Season of the Cross - 3rd Sunday

Dear parishioners and friends of St Charbel’s Parish,

Welcome to this week's edition of Kadishat! In this edition, you will find a reflection about this week's gospel, our parish events and activities for this week and short biographies of St Therese and St Francis whose feast days we celebrate over the coming week. To read this week's edition of Kadishat, click on the link below:

Please click here to download the full Kadishat newsletter with Arabic translations.

The Pope in Lebanon
Last week, I returned from my short trip to Lebanon where I joined in welcoming His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI on his visit to our beloved country. The Pope have brought lots of happiness and hope to Lebanon and the Middle East. His Holiness stressed in his addresses that "peace will not come to the Middle East until its nations enjoy religious freedom, since only the free practice of faith can inspire the region's diverse peoples to unite around basic human values." We continue to pray for peace in the Middle East and for religious freedom for our Christian brothers and sisters.

While in Lebanon, the Holy Father also signed the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation of the Assembly for the Middle East of the Synod of Bishops, “The Catholic Church in the Middle East: Communion and Witness", which took place in the Vatican in October 2010. I encourage you all to read this message hoping that it will be guiding for all Christians in the Middle East and the world.


St Charbel's Annual Dinner
I would like to remind you about St Charbel's Annual Dinner scheduled to take place on the 13th of October 2012 at St Charbel's Multi-Purpose Hall. The aim of this fund raiser is to launch St Charbel's Nursing Home- a project that will benefit all our community.

Tickets are selling fast and we encourage you to book your tickets soon by contacting St Charbel's Monastery on 9740 0998.

I wish you all a blessed week by the intercession of St Therese and St Francis.

In God’s Love,
Fr. Dr. Antoine Tarabay

=============================================================

20th Year—Number 1028 Sunday 30/09/2012
Season of the Cross
3rd Sunday
Sunday’s Readings: Philippi 3: 17-21 & 4:1 & Matthew 24: 23-31

The sign of the Son of man
“'If anyone says to you then, "Look, here is the Christ," or "Over here," do not believe it; for false Christs and false prophets will arise and provide great signs and portents, enough to deceive even the elect, if that were possible.

Look! I have given you warning. 'If, then, they say to you, "Look, he is in the desert," do not go there; "Look, he is in some hiding place," do not believe it; because the coming of the Son of man will be like lightning striking in the east and flashing far into the west. Wherever the corpse is, that is where the vultures will gather. 'Immediately after the distress of those days the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from the sky and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then the sign of the Son of man will appear in heaven; then, too, all the peoples of the earth will beat their breasts; and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet to gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”
Matthew 24: 23-31

Reflection of the Week

Are we prepared?
The gospel of today encourages and strengthens us with the conviction of Jesus’ return. It also reminds us in in a very forceful way that we must be prepared. The great question is not, "When is the Lord returning?" The question we should be concerned with is, "Are we prepared for His return?"

How do we prepare for the Lord’s return?
The best way to prepare for the second coming of Christ as Paul says is to “increase and abound in love for one another and for all” so that we “may be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints” (1 Thessalonians 3:12-13). We should place God first in our lives and love our neighbour as ourselves. We should also in faith transform our weapons of war and destruction into instruments and tools of culture and construction.

The coming of the son of man
In our Lord's first coming, in the womb of the Virgin Mary, when He took up His residence among us, He came meek and lowly. He came to perform the obedience to the divine law of God for us. That obedience took Him to the cross, where He suffered and died for our sins. He came the first time doing the will of the Father and, so to speak, there was not even a little twitch in the world. Apart from the heavenly angels over the fields of Bethlehem, and a handful of shepherds, no one took notice. Rome and Caesar considered it to be simply another day as usual. People ate, drank, washed, and went to bed.

But when our Master comes again, heaven will be shaken, stars shall fall. The sun shall not give her light, earth shall be broken on her foundations and mountains cast into the sea. For He shall appear as the Lord of glory. And you shall know Him, the One who suffered and died and rose again and to whom you belong now by His grace.

When Jesus comes, it will be glorious. It is the moment for which we are being prepared. It is the moment for which we have been saved.

Are you ready?
He shall come upon the clouds. The clouds in Scripture are often a symbol of the presence and majesty of God. God led Israel by a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night which He put between Israel and Egypt to protect Israel. It was the cloud which was a figure of His own glory as He descended upon the tabernacle.

