In our first edition of Kadishat for 2013, I would like to renew my wishes to you and your families for a prosperous year full of graces and blessings. May we always see God’s love in every new day and in everything around us.
Feast of the Epiphany
This Sunday we celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany (6 January).
The baptism of Jesus marks the beginning of His public life. Jesus goes to John to receive baptism. Epiphany is a revelation of God to man. As Jesus rises from the water, John proclaims, “Behold the Lamb of God,” the skies are opened, the voice of God is heard saying, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased,” and the Holy Spirit in the form of a white dove descends upon Jesus. The Sacrament of Baptism is instituted.
In His own baptism, Jesus is calling us to follow Him. It is a personal invitation to all of us. When He reveals Himself to us, He gives us the basis of our faith and the hope of our own salvation. He is showing us how much He loves us by coming personally into our lives. Our baptism is our initiation into our faith. In our baptism, God reveals Himself to us and personally invites us to follow Him.
Do we accept the invitation of God to follow Him, which begins at our baptism and continues each day of our life?
We pray that each day we recall our baptism and are filled with the Holy Spirit and
renew our faith in God.
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I wish you a Happy Feast of the Epiphany!
In God's Love,
Fr. Dr. Antoine Tarabay
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21st Year—Number 1042 Sunday 06/01/2013
Season of the Epiphany
Epiphany DaySunday’s Readings: Titus 2: 11– 3: 7 & Luke 3: 15-22
You are my Son, the Beloved
“As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, ‘I baptise you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing-fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing-floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’ So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people. But Herod the ruler, who had been rebuked by him because of Herodias, his brother’s wife, and be-cause of all the evil things that Herod had done, added to them all by shutting up John in prison. Now when all the people were baptised, and when Jesus also had been baptised and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Be-loved; with you I am well pleased.’ ” Luke 3: 15-22
Reflection of the Week
The Mission
In today’s Gospel Jesus came with all the other people who were receiving baptism from John. He came as an ordinary man - one of us. This moment; the epiphany, in which Jesus truly demonstrates his divinity and humanity, emphasises the importance of His baptism, in order to save all of human kind. Jesus’ mission was to reopen heaven, so that we can rejoice in eternal happiness. In His love, He created a way to open heaven that satisfies both His love and His justice. God sent His only begotten Son into this World on a mission to open heaven to all people. The Son of God began the mission to this world when He entered the womb of the Virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit, but He publicly revealed His mission at His baptism.
In today’s Gospel Jesus came with all the other people who were receiving baptism from John. He came as an ordinary man - one of us. This moment; the epiphany, in which Jesus truly demonstrates his divinity and humanity, emphasises the importance of His baptism, in order to save all of human kind. Jesus’ mission was to reopen heaven, so that we can rejoice in eternal happiness. In His love, He created a way to open heaven that satisfies both His love and His justice. God sent His only begotten Son into this World on a mission to open heaven to all people. The Son of God began the mission to this world when He entered the womb of the Virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit, but He publicly revealed His mission at His baptism.
Christ’s baptism opens heaven to us
Jesus' baptism was a complete contrast to our baptism. We enter the waters of baptism covered in sin and leave those waters covered in God's Righteousness. Jesus entered the water covered in righteousness and left the water carrying our sin. Jesus began to carry the burden of our sin at His baptism. Jesus began His mission to redeem all creation. Jesus began his mission to open heaven. Jesus’ entire life was devoted to our salvation. It is remarkable to fathom, that an ordinary man could carry such a great weight on His shoulders. The weight of human kind. This weight began at Jesus’s baptism for us, and ended at His crucifixion for us.
The opening of heaven at Jesus’ baptism means that it will forever be open to all people through the sacrifice of Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit. For we see how God in heaven pours out His grace through His Son's baptism. Christ's baptism opens heaven which was closed before His baptism. There is no longer a barrier between us and God. The Father lets us hear His voice, the Son sanctifies baptism with His body, and the Holy Spirit descends as a dove, symbolising the nature of the divine Trini-ty. “You are my Son the beloved, with you I am well pleased.” The epiphany was the first true sign of the nature of our Lord.
Fire-the symbol of God’s presence
Fire is often used as a symbol of God. Exodus 13:21, God is like a pillar of fire by night. Exodus 24:17, the glory of God was like a devouring fire, and in Hebrews 12:29, God is a consuming fire. Jeremiah 23:29, says that the Word of God is like fire. Acts 2:3, there appeared cloven tongues like as fire, as in a "Baptism of fire”.
