IVF. Following that, the new Maronite group for Life endorsed and supported by the Maronite Bishop will be launched. Everybody, and especially young people, are invited to attend.
SCYA Annual Dinner
St Charbel's Youth Association is holding its Annual Dinner on Friday 31 August at The Bellevue Bankstown. Tickets are $60 and include dinner, drinks and entertainment. We encourage you to attend this event and support our youth association as this is its only fundraiser for the year. For bookings, contact Elise on 0424 197 726 or Charbel on 0416 178 176.
May Our Lord bless you always! In God’s Love,
Fr. Dr. Antoine Tarabay
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20th Year—Number 1022 Sunday 19/08/2012
Season of the Pentecost
13th Sunday
Sunday’s Readings: 1 Corinthians 3: 1-11 & Luke 8: 1-15
Bear fruit with
patient endurance
“Soon afterwards he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with him, as well as some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their resources. When a great crowd gathered and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable:
‘A sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell on the path and was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. Some fell on the rock; and as it grew up, it withered for lack of moisture. Some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew with it and choked it. Some fell into good soil, and when it grew, it produced a hun-dredfold.’ As he said this, he called out, ‘Let anyone with ears hear and listen!’
Then his disciples asked him what this parable meant. He said,
‘To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God; but to others I speak in parables, so that "looking they may not perceive, and listening they may not understand." ‘Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The ones on the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. The ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe only for a while and in a time of testing fall away. As for what fell among the thorns, these are the ones who hear; but as they go on their way, they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. But as for that in the good soil, these are the ones who, when they hear the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patient endurance. ” Luke 8: 1-15
Reflection of the Week
The Word
In the parable of the sower, the seeds fell on four kinds of surfaces. The seeds that fell on the path tell of the people who do not believe in or neglect the Word of Jesus. They will succumb to the power of evil. It is important to give the Word of Jesus meaning in our lives.
When Jesus speaks of the seeds that fell on rocky ground, he is talking about people who are immature and not strong enough to resist temptation. They give up in times of hardship. We need to be prepared to carry the little crosses which occur everyday of our lives, not just the heavy crosses which must be borne at times of serious illness, suffering and grief.
The seeds that fell among the thorns represent people who become engrossed in the materialism of this world and are not mature enough to bear fruit. We cannot say we are a Christian if we do not bear fruit.
The seeds that fell on good soil represent people who give in varying degrees according to their dedication and talents. Those who give a hundred fold to God will produce a hundred fold while those who give less will produce less.
Everyone of us has ears to listen to the parable but we must use our minds and hearts to understand and respond to the challenge which the parable lays before us.
Reflection—My Word
My word can be compared to a little seed, that falling into fertile soil will germinate and grow; therefore fulfilling the mission that it has been created for. A seed is very small but has a great potential. My word sounds simple as a human word, but coming out of my mouth it is no longer a human word but a divine command.
My word can be compared to a precious stone that a man is looking for with great desire. When he finds it he will be very happy, he will make it his treasure. There is nothing greater in this world than that which will give you eternal life. I am the Word of God, the Savior of the world whose word you must treasure in your heart to give you eternal life and joy.
My word is the eternal word of God, the word that has created every-thing that has come into existence, my word is the ever powerful live command of God that is always ready to create, to shape, to correct, to build and to sanctify.
Listen you who have ears, but not just listen with your hearing. Listen with your heart since that is the center of your being, it is the spiritual place where my spirit gives life and you can draw life from me. It is in your heart that you keep your treasures, whether they are the affections to your material things or whether they are heavenly things. Where your treasure is, there is your heart. Let me be your treasure, let your heart be in me.
Listen to this word of mine with the reverence that it deserves, understand the power behind that word and take it quickly into your heart, make it your treasure, savor it in your mouth as if it was a delicious delicacy that you want to relish forever, give it the power that it claims and rest assured that my word will perform miracles in your life.
My word is not a human word; it is the word of God. When I said, “Let there be light” the elements bowed before my power as the Word of God, they formed light. In the same way my word is still alive and active, powerful enough to continue to work in those who take it into their hearts and put it into practice.
Honor my word by studying it, by meditating it, by accepting it and by living by it. My word is like an arrow pointing straight to heaven, my word is the answer to all your questions. Come to me, listen to me, learn from me and live. (Ref: http://www.theworkofgod.org)
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Saint of the Week
Saint Isaac the Syriac (6th C)
Maronite Feast Day: Aug 23.
Isaac the Syriac in also known as Isaac the Syrian, Isaac of Nineveh, and Isaac Cyrus. He lived in the seventh century, and served as a Bishop and theologian. He was born in the region of Qatar in the Persian Gulf. When still quite young, he and his brother entered a monastery. He became well known as a teacher and came to the attention of the catholicos George, who ordained him Bishop of Nineveh far to the north. Isaac did not like the many administrative tasks his position required and asked to be relieved of his position after only five months.