Christ's coming will be majestic. Against the darkness of the sky - for the sun shall not shine. The Son of man in all of His beauty and power shall appear. That is why every eye shall see Him. They shall see Him in power, the very opposite of weakness. They shall see Him in glory, the outshining of all of His perfections

Is that your hope? 
Are you living in such a way that you are ready now? Then hear His word. Christ says, "I come. I come to be glorified in you. I will never forget you. I have chosen to dwell with you to all eternity. And soon, now, very soon, I come." Do you hear Him?

If you aren't "eagerly awaiting His return" perhaps you love this present world too much. The Bible tells us that "if anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him" (1 John 2:16). But when you don't love the world, your heart will be set upon the things above and you will "eagerly await" His return. Please evaluate your heart this morning.

=============================================================

Saints of the Week

St Therese of the Child Jesus
Doctor of the Church
01 October 2012Born to a pious middle-class French family of tradesmen; daughter of Blessed Louis Martin and Blessed Marie-Azelie Guérin Martin, and all four of her sisters became nuns. Her mother died when Francoise-Marie was only four, and the family moved to Lisieux, Normandy, France to be closer to family. Cured from an illness at age eight when a statue of the Blessed Virgin smiled at her. Educated by the Benedictine nuns of Notre-Dame-du-Pre. Confirmed there at age eleven.

Just before her 14th birthday she received a vision of the Child Jesus; she immediately understood the great sacrifice that had been made for her, and developed an unshakeable faith. Tried to join the Carmelites, but was turned down due to her age.

Pilgrim to Rome at for the Jubilee of Pope Leo XIII whom she met and who knew of her desire to become a nun. Joined the Carmelites at Lisieux on 9 April 1888 at age 15, taking her final vow on 8 September 1890 at age 17. Known by all for her complete devotion to spiritual development and to the austerities of the Carmelite rule. Due to health problems resulting from her ongoing fight with tuberculosis, her superiors ordered her not to fast. Novice mistress at age 20. At age 22 she was ordered by her prioress to begin writing her memories and ideas, which material would turn into the book History of a Soul. Therese defined her path to God and holiness as The Little Way, which consisted of child-like love and trust in God. She had an ongoing correspondence with Carmelite missionaries in China, often stating how much she wanted to come work with them. Many miracles attributed to her. Declared a Doctor of the Church in 1997 by Pope John Paul II.
  
St Francis of Assisi,
04 October 2012Son of Pietro Bernadone, a rich cloth merchant. Though he had a good education and became part of his father‘s business, he also had a somewhat misspent youth.

Street brawler and part-time soldier. Captured during a conflict between Assisi and Perugia, Italy, he spent over a year as a prisoner of war. During this time he had a conversion experience, including a reported message from Christ calling him to leave this worldly life. Upon release, Francis began taking his faith seriously.

He took the Gospels as the rule of his life, Jesus Christ as his literal example. He dressed in rough clothes, begged for his sustenance, and preached purity and peace. His family disapproved, and his father disinherited him; Francis formally renounced his wealth and inheritance. He visited hospitals, served the sick, preached in the streets, and took all men and women as siblings. He began to attract followers in 1209, and with papal blessing, founded the Franciscans based on a simple statment by Jesus: “Leave all and follow me.” In 1212 Clare of Assisi became his spiritual student, which led to the founding of the Poor Clares.

Visited and preached to the Saracens. Composedsongs and hymns to God and nature. Lived with animals, worked with his hands, cared for lepers, cleaned churches, and sent food to thieves. In 1221 he resigned direction of the Franciscans.

While in meditation on Mount Alvernia in the Apennines in September 1224, Francis received the stigmata, which periodically bled during the remaining two years of his life. This miracle has a separate memorial on 17 September.

In the Middle Ages people who believed to be possessed by Beelzebub especially called upon the intercession of Saint Francis, the theory being that he was the demon‘s opposite number in heaven.

=============================================================

The Maronitesand Lebanon (30)
The Maronite spirituality (2)

~ MARONITE ORIGINS ~

A brief overview of Syriac Maronite historical roots is needed to appreciate this spirituality. Too often the eastern churches are confused and misidentified as one and the same-the Syriac tradition is conflated with the Byzantine tradition. While the churches of the Catholic Church (eastern and western) are one in creedal formula, the seven sacraments and communion with the successor of Peter, these twenty-two churches are diverse and unique. They evolve from six major rites: those of Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria, Constan-tinople, Rome and Armenia.