Fire represents, dying to self, purification, a change from the unholy to the holy. When we are saved, God takes us out of the world. When we receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, He takes the world out of us. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire gives a different presence to your being and you have a closer contact in your walk with God. The power in your life will be seen in your working relationships with God, and with people.
God's presence as fire represented both judgment and purification. To be in God's presence is to be in the presence of absolute holiness where no sin or unrighteousness can stand. To be in the presence of God is to have the overwhelming sense of one's uncleanness and the overwhelming desire to be clean. God is able to judge and destroy the sin and purify the repentant sinner.
What does it mean to be baptised in the Holy Spirit?
To be given the Holy Spirit is to be joined to Christ intimately, just as the body is joined to its head, for the Spirit is the vital power which unites and animates the members of the Body. It is to be regenerated, brought from spiritual death to life. It is to begin the process of sanctification, being brought into conformity with the very character of Christ. It is to be sealed for salvation, protected by the power of God. It is to enter into a commun-ion with God the Father through the Son that is potentially as intimate as anything that can be imagined, for the Holy Spirit comes to indwell us, to live inside of us as the very personal agent and representative of Christ himself. It is to be granted an inheritance with all the saints, to be made a partaker of eternal life. All these things Christ will give to those who are His when he "baptizes" them with the Holy Spirit. In other words, He gives them to us when we become Christians, when we receive Him as Lord and Saviour by faith. Once we truly receive the Holy Spirit, we will have an eternal connection with God, and worldly obstacles and challenges appear meaningless. God will become our life, as was intended.
To be given the Holy Spirit is to be joined to Christ intimately, just as the body is joined to its head, for the Spirit is the vital power which unites and animates the members of the Body. It is to be regenerated, brought from spiritual death to life. It is to begin the process of sanctification, being brought into conformity with the very character of Christ. It is to be sealed for salvation, protected by the power of God. It is to enter into a commun-ion with God the Father through the Son that is potentially as intimate as anything that can be imagined, for the Holy Spirit comes to indwell us, to live inside of us as the very personal agent and representative of Christ himself. It is to be granted an inheritance with all the saints, to be made a partaker of eternal life. All these things Christ will give to those who are His when he "baptizes" them with the Holy Spirit. In other words, He gives them to us when we become Christians, when we receive Him as Lord and Saviour by faith. Once we truly receive the Holy Spirit, we will have an eternal connection with God, and worldly obstacles and challenges appear meaningless. God will become our life, as was intended.
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Saint of the Week
Saint Paul, First Hermit (+343)Maronite Feast Day: January 5St Paul the Hermit should not be confused with St Paul the Apostle. He was named Saint Paul of Thebes, commonly known as St Paul the First Hermit or Paul the Anchorite. St Paul the Hermit is traditionally considered as the first saint living the solitary life. He was born around the year 228 in Alexandria, Egypt, of wealthy and noble parents. During the persecution of the Christians by Caesar Decius in 250, young Paul fled to the Desert in Thebes by the Red Sea and learned to en-joy his solitary life "alone with God alone" so much, that he remained there for the rest of his life. He lived nearly ninety years in prayerful solitude, constant penance, and contemplation of God. Before he died he was discovered by St Anthony the Abbot, who spread the news about his holiness.
It is believed that St Paul was kept alive by the fruit of a palm tree and by a raven which daily brought him a piece of bread. From the palm tree he would also make his clothes. He died at the age of 113. At the time of his death, two lions dug a grave for him.
This story is captured in the coat-of-arms of the Order, showing the palm tree, two lions and a raven. The Pauline Order chose St Paul the First Hermit as its Pa-tron and Patriarch and thus took the name "Order of Saint Paul the First Hermit".
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COMMUNION AND WITNESS
APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION for the MIDDLE EAST (12)
PART TWO (2):APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION for the MIDDLE EAST (12)
Patriarchs
39. As Fathers and Heads of Churches sui iuris, the Patriarchs are visible points of reference and watchful guardians of communion. By nature and mission, they are men of communion, charged with tending the flock of God (cf. 1 Pet 5:1-4), and servants of ecclesial unity. They exercise a ministry which works through charity lived authentically at all levels: between the Patriarchs themselves and between each Patriarch and the Bishops, priests, consecrated persons and lay faithful under his jurisdiction.
40. Patriarchs, whose indefectible union with the Bishop of Rome is rooted in the ecclesiastica communio which they request from the Pope following their canonical election, show by this special bond the Church’s universality and unity.[34] Their care extends to all the disciples of Jesus Christ living in the patriarchal territory. As a sign of communion in the service of witness, they should strive to strengthen union and solidarity within the Council of Catholic Patriarchs of the Middle East and the various patriarchal Synods, and recognize the need to consult one another in matters of great importance for the Church prior to taking a unified collegial action. For the credibility of their witness, Patriarchs should seek righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness and gentleness (cf. 1 Tim 6:11), and adopt a sober manner of life in imitation of Christ, who became poor so that by his poverty we might become rich (cf. 2 Cor 8:9).
They should also take care to promote concrete solidarity among the ecclesiastical jurisdictions through careful man-agement of personnel and the Church’s resources. This is part of their duties.[35] Following the example of Jesus, who passed through towns and villages in the fulfilment of his mission (cf. Mk 9:35), Patriarchs are to be zealous in making the required pastoral visitations.[36] They ought to do so not only as a means of exercising their right and duty of vigilance, but also as a practical sign of fraternal and paternal charity towards the Bishops, priests and lay faithful, and especially to-wards the poor, the sick and the outcast, and those who suffer spiritually.
Bishops
41. By virtue of his ordination, a Bishop becomes both a member of the College of Bishops and the pastor of a local community through his ministry of teaching, preaching and governance. With the Patriarchs, Bishops are visible signs of the unity in diversity which is proper to the Church as the Body whose Head is Christ (cf. Eph 4:12-15). They were the first to be freely chosen and sent forth to make disciples of all nations, teaching them to observe all that the risen Lord command-ed (cf. Mt 28:19-20).[37] Hence it is of vital importance that they themselves hear God’s word and treasure it in their hearts. They must proclaim it with courage, defending firmly the integrity and unity of the faith amid the difficult situations which, sadly, are all too common in the Middle East.
42. To promote the life of communion and diakonia, it is important for Bishops to strive constant-ly for their own personal renewal. This interior vigilance demands “above all a life of prayer, self-denial, sacrifice and listening to others; it also demands an exemplary life as apostles and pastors based on simplicity, poverty and humility; finally it includes a constant concern to defend truth, justice, sound morals and to protect the weak”.[38] The greatly-desired renewal of communities demands that Bishops show pastoral concern for all the baptized, and in a particular way for their closest co-workers, the priests.[39]
43. Communion within each local Church is the primary basis of communion between the Church-es, which is constantly nourished by the word of God and the sacraments, and by other forms of prayer. I encourage Bishops to show concern for all the faithful present in their jurisdiction, re-gardless of their social condition, nationality or Church of origin. They should shepherd the flock entrusted to them and watch over them, “not domineering over those in [their] charge, but being examples to the flock” (1 Pet 5:3).
They should show particular concern for those who do not regularly practise their faith and those who for various reasons no longer practise the faith at all.[40] They should also strive to be Christ’s loving presence among those who do not profess the Christian faith. By so doing, they will promote unity among Christians themselves and solidarity between all men and women created in the image of God (cf. Gen 1:27), the Father from whom all things come and for whom we exist (cf. 1 Cor 8:6).
44. It is the duty of the Bishops to ensure that the temporal goods of the Church are managed wisely, honestly and transparently in accordance with the Code of Canons of the Eastern Church-es or the Code of Canon Law of the Latin Church. The Synod Fathers called for a serious audit of finances and holdings in order to avoid any possible confusion between personal and Church property.[41] The Apostle Paul calls the servant of God a steward of the mysteries of God: “and it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy” (1 Cor 4:2).
A steward administers property that is not his and which, according to the Apostle, is destined to a higher use, that of the mysteries of God (cf. Mt 19:28-30; 1 Pet 4:10). Such scrupulous and impartial management, called for by the monastic founders – the true pillars of many of the Eastern Churches – should be di-rected primarily to evangelization and charity. Bishops should see to it that priests, who are their first co-workers, receive a just remuneration so that they will not be distracted by temporal con-cerns but may devote themselves with dignity to the things of God and to their pastoral mission. Those who help the poor obtain heaven! Saint James insists on the respect due to the poor, their importance and their true place in the community (cf. 1:9-11; 2:1-9).
The administration of the Church’s goods must therefore become a clear way of proclaiming Jesus’ message of liberation: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord” (Lk 4:18-19). The faithful steward is the one who has understood that the Lord alone is the pearl of great price (cf. Mt 13:45-46); he alone is our true treasure (Mt 6:19-21; 13:44). May every Bishop be a clear ex-ample of this to his priests, seminarians and faithful! Moreover, the alienation of Church goods should adhere strictly to the relevant canonical norms and current papal legislation.
Next Sunday: Priests, deacons and seminarians
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