“Sometimes, a person wishes something good, but God doesn’t help him — maybe because the intention came from the devil and is not for our benefit; or maybe because it is beyond our strength as we have not attained the necessary spiritual level; or maybe because it doesn’t correspond to our calling; or maybe because the time is not right to initiate it; or maybe because we don’t have the necessary knowledge or strength to accomplish it; or maybe because circumstances will not contribute to its success. Besides this, the devil contrives in every way to paint it as something good so that having inclined us toward it, he could upset our spiritual tranquility or inflict harm on us. That’s why it is necessary for us to diligently examine all our good desires. Better still, do everything after seeking counsel.”
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The Maronites and Lebanon (23) The Ottomans era (2)
The Maronite College of Rome
The Maronite college of Rome was a milestone in the history of Lebanon. It triggered a new epoch of education that benefited the Maronite community at first then all communities in Lebanon.
It was during the reign of the Maanis that the Maronite College in Rome was established. On July 5th, 1584, Pope Gregory inaugurated the Maronite College in Rome, satisfying the aspirations of the community and opening to its students the way to success. In his bull the Pope declared:
'We hope that the students of this college during the days ahead, after being formed in piety and the true religion, which are of the tree of Sion and of the teaching of the Roman Church, head of all the Churches, will return home to the cedars of Lebanon to serve their community, renewing in their country faith in God. This is why, with full knowledge of the facts and by virtue of our apostolic authority, we establish the Maronite College, where the students of this community may learn good behavior, devotion, the true doctrine, and all the virtues which every Christian must have.'With the arrival of the first students in Rome, the dreams of the Pope became a reality, and the whole Maronite community began to emerge from the shadows. More than that, the Maronite community now had means of access to Europe and to the world beyond, and was able to play its role as an intermediary between East and West and cement Latin-Lebanese relations.
One of the earliest graduates to remain in Europe was Gabriel Sionite, who taught Syriac and Arabic in Rome, occupied the chair of Semitic languages in what is now the College de France on Paris, served as an interpreter to King Louis XIII, worked on the compilation of the Paris polyglot Bible which was the first to include Syriac and Arabic in its columns. The Career of of Gabriel was exactly paralleled by Ibrahim al-Haqili (Echellensis) who also worked with him on the Bible. Others include Mirhej Ben Namroun, who was also a professor and an interpreter.
Another outstanding Maronite figure was Joseph Assemani, who as director of the Vatican Library made it a world leading depository. His research covering Syriac, Arabic, Hebrew, Turkish, Persian, and Ethiopic, were embodied in his massive Bibliotheca Orientalis which remains a mine of information to this day. As the historiographer of the king of Naples and of Italy, he produced a four volume work which won him citizenship of that country. The Pope sent Assemani as his delegate in 1736 to the synod held at Dier al Louaizeh and the resolutions reached sealed the union between the Maronite Church and Rome.
Perhaps the most famous graduate was Patriarch Douaihy who was able to compile, among many other works, the earliest major history of his church and community, making him the father of Maronite history. Furthermore he 'visited every diocese to choose holy and educated priests. He examined the liturgical books, corrected the errors introduced into them by the copyists, read and adapted the works of historians, both eastern and western, and wrote books some of which are still unpublished.' (Patriarch Jacob Awad)
The Patriarchs now found themselves in a position to encourage the education of their people. As the famous Lebanese Synod said:
'In the name of Jesus Christ we urge you all, the ordinaries of the dioceses, of the towns, villages and hamlets, and of the convents, to work together to encourage this undertaking, which will bear much fruit. The chiefs of the people must find teachers wherever they can, and take the names of all the children able to learn, and order the parents to bring their children to school even against their will. If they are orphans or if they are poor, let the church or the monastery feed them, and if it cannot, let it contribute one half of the cost and the parents the other.' (The Lebanese Synod, 529)
Now western religious communities began to settle in Lebanon. The Capuchins were the first in 1626, followed in 1635 by the Carmelites and in 1656 by the Jesuits. The process went steadily ahead.
These religious orders came in order to serve the Lebanese. They opened schools in which the youth of the country were formed, schools whose academic level was on a par with those of Europe itself.
Schools were opened one after the other, until there was one adjoining every Maronite Church. Some, such as those of Ain Warka, Mar Abda, and Haouka, flourished and gained a reputation for themselves. Once the Lebanese, at that time mostly Maronites, had acquired a good education, they were at the fore-front of Arab intellectual progress, and played a leading role in the cultural Renaissance of the Middle East.
Next Sunday: The Ottomans era (3)- The first Maronite Order
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