By “rite” here is meant a universal community of faith having a distinct tradition, founded by an apostle or successor, guided by an autonomous hierarchy, by which various people have been converted to and nurtured by the teachings of Jesus Christ, Each of these 22 catholic churches then is rooted in a patriarchal tradition, and enjoys its own specific expression of theology, spirituality, liturgy and lay.

The Syriac Maronite church is the development and integration of three influential geographical centers:

1) Antioch a center of commerce and communication in West Syria, of Syriac and Greek influence. This biblical school of typology used “types” of the Old Testament and images of the New Testament rather than philosophical speculation to probe the mystery of God. hence the Maronite’s central focus on and significant use of sacred scripture.

2) Edessa - a prominent city where Saint Ephrem lived in ancient Mesopotamia, a center of Jewish culture and Syriac poetry. Both influenced the prayer and hymnody of the Maronite church. Speaking of and praying to God requires, in the mind of this theological school, the primal language of poetry. A Syriac scholar, Joseph Amar, writers:”Syriac-speaking Christians felt compelled to wed their unutterable vision to beautiful words..... It is not enough to merely express their profound faith, it was also necessary to express it in a profoundly poetical way.”

3) Mt. Lebanon - a region in the Middle East of Lebanese culture. It provided a haven for Saint Maron’s monastic way of life exemplified by austerity, simplicity and detachment. Maron, a fourth century priest and hermit, lived a vision of life, prayer and asceticism which inspired and nurtured his followers. Hence Maronite culture, worship and traditions mandate alertness for the second coming of the Lover of humankind.

 Next Sunday: The Maronite Liturgy

=============================================================

 

  Links:

Join us on facebook to get notified about the next post:

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

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

 =============================================================

Season of the Pentecost - 16th Sunday

Dear parishioners and friends of St Charbel’s Parish,

Happy Feast Day of the Nativity of Our Lady! Mary, Mother of God, is the only woman conceived without original sin. Only a person so perfect could bear the Son of God in Her womb. We ask for Her prayers and intercessions today and always. May She always lead us closer to Her Son.

Sunday’s Gospel
This week, we read from the Gospel of St Luke the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. This parable contrasts two different men with two different attitudes and two different prayers. The Pharisee corresponds to the self-righteous, merciless worshipper of the law, and the tax collector exemplifies the humble sinner. Both are sinners, although the outward form of their sins differs. The Pharisee prays as one who needs no forgiveness, and he got none while the tax collector prays as one is need of forgiveness, and he receives it.

May we always learn to be humble and ask for God’s mercy. May we commit ourselves to seek God in our lives and live our faith truthfully.

To read more about this week’s Gospel and our events, pleas click on the link below:
Please click here to download the full Kadishat newsletter.
Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
On the 14th of September, we celebrate the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. This feast was observed in Rome before the end of the seventh century. It commemorates the recovery of the Holy Cross that was returned to Jerusalem by Emperor Heralius in 629. Let us look to the cross frequently, and realize that when we make the Sign of the Cross we give our entire self to God: mind, soul, heart, body, will, thoughts. May we also remember that the Cross is the sign of our salvation with which our Saviour triumphed over the sin of the world.

Mass times at St Charbel’s are as follows:
Thursday 13 September: 11am (Arabic), 6pm (English), 7pm (English)
Friday     14 September : 7.30am (Arabic) and 6pm (Arabic)

The Pope in to Lebanon
As you may be aware, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI will be visiting Lebanon from the 14th to the 16th of September. Christians and Muslims in the Middle East are praying for the success of this event. We join our prayers to theirs hoping that this peace will be brought to Lebanon and all the area. Pope Benedict’s message of unity and peace is urgently needed in our homeland and all the countries of the Middle East.

I wish you all a safe weekend and a blessed week!

In God’s Love,
Fr. Dr. Antoine Tarabay

 =============================================================

20th Year—Number 1025 Sunday 09/09/2012
Season of the Pentecost
16th Sunday
Sunday’s Readings: Roma 8: 18-27 & Luke 18: 9-14

God, be merciful to me, a sinner
“He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: ‘Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax-collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, "God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax-collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income." But the tax-collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner!" I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.’” Luke 18: 9-14
 

Reflection of the Week

The humble heart is heard by God
The parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector contrasts two different men with two different attitudes and two different prayers. The Pharisee corresponds to the self-righteous, merciless worshipper of the law, and the tax collector exemplifies the humiliated lawbreaker. Both are sinners, although the outward form of their sins differs. The Pharisee pray as one who needed no forgiveness, and got none while the tax collector pray as one needed for-giveness, and he received it.
 
The Pharisee
The Pharisee glories in what he is ("I am not like other men"), what he does ("I fast twice a week"), and what he gives ("I give tithes of all that I possess"). Self is a noticeable feature of his prayer—he uses the personal pronoun "I" five times—showing his great obsession with himself. He does not pray for others, and he has no interest in them other than to point out their faults. His prayer shows that he thinks of God as being impressed with pettiness and severity. These are unforgivable sins to the Pharisee.

People like the Pharisee trust in their own works to gain salvation and eternal life, not trusting in Jesus Christ for them. They do not really think they need His sacrifice or help because they think they are good enough in themselves.

The tax collector
The tax collector humbles himself before God, pleading for mercy, and in the end, he receives exaltation. In Proverbs 27:2, Solomon expresses the principle of this parable: "Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips." This principle works in all facets of life, but most people cannot see it at work because they see no reward for humbly working behind the scenes.

Humility
Humility also results in praise in two ways. First it results in praise to God. For while a proud self-righteous person brings down God's standard of holiness to a level he feels that he has achieved, the humble does not do so. The humble worships in spirit and in truth, but the proud in the flesh and in lies. And while the proud have no mercy on the humble, the humble acknowledge their God as being merciful.

Secondly, it results in praise from God to the humble. For He appreciates an honest person more than one caught up in self-deception though he appear clean on the outside. And it is innate within righteous men to treat each other likewise. Practically all the great men of the Bible went through times of humiliation, which developed humility in them and which resulted in praise in the long term. "He must increase and I must decrease" John 3:30

=============================================================

 Think About

A humble and contrite spirit is necessary for true and effective prayer. Pride is the enemy of prayer; pride and vanity and confidence in self, will hobble the soul of man and make him, like the Pharisee in this parable, powerless in prayer

=============================================================

 

 

14th September
Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross
Readings:
1 corintians 1: 18-25 & John 12: 20-32

=============================================================

Saint of the Week

14 September
Feast of the Triumph of the Cross.
On the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross (or Triumph of the Cross) we honor the Holy Cross by which Christ redeemed the world. The public veneration of the Cross of Christ originated in the fourth century, according to early accounts. The miraculous discovery of the cross on September 14, 326, by Saint Helen, mother of Constantine, while she was on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, is the origin of the tradition of celebrating the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross on this date.

Saint Helen razed the Temple of Aphrodite, which tradition held was built over the Savior's tomb, and her son built the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher over the tomb. During the excavation, workers found three crosses. Legend has it that the one on which Jesus died was identified when its touch healed a dying woman.

The cross immediately became an object of veneration. At a Good Friday celebration in Jerusalem toward the end of the fourth century, according to an eyewitness, the wood was taken out of its silver container and placed on a table together with the inscription Pilate ordered placed above Jesus' head: Then "all the people pass through one by one; all of them bow down, touching the cross and the inscription, first with their foreheads, then with their eyes; and, after kissing the cross, they move on."

To this day the Eastern Churches, Catholic and Orthodox alike, celebrate the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on the September anniversary of the basilica's dedication. The feast entered the Western calendar in the seventh century after Emperor Heraclius recovered the cross from the Persians, who had carried it off in 614, 15 years earlier. According to the story, the emperor intended to carry the cross back into Jerusalem himself, but was unable to move forward until he took off his imperial garb and became a barefoot pilgrim.

=============================================================

The Maronites and Lebanon (27) The Ottomans era (6)
The end of the Ottomans era

Ten Patriarchs have used Dimane as a summer residence and Bkerki as a winter one: Youssef HOBAISH of Sahel Alma (1823-1845), Youssef EL KHAZEN of Ajaltoun (1845-1854), Boulos MASSAD of Ashkout (1854-1890), Hanna EL HAJJ of Dlebta (1890-1898), Elias HOAYEK of Hilta (1898-1931), Antoun Arida of Bsharri (1932-1955), Boulos MEOUSHI of Jezzine (1955-1975), Anthony KHORAISH of Ain Ibl (1975-1986), Nasrallah SFEIR of Reyfoun (1986-2011) and Bechara Al Raii (2011) after the resignation of Patriarch Sfeir.

All these Patriarchs bore a heavy burden of responsibility, working for the unity of their flock. Their main concern has been the independence of Lebanon.

The early part of the 19th century was dominated by acts of aggression by the Druze against the Christians which culminated in the deaths of many thousands of Christians at the hands of the Druze with Turkish assistance in the Massacres of 1840-1860 which were finally halted in July 1860 when the great powers finally decided to act, France taking the initiative by dispatching 7,000 troops. The Ottomans fearing this intervention, sent their foreign minister, Fuad Pasha, to Lebanon ahead of the French and put an end to the violence. The French troops landed in Beirut in August 1860.

On October 5, 1860, an international commission composed of France, Britain, Austria, Prussia, and the Ottoman Empire met to investigate the causes of the events of 1860 and to recommend a new administrative and judicial system for Lebanon that would prevent the recurrence of such events. The commission members agreed that the partition of Mount Lebanon in1842 between Druze and Christians had been respon-sible for the massacre. Hence, in the Statute of June 9, 1861 Lebanon reunited under a non-Lebanese Christian mutasarrif (governor) ap-pointed by the Ottoman sultan, with the approval of the European pow-ers. The mutasarrif was to be assisted by an administrative council of twelve members from the various religious communities in Lebanon. Maronite nationalists strongly objected to a non-Lebanese governor and insisted on self rule.

This Statute which was revised on September 6,1864 and also adhered to by Italy in1867 recognized and guaranteed the autonomy of Lebanon, but not the Lebanon of Fakhr-al-Din and Bashir, but one stripped of its maritime and inter-mountain plains with their cities and reduced to its mountainous region. Only Mount Lebanon was to be out of the Ottoman grasp. The leading signatory, Turkey, cherished the conviction that Leba-non, without its ports, cities, and plains was unviable and could not sur-vive. Turkey was wrong, despite the mutasarrifs being totally incompe-tent, Lebanon, thanks to the efforts of its inhabitants, not only survived, but registered a record of prosperity, security, and progress that made it the envy of the provinces of the Ottoman empire. Lebanon's neighbours found expression in the saying 'Happy is he who owns but a goat's enclo-sure in Lebanon.'

This situation lasted till the World War I when a blockade was imposed on the Lebanese Mountains and hundreds of thousands starved. The Church opened its doors to the poor. During this period, Lebanon suf-fered more than any other Ottoman province, estimation of 120,000 persons lost their lives that was over one third of its population to slow and painful deaths.

Relief for Lebanon came in September1918 when the British general Edmund Allenby and Faysal I, son of Sharif Husayn of Mecca, moved into Palestine with British and Arab forces, thus opening the way for the liberation of Lebanon and Syria.

 Cedars of Lebanon as it is portrayed during the Mutasarifieh period

Next Sunday: The independence

===========================================================

 Links:
 
Join us on facebook to get notified about the next post:

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

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

 ===========================================================

Season of the Pentecost - 15th Sunday

Dear parishioners and friends of St Charbel’s Parish,

Firstly, a Happy Father’s Day to all the fathers and grandfathers! And a Happy Father’s Day also to all my brothers, the priests and monks, who are spiritual fathers to many souls! May Our Lord bless you and keep all fathers safe!

SCYA Annual Dinner
It was so beautiful seeing over 500 young people gathered at The Bellevue last friday night for St Charbel’s Youth Dinner to support our youth association. The night was a big success with great entertainment and a beautiful crowd. Thank you to all the sponsors, donators and to all who came and supported this event.

Feast of the Birth of Our Lady
On the 8th of September, we celebrate the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lady. We recall the birth of the woman chosen by God from the beginning of time to bear His Son and bring life to the world. Through Mary, salvation was made possible. We honour Our Lady on that day and every day asking for Her intercessions and prayers for us before God.

This Week’s Gospel
In this week’s Gospel we read about the sinful woman who washed Jesus’ feet with ointment and her tears while He was in the house of Simon the Pharisee (Luke 7:36-50). This sinful woman opened her heart to Jesus and by doing that she was moved to repent for her sins. May we, like this woman, open our hearts to welcome Our Lord into them.

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.
Have a good week! May Our Lord bless you the intercession of Our Lady!

In God’s Love,
Fr. Dr. Antoine Tarabay

===========================================================

20th Year—Number 1024 Sunday 02/09/2012
Season of the Pentecost
15th Sunday
Sunday’s Readings: 1 Thessalonians 1: 1-10 & Luke 7: 36-50

She has shown great love..
“One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and took his place at the table. And a woman in the city, who was a sinner, having learned that he was eating in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster jar of ointment. She stood behind him at his feet, weeping, and began to bathe his feet with her tears and to dry them with her hair. Then she continued kissing his feet and anointing them with the ointment.

Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, ‘If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him that she is a sinner.’ Jesus spoke up and said to him, ‘Simon, I have something to say to you.’ ‘Teacher,’ he replied, ‘speak.’ ‘A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debts for both of them. Now which of them will love him more?’ Simon answered, ‘I suppose the one for whom he cancelled the greater debt.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘You have judged rightly.’ Then turning towards the woman, he said to Simon, ‘Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has bathed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.’ Then he said to her, ‘Your sins are forgiven.’ But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, ‘Who is this who even forgives sins?’ And he said to the woman, ‘Your faith has saved you; go in peace.’ ”
Luke 7:36-50

Reflection of the Week

We all are in debt
In today’s Gospel, Jesus is visiting a certain town, he is been ministering in the area, and so one of the local religious leaders hosts a dinner for him at his house. Simon the Pharisee is the host. Simon invites some of the prominent citizens to the dinner, the good people that we would like to have at a dinner for the visiting teacher.

An uninvited guest and her actions
But then somebody else shows up, an uninvited guest. She is a woman, and she too has heard of Jesus. And now she crashes the party. She is really eager to be where Jesus is and to show him her extreme gratitude. She does some extraordinary things: She gets down by Jesus’ feet, and, weeping, she wets his feet with her tears and wipes them with her hair! She even kisses his feet and anoints them with some perfumed oil! This woman is really going overboard with her love and appreciation for Jesus!

A sinful woman
But now here is the real shocker: The woman who is doing this- -not only is she an uninvited guest but she was a known sinful woman! She had a bad reputation. So who is she to crash this party and get near our honoured guest and make such a scene? She should not be here, mixing with all the good religious folk.
 
Simon’s reaction
Simon is thinking something about Jesus. How come Jesus is letting this sinful woman come near him and do these things? If he were really a prophet sent from God, he would know about this woman, and he would not let her near him. Simon the Pharisee has been evaluating the visiting teacher, and he comes to a conclusion about him. He rejects Jesus, because he lets a sinner get next to him and welcomes her display of love.

Simon accused Jesus of the very thing he himself was guilty of – spiritual blindness…! He was blind to his need; she saw her need. Simon saw her past, but Jesus saw her future

Jesus’ response
Jesus knows what Simon is thinking, and so he explains what is going on by way of a story. Two people owe money. One has a certain size debt, the other has a bigger debt, but they both are in debt. And they both are unable to pay. But the one to whom they owe their debts--the money-lender decides to cancel the debts of both. It does not matter how big the debt, what matters is that it is forgiven, purely by the generosity of the lender.

It may look like some of us are bigger sinners than others and even the respectable people, are still sinners. We are still in need of God’s for-giveness. We all are debtors before God, good and bad alike, and we are all alike unable to pay.

> Jesus looked beyond the woman’s body and saw her soul. He saw her in a way no other man had.
> Jesus looked beyond her act and saw her intent. Repentance and true gratitude and worship.
> Jesus looked beyond her sin and saw her faith. Repentance and faith bring salvation…!
> Jesus looked beyond her past and saw her future "go into peace…"

God’s forgiveness
The only thing that will work is God’s forgiveness, and that is freely given to big debtors and little debtors alike. Only do not pretend that you are not a debtor! Do not think that you do not need forgiveness, that you do not need a Saviour. And do not look down your nose at those really bad sinners that God chooses to forgive.

Ref: http://www.freerepublic.com/

Jesus proved He was a prophet by His ability to supernaturally know Simon's thoughts…! 

The woman's sins were open, 

Simon's sins were hidden; 

Simon's sins involved the flesh, hers

===========================================================

8th September
Feast of the birth of
The Blessed Virgin Mary
Readings: 2 Corinthians 4:1-6 & Luke 8:16-21

===========================================================

Saint of the Week

5th September
Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Mother Teresa was born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu in Skopje, Macedonia, on August 26, 1910. Her family was of Albanian descent. At the age of twelve, she felt strongly the call of God. She knew she had to be a missionary to spread the love of Christ. At the age of eighteen she left her parental home in Skopje and joined the Sisters of Loreto, an Irish community of nuns with missions in India. After a few months' training in Dublin she was sent to India, where on May 24, 1931, she took her initial vows as a nun.

From 1931 to 1948 Mother Teresa taught at St. Mary's High School in Calcutta, but the suffering and poverty she glimpsed outside the convent walls made such a deep impression on her that in 1948 she received permission from her superiors to leave the convent school and devote herself to working among the poorest of the poor in the slums of Calcutta. Although she had no funds, she depended on Divine Providence, and started an open-air school for slum children. Soon she was joined by voluntary helpers, and financial support was also forthcoming. This made it possible for her to extend the scope of her work.

On October 7, 1950, Mother Teresa received permission from the Holy See to start her own order, "The Missionaries of Charity", whose primary task was to love and care for those persons nobody was prepared to look after. In 1965 the Society became an International Religious Family by a decree of Pope Paul VI.

Today the order comprises Active and Contemplative branches of Sisters and Brothers in many countries. In 1963 both the Contemplative branch of the Sisters and the Active branch of the Brothers was founded. In 1979 the Contemplative branch of the Brothers was added, and in 1984 the Priest branch was established.

The Society of Missionaries has spread all over the world, including the former Soviet Union and Eastern European countries. They provide effective help to the poorest of the poor in a number of countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, and they undertake relief work in the wake of natural catastrophes such as floods, epidemics, and famine, and for refugees. The order also has houses in North America, Europe and Australia, where they take care of the shut-ins, alcoholics, homeless, and AIDS sufferers.

The Missionaries of Charity throughout the world are aided and assisted by Co-Workers who became an official International Association on March 29, 1969. By the 1990s there were over one million Co-Workers in more than 40 countries. Along with the Co-Workers, the lay Missionaries of Charity try to follow Mother Teresa's spirit and charism in their families.

Mother Teresa's work has been recognised and acclaimed throughout the world and she has received a number of awards and distinctions, including the Pope John XXIII Peace Prize (1971) and the Nehru Prize for her promotion of international peace and understanding (1972). She also received the Balzan Prize (1979) and the Templeton and Magsaysay awards.

From Nobel Lectures, Peace 1971-1980, Editor-in-Charge Tore Frängsmyr, Editor Irwin Abrams, World Scientific Publishing Co., Singapore, 1997

This autobiography/biography was written at the time of the award and first published in the book series Les Prix Nobel. It was later edited and re-published in Nobel Lectures. To cite this document, always state the source as shown above.

Mother Teresa died on September 5, 1997.

===========================================================

The Maronites and Lebanon (26)
The Ottomans era (5)

The move to Bkerky
Prince Bashir II
The Shihabs succeeded the Maans in 1697. They originally lived in the Hawran region of south-western Syria and settled in Wadi at Taim in southern Lebanon. The most prominent among them was Bashir II, who in many ways was much like his predecessor, Fakhr al Din II, wanting a strong and independent Lebanon. Bashir was an ultra-liberal, his palace contained a mosque and a chapel, he himself was a Maronite Christian by baptism, Muslim by matrimony, and Druze by convenience rather than by conviction.

Under Bashir II, as conditions slightly improved, The Maronites stood now in expectation of finding glory after their long history of suffering and tribulation. Wadi Kannoubine was where the Patriarch took refuge during the period of great hardship, which lasted 383 years, from 1440 to 1823. As peace slowly returned, the Patriarchs envisaged the transfer of their seat to Dimane, Bkerke in winter. The first Patriarch to consider such a move was Youssef HOBAISH, who occupied a house overlooking the valley and belonging to a partner in ownership of a farm west of the village. But the first to act on the idea was Patriarch Hanna EL HAJJ, who built the Patriarchal residence in Dimane now known as the Old Residence, in the center of the village, while near it he erected the church of St John-Maron, now the parish Church. The present residence was the work of Patri-arch Elias HOAYEK, who laid the founda-tion stone on September 28, 1899.

In 1703, cloister of Bkerke was built by Sheikh Khattar EL KHAZEN. It had a little Church with a presbytery alongside. In 1730, it was taken in charge by the Antonine order. In 1750, