Welcome to this week’s edition of Kadishat!
This Sunday, we reflect on the Birth of John the Baptist in our Sunday masses.
The Birth of John anticipates the feast of Christmas.
St Augustine tells us that “The Lord willed to announce to men His own coming through the Baptist, lest if He appeared suddenly, they would fail to recognize Him. John represented the Old Covenant and the Law. Therefore he preceded the Redeemer, even as the Law preceded and heralded the new dispensation of grace."
We ask the Lord to grant that we may walk in the way of salvation and, attentive to what Saint John the Precursor urged, may come safely to the One he foretold, our Lord Jesus Christ.
St Charbel's Christmas Carols
As mentioned in my message last week, St Charbel’s Choir is holding its Annual Christmas Carols, titled ‘Come, Lord Jesus, Come’ on Wednesday 19 December 2012 at 7:30pm in English and on Friday 21 December 2012 at 7:30pm in Arabic with the participation of St Charbel’s College Choir. All parishioners are invited.
Also, a reminder that today is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. It is worth noting that, apart from Our Lord Jesus Christ, only 2 persons were born without the stain of original sin. Mary, already in the first moment of her existence, was free from original sin, for which reason her conception is commemorated by this feast, and John the Baptist who was cleansed of original sin in the womb of his mother when she was visited by Mary.
I invite you all to click on this link to view/download this week's edition of Kadishat.
I wish you all a blessed week by the intercession of St John the Baptist and all the saints!
In God’s Love,
Fr. Dr. Antoine Tarabay
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Season of the Birth of Jesus
The Birth of John the Baptist Sunday
Sunday’s Readings: Galatians 4: 21—5:1 & Luke 1: 57-66
He began to speak, praising God
“Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. Her neighbours 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 neighbours, 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..” Luke 1: 57-66
Reflection of the week
John: God is merciful
The birth of John the Baptist signifies the beginning of the new covenant. John’s mission was to pave the way for Jesus’ arrival. In today’s gospel, we witness the significance of the naming of John,
and Zechariah submitting to the will of the Lord. God himself gave John that name and it was revealed to his father Zechariah in a vision (Luke 1:13) as we heard in the Announcement to Zechariah Sunday.
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? In biblical times, and still today in many 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 Samari-tan village who do not welcome Jesus, they get a new name “Sons of Thunder.” Names re-veal an essential character or destiny of the bearer.
In the Jewish tradition, the name ‘John’ means God is merciful and under this banner God has started his salvation plan. God is a God of exact justice, of righteous and holiness. But he is also merciful -- granting us forgiveness that we do not deserve and have no right to expect.
Traditionally, the Church celebrates the feast of a saint once a year, on the anniversary of the saint’s death. In the case of John the Baptist we celebrate his death as well as his birth. John is the only saint after Christ whose birth we celebrate with a solemn feast. This is the church’s way of saying with Jesus that “among those born of women no one is greater than John.” This signified John’s importance in proclaiming the good news to the people. The news that the messiah will come and redeem all people.
God’s sign to us
Zechariah revealed a sign to the world. A sign that times are changing. A sign that there will be new rulings and teachings. Zechariah willingly forwent tradition by naming his child John, displaying God’s willingness to declare and embrace a new covenant.
Zechariah regained his speech the instant he exclaimed that the child’s name shall be John. This was a sign from God, that he truly forgave Zechariah for his lack of faith when he was visited by the angel Gabriel. God displayed his compassion and illustrated his loving nature to the world. Society can look back at this moment and realize that God is all loving and merciful. Regardless of mis-takes and wrong doings, if you are truly sorry, and genuinely seek forgiveness, God will openly accept you back into His kingdom.
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Accept God’s calling
God is constantly calling us to return to Him، even in our darkest hour. All of us go through hardships and all of us struggle in our day to day life, but it is essential that we remain patient and persevere in order to reap the rewards from God. Think of every hardship as a mere fraction of Jesus’ suffering for us, so that we may eventually turn to Him and accept him into our hearts. God is always calling, will you answer?
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Saint of the Week
St Nemtallah El-Hardini
St Nimatullah Youssef Kassab Al-Hardini (1808-1858)
Youssef Kassab Al-Hardini was born in 1808 in Hardin Lebanon. As a child he was strongly influenced by the monastic tradition of the Maronite Church. The young man began religious life at the monastery of St Anthony in Qozhaya near the Qadisha (Holy Valley)، where he remained for two years until he began his novitiate and was given the name "Nimatullah". During the novitiate he deepened his life of personal and community prayer and dedicated time to manual labour while also learning to bind books.
Love for the Blessed Sacrament
Nimatullah was especially noted for his love of the Blessed Sacrament. During his free time - frequently at the sacrifice of sleep - he was often found in the chapel on his knees arms raised in the form of a cross and eyes fixed on the tabernacle.
On 14 November 1830 he made his religious profession and was sent to the monastery of Sts Cyprian and Justina in Kfifan to study philosophy and theology. On 25 December 1833 he was ordained a priest and became director of the scholasticate and a professor. During the two civil wars of 1840 and 1845 he suffered greatly with his people. His brother Fr Elisha suggested he withdraw to a hermitage، but he replied: "Those who struggle for virtue in commu-nity life will have greater merit". He observed that the ordinary everyday life is a continuous martyrdom since the monk must always be a model to his brother monks guarding himself from becoming a source of scandal; instead the hermit lives alone away from all external temptations. It was also a decisive moment in his spiritual life and he offered himself to God for Lebanon and his Order. His motto was: "The greatest is he that can save his soul"، and he would often repeat this to his brother monks. The "first concern' of a monk
Fr Nimatullah was at times also reprimanded by his superiors for being too hard on himself and too merciful and indulgent towards his brothers. He understood holiness in terms of communion and fraternal charity and is said to have remarked: "A monk's first concern night and day should be not to hurt or trouble his brother monks". Throughout his life he had a special devotion to the Virgin Mary his "source of strength". He never tired of repeating her holy name and carried a special place in his heart for the mystery of the Immaculate Conception (a dogma proclaimed by the Church in 1854). After the Angelus he would often repeat: "Blessed be the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin". In 1845 the Holy See appointed him Assistant General of the order. A man of culture Fr Nimatullah asked the Superior General to send monks to further their studies at the new college founded by the Jesuits in Ghazir. A truly humble man of God He served as Assistant General for two more terms، but refused to be appointed Abbot General: "Better death than to be appointed Superior General"، he is reported as saying. His reluctance to assume positions of authority in his Order came from his deep humility and his earnest belief that he was far from living in continual contact with God so necessary to properly serve the monks and the Order.
"O Mary، I entrust my soul to you'
In December 1858 while teaching at the monastery of Kfifan he became gravely ill a result of the bitter cold in that region. His condition worsened leading to his death on 14 December. He died holding an icon of the Blessed Virgin and saying: "O Mary، to you I entrust my soul". He was 50 years old.When the then Patriarch Boulos Massad heard of Fr Nimatullah's death he commented: "Congratulations to this monk who knew how to benefit from his monastic life". While still alive Fr Nimatullah was known as the "Saint of Kfifan"، a monk who gave himself completely to his brother monks and neighbours during a time of suffering in his Land and difficulty within his Order.
Fr Nimatullah was beatified by Pope John Paul II on 10 May 1998.
14 December
Feast day of St Nemtallah El-Hardini
Readings of the day: Romans 12: 1-8.&Matthew 4: 18-25
Readings of the day: Romans 12: 1-8.&Matthew 4: 18-25
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COMMUNION AND WITNESS
APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION for the MIDDLE EAST (8)
APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION for the MIDDLE EAST (8)
PART ONE(7): Two new realities
29. Like the rest of the world، the Middle East is experiencing two opposing trends: secularization with its occasionally extreme consequences and a violent fundamentalism claiming to be based on religion. Some Middle Eastern political and religious leaders whatever their community, tend to look with suspicion upon secularity (laïcité) as something intrinsically atheistic or immoral. It is true that secularity sometimes reduces religion to a purely private concern، seeing personal or family worship as unrelated to daily life، ethics or one’s relationships with others. In its extreme and ideological form، secularity becomes a secularism which denies citizens the right openly to express their religion and claims that only the State can legislate on the public form which religion may take. These theories are not new. Nor are they confined to the West or to be confused with Christianity.
A healthy secularity، on the other hand، frees religion from the encumbrance of politics، and allows politics to be enriched by the contribution of religion، while maintaining the necessary distance، clear distinction and indispensable collaboration between the two spheres. No society can develop in a healthy way without embodying a spirit of mutual respect between politics and religion،
avoiding the constant temptation either to merge the two or to set them at odds.
The basis of a constructive relationship between politics and religion is، first and foremost، human nature – a sound understanding of man – and full respect for inalienable human rights. A sense of this correct relationship should lead to the realization that relations between the spiritual (religious) and the temporal (political) spheres should be marked by a kind of unity in distinction، inasmuch as both are called، while remaining distinct، to cooperate harmoniously in the service of the common good.
This kind of healthy secularity ensures that political activity does not manipulate religion while the practice of religion remains free from a politics of self-interest which at times is barely compatible with، if not downright contrary to، religious belief. For this reason، a healthy secularity، embodying unity in distinction، is necessary and even vital for both spheres. The challenges raised by the relationship of politics and religion can be met patiently and courageously through a sound human and religious formation. Constant empha-sis needs to be put on the place of God in personal،
family and civic life، and on the proper place of men and women in God’s plan. Above all، greater prayer is required for this intention.
I appeal urgently to all Jewish، Christian and Muslim religious leaders in the region to seek، by their example and by their teaching، to do everything in their power to eliminate this menace which indiscriminately and fatally affects believers of all religions. “To use the revealed word، the Sacred Scriptures or the name of God to justify our interests، our easy and convenient policies or our violence، is a very grave fault”.*23+
Next Sunday: Migrants
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