Season of the Resurrection - 4th Sunday

Dear parishioners and friends of St Charbel’s Parish,

Welcome to this week’s edition of Kadishat. This week in the Maronite liturgical calendar, we read the from the Gospel of John about Jesus’ appearance to His disciples at the Sea of Tiberius. The disciples were at the Sea of Tiberius to fish and had not caught anything. Yet, when Jesus told them to cast their nets, they obeyed and could not haul it back due to the quantity of fish they caught. There are many valuable lessons to be learnt from this Gospel especially about trusting in Jesus. As Christians, we need to be open to follow where God is leading us even if we do not always understand it.

Please click on this link for the PDF version of this weeks Kadishat with Arabic translation.

Abbot Tannous Nehme returns to Lebanon

Most Rev Abbot Tannous Nehme, Superior General of the LMO, returned to Lebanon last Wednesday accompanied by Fr Claude Nadra, Secretary General of the LMO. Abbot Nehme thanks all the community for their warm welcome and sends his prayers and blessings to all the parishioners. Abbot Nehme was impressed with the faith and zeal of the community here and their love for their Lebanese and Maronite heritage.

 Relics of St Faustina at St Charbel’s

We were very pleased to host the relics of St Faustina, the Apostle of Divine Mercy, at St Charbel’s Church on Friday 27 April. Many people came to pray for the intercession of St Faustina and to venerate her relics. We pray, that through her intercession, many souls will come to see the great mercy of God and repent.

 Month of May

The Church dedicates the month of May to Mary, our Mother. We know that when Jesus, dying in agony on the Cross, said to St John, "This is your mother", he was not merely entrusting Mary to John's care, but also making Mary the spiritual mother of all followers of Christ. May we always go to Mary to confide our thoughts and fears as she is the perfect mediator between mankind and God. During the month of May, the Divine Office will be prayed every night at 6pm in Arabic and on Fridays at 8pm in English.

I wish you all a great week!

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20th Year—Number 1006 Sunday 29/04/2012
Season of the Resurrection
4th Sunday
Sunday’s Readings: Hebrews 13: 18-25 & John 21: 1-13

They caught nothing that night

“...Later on, Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples. It was by the Sea of Tiberias, and it happened like this: Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee and two more of his disciples were together. Simon Peter said, 'I'm going fishing.' They replied, 'We'll come with you.' They went out and got into the boat but caught nothing that night. When it was already light, there stood Jesus on the shore, though the disciples did not realise that it was Jesus. Jesus called out, 'Haven't you caught anything, friends?' And when they answered, 'No,' he said, 'Throw the net out to starboard and you'll find something.' So they threw the net out and could not haul it in because of the quantity of fish. The disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, 'It is the Lord.' At these words, 'It is the Lord,' Simon Peter tied his outer garment round him (for he had nothing on) and jumped into the water. The other disciples came on in the boat, towing the net with the fish; they were only about a hundred yards from land. As soon as they came ashore they saw that there was some bread there and a charcoal fire with fish cooking on it. Jesus said, 'Bring some of the fish you have just caught.' Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net ashore, full of big fish, one hundred and fifty-three of them; and in spite of there being so many the net was not broken. Jesus said to them, 'Come and have breakfast.' None of the disciples was bold enough to ask, 'Who are you?'. They knew quite well it was the Lord. Jesus then stepped forward, took the bread and gave it to them, and the same with the fish. ” John 21: 1-13

Reflection of the Week

Any success we have is because of Him

After the Lord’s Resurrection, He asked His followers to meet Him again in Galilee. He came to show them He had risen, He came because He knew they were struggling, He came to show them that successful fishing was not dependent simply on human efforts---but on His blessings. If they would only be faithful to His word, He would bless their efforts.

This Gospel reminds us that any success we have is because of Him, that He is the source of "...every good and perfect gift." (James 1:17). If we are not careful we tend to be proud of our accomplishments and we praise ourselves for our successes.

Trust in Him

Jesus was acting as a guide to His disciples. They needed to trust their guide despite being unable to see where the fish were.

Once again therefore, it is not the success of the fishing that we need to pay attention to but the character and identity of the person who was telling them what to do, and the confidence that His instruction would lead to success.

As Christians we need to recognise when God is leading us to do something which we otherwise would not have thought of doing.

Recognise Him

The disciples had not demanded a successful catch; they were aware that fishing was an uncertain profession but Jesus gave them the successful catch as a gift of love.

Jesus wants us to get out of our secure boat, doing whatever we consider our normal daily profession or activity. He wants us to recognise Him, come close to Him and receive not a hot breakfast of fish and bread but a salvation meal that will last for eternity. And He wants us in His name to share that meal by carrying out miracles of love to people around us.

Learn to Fish in a New Place

The Risen One calls the disciples to fish on the other side of the boat. He also calls every one of us today to do the same. The lake is deep and it has far richer resources than we can imagine. It is never completely fished out, not for any of us. We only need to learn to let our nets down in a new area to rediscover the riches.

And when we do, we pull up our nets full of fish again and sud-denly we realize the presence of the divine in our lives. That is the way a renewed call to ministry works. It is not something we generate inside ourselves. It occurs whenever our nets, that have been empty, begin to come up full again.

Discipleship….

Is a life-long and life-giving commitment to discovering the divine in the daily. Whoever is chosen to fish with Christ must learn to look long and patiently, for the hidden and lost…both within our-selves, and in others. New life, new vision, new gifts, new glory begins with that moment of meeting the divine. Are we ready for these moments?

Resurrection

Gives us hope that makes us different. It is a hope that shapes our lives and gives us direction and purpose. It is a hope that brings great com-fort and peace. It is a promise that makes all the difference in the world

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Saints Of The Week

Saint Catherine of Sienna (1380)

Maronite Feast Day: April 29.

Saint Catherine of Sienna was born 24th into a family of 25 children on March 25, 1347 and died April 29, 1380 in Italy. From her earliest childhood she began to see visions and practice severe mortification. She consecrated her virginity to Christ at the age of seven. When she was sixteen, she took the habit of the Dominican Tertiaries. After three years of heavenly visitations, she underwent the mystical experience known as, ‘spiritual espousal’. She rejoined her family and began to treat the sick and the poor and laboured for the conversion of sinners. She suffered with extreme pain for most of her life and sometimes went with no food except for the Eucharist. She was nearly always happy and full of practical wisdom. She remained cheerful despite the persecutions she received from those of her order.

Saint James, Son of Zebedee (44)

Maronite feats day: April 30.

Saint James, son of Zebedee was one of the disciples of Jesus. He was the brother of John the Evangelist and is known as ‘Saint James the Greater’, to distinguish him from the other Apostle named James, son of Alphaeus, who was also known as ‘James the Lesser’. The Synoptic Gospels show both James and John by the seashore when Jesus called them. According to Mark, the two were known as the ‘Sons of Thunder’.

The Acts of the Apostles record that James was executed by king Herod by the sword. It is believed that his remains are buried in the Spanish town of Santiago de Compostela. The pilgrimage to the grave of the saint is one of the most popular pilgrimages in the Catholic Church and is known as ‘The Way of Saint James’.

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The Maronites and Lebanon (8)

The foundation of the Maronite Church (1)

The Maronites were born from the controversies surrounding the nature of Christ that threatened eastern Christianity between the Council of Ephesus 431 and the 3rd Council of Constantinople 680. Out of the 4 ecumenical councils held between 431 and 680, the one of Chalcedon in 451 is known to be the most important for Maronites, because of its tragic consequences.

What do we understand by the Chalcedonian dogma?

In the year 451, a 4th Ecumenical Council was convened at Chalcedon (Turkey) and declared the dual nature of Jesus Christ - being a full man and God at the same time while being one divine person on earth. This Council professed the dogma of the divinity and humanity of Our Lord. This declaration led to a division in the Church. On one hand there was the Pope in Rome and the Western Church in general, the Patriarch of Constantinople and Byzantine Romans, and the Melkites, and the Maronites following the Diocese of Antioch, all of these Churches confirmed that dogma. On the other hand, there were the Jacobites, Abbyssinians, Copts, Syriac Orthodox and Armenian Gregorians, who had objected and denied this dogma - confirming only the divinity of Jesus Christ. They are called Monophysites.

This schism was not only ideological but also political. A struggle over power manifested especially between Constantinople (the new capital of the aspiring Roman Empire, and Alexandria which was considered as the 2nd seat of Christianity after Rome).

What happened after this council?

In 452 AD, Emperor Marcianus decreed upon the request of Bishop Theodoret and Pope Leon, for a great monastery to be built near the Orontes River north of Hamma (Syria) in order to spread the Chalcedonian dogma. This monastery was the largest and was named after St Maroun (Beit Maroun) which was the cradle of the Maronite Church and was also important among the rest of the Chalcedonian monasteries. The followers of Beit Maroun i.e. the Maronites were strong defenders of the Chalcedonian dogma. This commitment led to conflicts between the Maronites and the Monophysites who solicited the aid of the Byzantine Court. Supported by the Byzantine Emperor Anastase, Bishop Severe became Patriarch of Antioch in 512. He persecuted the followers of the Chalcedonian dogma, namely the monks of Beit Maroun.

While the monks were on a pilgrimage to Jabal Sir-m’an, 350 of them from Beit Maroun were massacred. Their martyrdom is celebrated annually on July 31 by the Maronite and Latin Churches world-wide. This bloody incident in 517 provides the first documents mentioning the Maronites as an organised Maronite group. One may realise the importance of the Maronites and the persecutions they were sustaining because of their Chalcedonian faith as well as their attachment to the See of Rome.

Next Sunday:

The foundation of the Maronite Church (2)

How can we explain the formation of the Maronite Hierarchical Church?

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Links:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/St-Charbels-Maronite-Catholic-Church-Sydney/365277440154672

http://www.stcharbel.org.au/

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Marriage is for Losers

Check out this interesting article on Marriage.
Even if you yourself aren't married, it's a great look at living a life of humility & charity.

"...if marriage is going to work, 

it needs to become a contest 

to see which spouse is going to 

lose the most…"

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Marriage Is For Losers

March 2, 2012 By drkellyflanagan

You can be right, or you can be married; take your pick. I can’t remember who told me that, but I do remember that they were only half-joking. The other half, the serious half, is exceedingly important. This is why.


Many therapists aren’t crazy about doing marital therapy. It’s complicated and messy, and it often feels out of control. In the worst case scenario, the therapist has front row seats to a regularly-scheduled prize fight. But I love to do marital therapy. Why? Maybe I enjoy the work because I keep one simple principle in mind: if marriage is going to work, it needs to become a contest to see which spouse is going to lose the most, and it needs to be a race that goes down to the wire.


When it comes to winning and losing, I think there are three kinds of marriages. In the first kind of marriage, both spouses are competing to win, and it’s a duel to the death. Husbands and wives are armed with a vast arsenal, ranging from fists, to words, to silence. These are the marriages that destroy. Spouses destroy each other, and, in the process, they destroy the peace of their children. In fact, the destruction is so complete that research tells us it is better for children to have divorced parents than warring parents. These marriages account for most of the fifty percent of marriages that fail, and then some. The second kind of marriage is ripe with winning and losing, but the roles are set, and the loser is always the same spouse. These are the truly abusive marriages, the ones in which one spouse dominates, the other submits, and in the process, both husband and wife are stripped of their dignity. These are the marriages of addicts and enablers, tyrants and slaves, and they may be the saddest marriages of all.

But there is a third kind of marriage. The third kind of marriage is not perfect, not even close. But a decision has been made, and two people have decided to love each other to the limit, and to sacrifice the most important thing of all—themselves. In these marriages, losing becomes a way of life, a competition to see who can listen to, care for, serve, forgive, and accept the other the most. The marriage becomes a competition to see who can change in ways that are most healing to the other, to see who can give of themselves in ways that most increase the dignity and strength of the other.  These marriages form people who can be small and humble and merciful and loving and peaceful.

And they are revolutionary, in the purest sense of the word.

Because we live in a culture in which losing is the enemy (except in Chicago, where Cubs fans have made it a way of life). We wake up to news stories about domestic disputes gone wrong. Really wrong.  We go to workplaces where everyone is battling for the boss’s favor and the next promotion, or we stay at home where the battle for the Legos is just as fierce. Nightly, we watch the talking heads on the cable news networks, trying to win the battle of ideas, although sometimes they seem quite willing to settle for winning the battle of decibels. We fight to have the best stuff, in the best name brands, and when we finally look at each other at the end of the day, we fight, because we are trained to do nothing else. And, usually, we have been trained well. In the worst of cases, we grew up fighting for our very survival, both physically and emotionally. But even in the best of situations, we found ourselves trying to win the competition for our parents’ attention and approval, for our peers’ acceptance, and for the validating stamp of a world with one message: win. And, so, cultivating a marriage in which losing is the mutual norm becomes a radically counter-cultural act. To sit in the marital therapy room is to foment a rebellion.


What do the rebellious marriages look like? Lately, when my blood is bubbling, when I just know I’ve been misunderstood and neglected, and I’m ready to do just about anything to convince and win what I deserve, I try to remember a phone call we recently received from my son’s second grade teacher. She called us one day after school to tell us there had been an incident in gym class. After a fierce athletic competition, in which the prize was the privilege to leave the gym first, my son’s team had lost. The losers were standing by, grumbling and complaining about second-grade-versions of injustice, as the victors filed past. And that’s when my son started to clap. He clapped for the winners as they passed, with a big dopey grin on his face and a smile stretched from one ear of his heart to the other.  His startled gym teacher quickly exhorted the rest of his team to follow suit. So, a bunch of second grade losers staged a rebellion, giving a rousing ovation for their victorious peers, and in doing so, embraced the fullness of what it can mean to be a loser. When I’m seething, I try to remember the heart of a boy, a heart that can lose graciously and reach out in affection to the victors.

In marriage, losing is letting go of the need to fix everything for your partner, listening to their darkest parts with a heart ache rather than a solution. It’s being even more present in the painful moments than in the good times. It’s finding ways to be humble and open, even when everything in you says that you’re right and they are wrong. It’s doing what is right and good for your spouse, even when big things need to be sacrificed, like a job, or a relationship, or an ego. It is forgiveness, quickly and voluntarily. It is eliminating anything from your life, even the things you love, if they are keeping you from attending, caring, and serving. It is seeking peace by accepting the healthy but crazy-making things about your partner because, you remember, those were the things you fell in love with in the first place. It is knowing that your spouse will never fully understand you, will never truly love you unconditionally—because they are a broken creature, too—and loving them to the end anyway.       
   
Maybe marriage, when it’s lived by two losers in a household culture of mutual surrender, is just the training we need to walk through this world—a world that wants to chew you up and spit you out—without the constant fear of getting the short end of the stick. Maybe we need to be formed in such a way that winning loses its glamour, that we can sacrifice the competition in favor of people. Maybe what we need, really, is to become a bunch of losers in a world that is being a torn apart by the competition to win. If we did that, maybe we’d be able to sleep a little easier at night, look our loved ones in the eyes, forgive and forget, and clap for the people around us.

I think that in a marriage of losers, a synergy happens and all of life can explode into a kind of rebellion that is brighter than the sun. The really good rebellions, the ones that last and make the world a better place, they are like that, aren’t they? They heal, they restore. They are big, and they shine like the sun. And, like the sun, their gravitational pull is almost irresistible.

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Source: http://drkellyflanagan.com/2012/03/02/marriage-is-for-losers/
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Kelly Flanagan is a licensed clinical psychologist practicing with Alliance Clinical Associates in Wheaton, IL. Kelly is married, has three children, and enjoys reading, writing, and learning from his children how to be a kid again. He blogs regularly at drkellyflanagan.com. His writings are his own personal opinions and do not reflect professional advice. 

Maronite Might - The Vortex

The Vortex coming to you from outside 

St Charbel's Maronite Catholic Church

Here's a possible cure to what ails the Church in the West .. and it's already happening.

Season of the Resurrection 3rd Sunday—The two Disciples of Emmaus

Dear parishioners and friends of St Charbel’s Parish,

Welcome to this week’s edition of Kadishat- St Charbel’s Parish weekly newsletter.

This Sunday, the Maronite Church reflects on the story of the two disciples who encountered Jesus on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35). The disciples were grieving and had their doubts and questions. Jesus approached them and transformed their sadness into happiness and set their hearts on fire. We too, the Christians of this day and age, need to let Jesus approach us to help us understand the Scriptures and to encourage us to proclaim the Good News and share our experience with our Lord, risen from the dead. To read more about this week’s readings and the news of our parish, please click on this link for the full PDF version of KADISHAT with Arabic translation

Relics of St Faustina at St Charbel’s Church

We are pleased to announce that the Relics of St Faustina will be coming to St Charbel’s Church on Friday 27 April 2012 at 7pm. Prayers will be held in the Church from 7pm in Arabic and from 8.30pm in English. All parishioners are welcome to come receive a blessing from the relics of St Faustina, the Apostle of the Divine Mercy.

President of Lebanon at St Charbel’s Church and College

As you may be aware, the President of Lebanon, His Excellency General Michel Sleiman, and Mrs Wafaa Sleiman, First Lady of Lebanon, were at St Charbel’s Church and College on Thursday 19 April. The Bishops of the Eastern Churches along with the community and students of St Charbel’s gathered to welcome the President and to pray together for Lebanon and its people.

We thank every person who helped us organise this event and we ask the Lord to look over Lebanon and keep it truly “a message of freedom and an example of pluralism for both the East and the west” as Blessed John Paul II said in Lebanon in 1997.

Most Rev Abbot Tannous Nehme is still in Australia. He will be returning to Lebanon this Wednesday. We thank him for coming to be with us on this historic occasion and we wish him and Fr Claude a safe return to Lebanon.

I wish you all a good week and I hope to see you all at Church this Sunday!

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20th Year—Number 1005 Sunday 22/04/2012

Season of the Resurrection

3rd Sunday—The two Disciples of Emmaus

Sunday’s Readings: Timothy 2: 8-13 & Luke 24: 13-53 

Were not Our hearts burning within us

“.Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, ‘What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?’

They stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, ‘Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?’ He asked them, ‘What things?’ They replied, ‘The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him.

But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place.

Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive.

Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but they did not see him.’ Then he said to them, ‘Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?’ Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.

As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. But they urged him strongly, saying, ‘Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.’ So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight.

They said to each other, ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?’ That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. They were saying, ‘The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!’ Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread. ” Luke 24: 13-53

Reflection of the Week

In today’s gospel two of Jesus' followers are walking along the road from Jerusalem to a village called Emmaus. Only one of them is named - Cleopas. They are walking along this road, completely disappointed, their lives turned upside down, their hopes for the future dead and buried. And a stranger appears beside them.

This theme of recognition is repeated through the Resurrection stories. Mary doesn't recognise Jesus when he appears to her in the garden; when he shouts out to the disciples in the boat from the lakeside - they don't recognise him. Even to those who knew him best, the Risen Lord appears as one unknown - as a stranger.

An interesting companion

As they walk, their companion begins to explain the scriptures for them, pointing out the footprints of God through the history of their people, and especially the footsteps of God that would lead to the coming of Jesus into the world. Then he went over them again and explained what the coming of God into the world must be like - not a coming in power and might and majesty - but a coming into the world that embraced the whole of human life - fear and loneliness, suffering and pain, even death. The travellers are fascinated by his teaching, but he remains to them an interesting companion, no more than that.

He waits to be invited in

Darkness is falling and Cleopas with his friend and their stranger-companion arrive at the house in the village. The stranger pressed on, as if he were travelling further that night. But Cleopas and his friend stopped him, inviting him to stay and eat with them.

God will not press himself upon us, he will not force his way into your life. God acts as our companion on the road and waits to be invited in so that he might draw us closer to himself.

When He breaks the bread they recognise him

As they sit down to eat, Jesus, acting as host, breaks the bread as the meal begins. And it is now that Cleopas and his friend recognise the risen Lord. Who knows why this moment was special. Cleopas and his friend were not at the last supper, so the breaking of the bread doesn't hold those memories for them. There is an unexplained moment of revelation.

Their life has changed

They have walked with the Risen Lord as a stranger, the have talked with the Risen Lord as a companion, they have invited the Risen Lord into their home as a friend, and now the Risen Lord becomes real to them and turns their lives upside down. This moment of revelation speaks so much. it speaks to their hearts and their lives are changed. They are no longer lonely travellers; they are ambassadors for Christ, Good News tellers.

What about you? Would you recognise the face of the risen Lord if he drew alongside you today? Would you invite him to your life?

Cleopus and his friend

* They were blind: they did not recognise Jesus. Blind Eyes/Hearts—like many of us. Seeing only what we want to see.

* They were sad: Jesus was dead and now they have no hope.

* They were slow: we are often like that. Not recognizing what is all around us. We feel helpless by our circumstances, missing the help and truth all around us.

* They recognised Jesus: They finally see Jesus when He broke the bread.

* They had a sense that God was at work.

* They rejoiced and became the Good-News tellers.

So we are called

To meet on the road with the poor, the despairing and the weak.

To see the Spirit of God within them as Christ walked the Road to Emmaus, so we are called to walk along-side the defeated and despairing and offer them life and hope and the Good News of the Gospel.

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Saints Of The Week

April 23 rd Feat day of Saint George, Martyr (4th C)

“And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. 

Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”

Saint George was born about 275-281 and died April 23, 303. He was born in the then Greek speaking Anatolia, now modern Turkey. He is one of the most venerated saints.

Saint George, the patron saint of the city of Beirut. was a Christian officer in the Roman army, consecrated his life to defend the Church, (which is symbolized in icons of him as the daughter of a king) against the attacks of Satan (the dragon).

According to tradition he was martyred in the third century for his faith in Christ and was buried at Lydda in Palestine. A great church was erected over his tomb and the dedication of this church is celebrated on November 3rd.

The devotion to this saint has spread throughout the East and the West; the faithful of all rites and nations count him as one of their own. The Cathedrals of Beirut and Sarba are dedicated to him as are a great number of other sanctuaries throughout Lebanon. He is the patron of England, the army, young people and scouts. May his prayers be with us. Amen.

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The Maronites and Lebanon (7)

From Adoun To Maroun (2)

What sort of plan did St. Abraham use?

St. Abraham had heard that paganism still reigned in that part of Lebanon. He decided to take up the challenge to convert the people in both body and soul. He arrived at the area of Afqa - Akoura, pretending to be a walnut trader. Walnuts were the main produce of that area.

He rented a house where he and his followers prayed and sung divine hymns for four days. When the inhabitants discovered the strangers and heard unfamiliar songs, they organised a meeting of the entire town and decided to suffocate St. Abraham and his companions by putting a large quantity of poisonous powder in their house.

St. Abraham and his friends kept singing and praying. Impressed by their behaviour, the people decided to release them and asked them to leave the town. It was at this time that government tax collectors visited the village to collect taxes.

When they found that the citizens did not have the required amount they mistreated them. St. Abraham was upset at this and promised the tax collectors that he would pay the amount owed by the village - he borrowed the money from a friend of his from Homs to pay the taxes.

The people, amazed at his magnanimity, asked St. Abraham to be their leader. St. Abraham agreed on one condition - that the inhabitants embraced the Catholic faith. Thus the people of the village were converted and built a church and St. Abraham was their priest and leader. After 3 years of preaching he appointed one of his followers to replace him and he decided to return to his hermitage. When Christianity spread in Afqa the Adoun river was changed into the Ibrahim River.

What about St. Simon Styllites?

He was one of St. Maroun’s followers, he decided to live in open air and carried on with an unique monastic life. For 37 years he lived on the top of a 70ft tall pillar, without any shelter, on the hill of Telanissos between Aleppo and Antioch. News of his miracles and sanctity reached the furthest countries of Europe and Asia.

Pilgrims used to visit him seeking counseling and healing. A group of people from the mountains of Lebanon (Jibbe) visited him asking for his blessing and help against the wild beasts which were threatening their lives and their cattle.

St. Simon asked if they were Christians. On receiving a negative answer he recommended to them that they should receive Baptism. They agreed and returned to their villages accompanied by priests, who taught them the Catholic Faith and asked them to place crosses around their villages to protect them against the beasts.

When they did this, the attacks stopped. The crosses were set up in the area of the cedars in North Lebanon, on top of the hills of Tanourine, Hasroun, Hadshit, Becharre, Ehden, Aitou and elsewhere. Even today, the people of Jibbe still pray to St. Simon when their water resources dwindle. Many churches were built in honour of St. Simon in Lebanon - especially in the north. On St. Simon’s feast day the Maronites hold lavish festivals.

What can we deduce from this?

Both stories provide clear evidence that the areas of the Lebanese mountains were populated. With St. Abraham the hermit and St. Simon Styllites, the spiritual dominance over the Lebanese mountains changed gradually from “Adoun to Maroun” - both names in Aramaic mean “The lord.” This dominance originated from the regions Afqa - Akoura, and Jibbe. Thus the greater part of the Lebanese mountains accepted the Catholic faith in the first half of the 5th Century.

Next Sunday: The foundation of the Maronite Church

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Links:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/St-Charbels-Maronite-Catholic-Church-Sydney/365277440154672

http://www.stcharbel.org.au/

Michael Voris - Why saying you're Catholic is not enough

St Charbel's Maronite Catholic Church

presents

Michael 'Vortex' Voris

"Why saying you're Catholic is not enough"

54MB

----------------------- Can be accessed with this link ----------------------
>>>     Michael 'Vortex' Voris 18/04/2012.mp3     <<<

(right click + save link as) to download

Discusses:

Catholic Identity through Baptism

Angels vs Man (Man can create life through God and Physically consume Eucharist unlike Angels)

Merit & Sin (Merit is withheld until you are not in a state of mortal sin)

Importance of Confession

Concept of Heaven and Hell

Evil infiltration into the Church

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Links:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/St-Charbels-Maronite-Catholic-Church-Sydney/365277440154672

http://www.stcharbel.org.au/

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Season of the Resurrection - The New Sunday

Dear parishioners and friends of St Charbel’s Parish,

In the Maronite Church, the first Sunday after Easter is called the New Sunday. Jesus appeared to His disciples and St Thomas was with them. It is true that St Thomas doubted the Resurrection of the Lord, but he was also the first to believe. Pope Benedict tells us that we are all called to imitate the faith of St Thomas, putting aside our unbelief and proclaiming, like him, “My Lord and my God.” To read more about this week’s Gospel, please click this link to download the Kadishat newsletter in full PDF with Arabic translation

This Sunday, the Universal Catholic Church also celebrates the Feast of Divine Mercy, celebrated on the Sunday after Easter Sunday. Jesus told St. Faustina that it was His desire that we celebrate this blessed feast: "On that day the very depths of My tender Mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon these souls who approach the Fount of My mercy.” This feast was extended to the entire Catholic Church by Pope John Paul II on April 30, 2000, the day that he canonized Saint Faustina.

His Excellency General Michel Sleiman at St Charbel’s: 
As you may be aware, His Excellency General Michel Sleiman, the President of the Lebanese Republic, is welcomed to St Charbel’s Church and College on Thursday 19 April at 12noon. All community members are invited to join us to welcome the President. Please note that this occasion is now on Thursday.

Most Rev Abbot Tannous Nehme at St Charbel’s:
We are also honoured and pleased to welcome Most Rev Abbot Tannous Nehme, Superior General of the Lebanese Maronite Order, who has arrived to Australia on Saturday 14 April to be with us for the welcoming of the President in our parish.

I wish you all a blessed week!

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20th Year—Number 1004 Sunday 15/04/2012

Season of the Resurrection

The New Sunday

Sunday’s Readings: 2 Corinthians 5: 11-21 & John 20: 26-31

My Lord and my God!

“Eight days later the disciples were in the house again and Thomas was with them. The doors were closed, but Jesus came in and stood among them. 'Peace be with you,' he said. Then he spoke to Thomas, 'Put your finger here; look, here are my hands. Give me your hand; put it into my side. Do not be unbelieving any more but believe.' Thomas replied, 'My Lord and my God!' Jesus said to him: You believe because you can see me. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe. There were many other signs that Jesus worked in the sight of the disciples, but they are not recorded in this book. These are recorded so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing this you may have life through his name.” John 20: 26-31

Reflection of the Week

My Lord my God

On this Sunday after the resurrection, we hear of Jesus’ appearance to the disciples and Thomas was with them this time. We often refer to Thomas as “doubting”, not really considering the depth and the height of the “doubt” of this holy apostle.

We know about his faithfulness and sacrificial love for his Teacher. After following the Saviour for three years, Thomas understood very well the danger Christ faced from the scribes and the Pharisees. The other disciples also understood it very well; that is why when the Saviour decided to go to Jerusalem, the apostles tried to talk Him out of it, warning Him of the danger (John 11:8). But it was St. Thomas who said, “Let us also go, that we may die with Him” (John 11:16).

After the Ascension of the Saviour, the Apostle Thomas, according to the Church Tradition, went to preach the Gospel in one of the furthest and most difficult to reach places of the ancient world—India, where he was tortured and killed for Christ.

But on that day, a week after the Resurrection, when the Saviour came to His disciples and Thomas was with them, the holy apostle needed only a push, only a step, in order for this disciple who so selflessly loved his Teacher to realize to whom he had devoted his life.

Thomas came “to see” that believing depended upon something far more than physical sight; if it demanded that at all. To believe is to understand why Jesus came into this world in the first place; for us to learn to know truly the one who sent him.

“My Lord and my God!” exclaimed Thomas from the bottom of his loving heart. To such a person as Thomas God comes. This is the kind of person that He allows to touch Himself! “My Lord and my God.” Thomas states one of the highest attributions Jesus is given in the whole of Scripture.

Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe

We often talk about the beatitudes. By this we usually mean that list of beatitudes found in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5. But there is beatitude in today’s Gospel and it is spoken over the head of Thomas. It spans the centuries and comes directly to us:
“Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe”.

We need to touch and be touched by God
Thomas came to believe through this event of the Resurrection. He came to believe because he touched God, because God touched him. What does that mean for us? To touch God and be touched by Him is to have some experience that takes us beyond and outside ourselves, to something greater than our little selves, to God the Creator. He is beyond our physical needs, our physical understanding; He alone can meet our spiritual needs, conquering death.

Peace be with you

When our Lord greets his disciples with the word peace He states to them what He brings to them. Our Lord brings peace to our lives through His Love for us. He brings this peace to us as it says in the Psalms “The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace.” (Psalms 29:11) The strength and peace that He gives to His people is victory over one’s self. In doing this He restores mankind back to the state that God had intended for man.

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Saints Of The Week

Saint Bernadette Soubirous (+1879)

Maronite Feast Day: April 16

Saint Bernadette Soubirous is hailed as the ‘Saint of Lourdes’. She was born to a poor family on January 7, 1844 and died a holy death April 15, 1879 at the young age of 35. She suffered as a child from asthma and was such a poor student that she was delayed from making her first holy communion. At the age of 22 she was admitted to the order of the Sisters of Nevers, a short distance from Lourdes, and spent the rest of her life there.

Saint Bernadette is known as the ‘Visionary of Lourdes’. She received 18 visions of Our Lady starting from February 11, 1858 containing messages on the importance of prayer and penance.

The Lady in the visions eventually identified herself as the ‘Immaculate Conception’. The visions took place at the grotto of Massabielle outside Lourdes where a spring of water appeared with healing properties.

After her death, Bishop Gauthey of Nevers and the church exhumed the body of Bernadette Soubirous on September 2, 1909 and found it to be incorrupt, only the rosary held in her hand had rusted.

Saint Bernatette Soubirous reminds us that the wisdom of God is not reserved for the academic or scholar. God appears to the simple and pure of heart and his message of peace and hope is universal. We are inspired by Saint Bernadette by her simplicity and purity and love of poverty.

Pius I, Pope (+154)

Maronite Feast Day: April 21

Pope Saint Pius I was pope from around 140 to 154 and was the ninth successor of Saint Peter. He was born in the northern Italian town of Aquileia. Some say that he was born a slave.

He built one of the oldest churches in Rome, Santa Puden-ziana. During his pontificate, he was visited by various heretics who tried to promote their false teachings. It is believed that he established the date for Easter as the first Sunday after the March full moon. As part of his accomplishments, he developed laws for the conversion of Jews.

Pope Saint Pius I rose above his birth to lead the Church against the heretical forces of the time.

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The Maronites and Lebanon (6)

From Adoun To Maroun (1)

In the last two articles in this series we have seen that Lebanon was the first country to receive the Good News of salvation which originated in Palestine; the coastal Lebanese cities and the Bekaa have embraced Christianity since Apostolic times. But the mountainous regions of Lebanon remained completely pagan until the beginning of the 5th century. This made the disciples of St. Maroun determined to take upon themselves the conversion of the people of that region to Christianity. We have indicated that the Phoenicians are the ancestors of the Maronites and the word Maronite designates the religious source, not the ethnic and national origin.

Who is Saint Maroun?

He is the spiritual father of the Maronite movement, a holy hermit who decided to lead a life of isolation, he went to a rugged mountain half way between Cyrrhus and Aleppo (Northern Syria).

There, St. Maroun consecrated a pagan temple for divine Christian worship. His life was characterised by: (1) Quiet and solitude on the summit of the mountain; (2) Life in open air, exposed to the ele-ments; (3) By freeing himself from the world with continuous prayer and meditation St. Maroun had reached a high degree of wisdom, sanctity and union with God. He had created in Syria and Lebanon the first and a new ascetic and spiritual method of praying which has influenced many followers. His mission was described by Theodoret, (Bishop of Cyrrhus) as: “Plants of wisdom in the region of Cyrrhus.” The conversion of the temple into a Church meant the conversion of the people from paganism to Christianity.

God granted St. Maroun the gift of miracles, people came from near and far to see him, asking cures for both body and soul. St. Maroun’s sanctity became known throughout the Empire. St. John Chrysostom sent him a letter in 405 AD expressing his great love and respect and had asked St. Maroun to pray for him. So St. Maroun was the pioneer, founder and master of a new ascetic way of living in open air. Many who had followed this way of monastic life were guided and trained by him personally. Theodoret mentioned in his book 18 names of St. Maroun’s disciples; 15 were male and 3 were female. Two of St. Maroun’s disciples, St. Abraham the hermit and St. Simon Styllites, worked to convert the people from Paganism to Christianity.

Who is Abraham of Cyrrhus?

St. Abraham (Ibrahim) was a hermit from Cyrrhus, a disciple of St. Maroun who is credited for preaching Christianity into the heart of the ancient Lebanese creed. The village he started in was “Afqa”, the Phoenician name for flowing water.

What do we know about the Ancient Lebanese Rites?

In Afqa there was a great cave, the ancient Lebanese considered it to be the seat of the god El. The river which flowed from the cave was sacred to them and they called it Adon (means lord). A spring which supplements the river had a famous temple for Astarte built over it. Afqa represented the principle of triad (life, fertility and eternal youth) which the Lebanese believed in. Every year the Lebanese used to go on a pilgrimage to Afqa via the Adoun valley to celebrate the death and resurrection of their false god Adoun (Adonis). These festivals were known as the Adonites and were very popular in those times because they expressed fertility and renewed youth.

Next Sunday: From Adoun To Maroun (2)

What sort of plan did St. Abraham use?

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Links:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/St-Charbels-Maronite-Catholic-Church-Sydney/365277440154672

http://www.stcharbel.org.au/

Season of the Resurrection - Great Sunday of the Resurrection

Dear parishioners and friends of St Charbel’s Parish,

‘Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!’

As we celebrate the greatest feast of the Christian calendar, the Feast of Easter, we reflect on the meaning of this great day. Easter is the triumph of life over death. Jesus Christ is not just a man who lived two thousand years ago and then died like all human beings. Jesus, the Son of God, rose from the dead and continues to live among us today. Our God is alive. This fact forms the basis of our Christian faith and gives us hope. We are the Easter people. In his letter to the Corinthians, St Paul stresses the importance of the Resurrection saying “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.” (1Cor 15:17).

Good Friday

Good Friday at St Charbel’s Parish this year was, once again, a big spiritual gathering during which over 6,000 parishioners attended the Stations of the Cross and the Good Friday Liturgy. Thousands walked, prayed and reflected on the stations detailing the agony, rejection and humiliation that Jesus endured for us. On this day, we remember that Jesus paid the full price of our salvation: his life.

We were very fortunate that His Excellency Archbishop Giuseppe Lazzarotto, Apostolic Nuncio to Australia, was able to join us on the day and give the homily reflecting on the meaning of Good Friday.

Organising such a large scale event is not possible without the assistance of all our volunteers. So a big thank you goes to all the people who helped us organise the event and who volunteered their time and efforts for different tasks on the day. May our Lord reward you with His blessings!

I invite you all to click on this link to view our parish newsletter for this week:

Please click here to download the full Kadishat newsletter in PDF with Arabic translation.

Finally, I wish you all a Happy Easter and the peace and blessings of Our Lord!

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20th Year—Number 1003 Sunday 08/04/2012

Season of the Resurrection

Great Sunday of the Resurrection

Sunday’s Readings: 1 Corinthians 15: 12-26 & Mark 16: 1-8

He has risen

“When the Sabbath was over, Mary of Magdala, Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices with which to go and anoint him. And very early in the morning on the first day of the week they went to the tomb when the sun had risen. They had been saying to one another, 'Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?' But when they looked they saw that the stone -- which was very big -- had already been rolled back. On entering the tomb they saw a young man in a white robe seated on the right-hand side, and they were struck with amazement. But he said to them, 'There is no need to be so amazed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified: he has risen, he is not here. See, here is the place where they laid him. But you must go and tell his disciples and Peter, "He is going ahead of you to Galilee; that is where you will see him, just as he told you." ' And the women came out and ran away from the tomb because they were frightened out of their wits; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.” Mark 16: 1-8

Reflection of the Week

He has been raised in glory

In the resurrection Sunday we remember that in Christ we are a new creation; He is risen to give us a new beginning. He is risen to remind us that the God of Life is more powerful than death; the God of all Goodness is more powerful than evil; the God of Love is more powerful than fear and hatred; the God of faith and hope is more powerful than doubt and despair.

This reading reminds us of the central role played by women. Women were present with Jesus during his life, during the dark moments of crucifixion and death on Good Friday, and in the first moments of new life after the resurrection. They are chosen to be the first to announce the resurrection.

The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is the foundation of the Christian system.

First, the resurrection is one of the major evidences that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Paul affirmed that Christ is “declared to be the Son of God with power . . . by the resurrection from the dead” (Romans 1:4).

Second, Jesus’ resurrection represents an assurance that we can have forgiveness from our sins. Paul contended: “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:17).

Third, Jesus’ resurrection proves that physical death is not the termination of human existence. God, who is the giver of life (1 Timothy 6:13), has the power to restore the human body. Christ’s triumph over the grave is heaven’s pledge to us that we too shall be raised.

Fourth, the Lord’s resurrection showed the ultimate victory of Christianity over all its enemies. In the book of Revelation, Jesus is represented as a lamb that had been killed, but was standing again. Christians too will overcome as a result of the Lamb’s sacrifice and victory over death. (Revelation 12:11).

Fifth, the resurrection of Jesus Christ demonstrates to us that all the teachings of Jesus Christ are true. Everything Jesus taught was true, including his great promise. “Everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day”. (John 6:40).

Sixth, our salvation depends on our faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. “If you confess with your mouth ‘Jesus is Lord’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9).

Seventh, the power for our Christian life in the present is the power of his resurrection. We read about this in Ephesians 1:19-21, as well as in Romans 6:4: “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”

Instead of doubt He gives you Hope. Instead of unbelief He gives you Certainty. Instead of silence He gives you a new Word. A word given to you, by the One who is your Life and Hope. The One in whom you can Trust, knowing that just as He once died and was raised by God the Father and given a place of honour so too will you be raised up on the last day when He will wipe away your tears, and death will be no more, and there will be no mourning, no more crying, and no more pain.

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Think about

Resurrection Sunday is not about Easter bunnies, Easter eggs or the giving of gifts. 

It is about celebrating the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ arose from the dead to give us new life.

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Saints Of The Week

Saint Mina, Martyr (+307)

Maronite Feast Day: April 12

Saint Mina (also Menas, Minas, Mena, Mennas) was born in 285 AD. He is a Martyr and Wonder worker, and is one of the most well known Egyptian saints in the East and the West, due to the many miracles that are attributed to his intercession and prayers.

Mina was born in Egypt, in the city of Niceous (Nakiyos or Nikiu), which lies in the vicinity of Memphis. His parents were real ascetic Christians but did not have any children for a long time. His father's name was Eudoxius and his mother's name was Euphemia. On the feast of the Virgin Mary, Euphemia was praying in front of an icon of Saint Mary with tears that God may give her a blessed son. A sound came from the icon saying "Amen". A few months later, Euphemia gave birth to a boy and named him Mina.

At the age of fifteen Mina joined the Roman army, and was given a high rank due to his father's reputation. Three years later he left the army longing to devote his whole life to Christ. He headed towards the desert to live a different kind of life.

After spending five years as a hermit, Mina saw in a revelation the angels crowning the martyrs with glamorous crowns, and longed to join those martyrs. While he was thinking about it, he heard a voice saying: "Blessed are you Minas because you have been called to the pious life from your childhood. You shall be granted three immortal crowns; one for your celibacy, another for your asceticism, and a third for your martyrdom." Mina subsequently hurried to the ruler, declaring his Christian faith. His endless sufferings and the tortures that he went through, have attracted many of the pagans, not only to Christianity, but also to martyrdom.

Saint Saba (+372)

Maronite Feast Day: April 15

Saint Saba was born in Molata city in Kapadokia (today’s Turkey), from a Christian family that managed to combine the material wealth to riches of true virtues. Saba was brought up a good Catholic, working hard to lead a virtuous life. And as a youngster he abandoned the busy life of the world and joined a quite monastery, where he focused on prayer, meditation and charity life, growing up in loving God and serving his Church.

Then he visited the Holy Land and Jerusalem, and joined Saint Aftinos monastery, who gladly welcomed Saba. There Saba went competing in acquiring virtues with the other monks, and led a heroic life giving an excellent example for his brothers in the monastery in holiness and especially in humility.

And after an exceptional monastic life, Saba wanted to grow deeper in holiness, and asked to become a hermit. There in his hermitage he went free leading a very austere life, leading a life of prayer, chanting the psalms and making baskets (from bamboo) in order to make a living and be able to help the needy. Little by little he was getting well known in the monastic milieu and young men started coming up to him asking for his guidance and wanting to follow into his footsteps. So, he built up hermitages for them.

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The Maronites and Lebanon (5)

Maronites: Indigenous Lebanese descendant of the Phoenicians

Who are the Phoenicians ?

The Phoenicians are the Lebanese people who lived on the land of Phoenicia, this name was applied by the Greeks to the people locally. The Greek word is “PhoinikÚ”, which means “red” is related to the reddish purplish pigment which was invented by the Phoenicians and this colour was used to dye the textiles which they traded in. The Phoenician’s origin derived from the 3 races: 1. The Canaanites, descendants of Ca-naan, the 4th son of Ham (Genesis 5:6); 2. The Aramaeans, descendants of Aram, the 5th son of Shem (Genesis 10:22, 23), 3. The Sea People, a movement of people from Asia minor and the Aegean area who migrated towards Phoenicia (11-14th century BC).

The Phoenicians formed one of the most advanced civilisation in the old times. They were the first systematic traders, the first miners and metallurgists, the boldest mariners and of all nations at the time stood highest in practical arts, architecture and science.

It is in Byblos that the first house on earth was built with stone (5250-3800 BC). It is generally admitted that Phoenicians invented and spread the alphabet to the whole world.

What was the Phoenician Language?

The Phoenician language was Aramaic, it is the language that our Lord Jesus spoke. The Hebrew language was the Phoenician Canaanite dialect spoken by the Jews after they settled in the land of Canaan, that is to say, Phoenicia. The Jews were continuously subject to Phoenician influence in religion, literature, philosophy, arts and architecture. 

The Temple and the palace of King Solomon were built and decorated by the Phoenicians. Most of the Biblical books reveal a clear Phoenician influence. The Bible is Phoenician by its language and style.

So Aramaic, called Syriac since the Christian era, is today the liturgical language of the Maronites. It remained the vernacular language of the Maronites in North Lebanon until the 19th Century. Many place names in Lebanon are Aramaic. It is in the Aramaic language that the books of Daniel and Esra from the Old Testament were written; this is also the case with St. Matthew’s Gospel.

Aramaic, or Syriac, literature includes several hundred writers who have produced thousands of volumes of poetry, philosophy, theology, science and history. It has one of the richest literary traditions in human history.

What is the origin of the Maronites?

The Phoenicians are the ancestors of the Maronites. The three races of the Canaanites, Aramaen and Sea people living together on Lebanon’s land for thousands of years, formed a nation called Phoenicia in the ancient times and Lebanon since the 7th Century AD. 

The Pagan population of Mount Lebanon was converted to Christianity by the disciples of Saint Maroun during the period extending from the 5th to the 7th centuries. 

After the 7th Century, the Lebanese, that is to say the Phoenician population of Mount Lebanon, were called Maronites because they had been converted to Christianity by the Maronite missionaries.

The Word Maronite therefore designates the religious source, not the ethnic and national origin. The population has remained ethnically and nationally the same. The religion changed and with the new religion the name Maronite replaced that of Phoenician.

ref: Rev. Dau, B. (1984) History of the Maronites, Lebanon

Next Sunday: From Adoun To Maroun

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Links:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/St-Charbels-Maronite-Catholic-Church-Sydney/365277440154672

http://www.stcharbel.org.au/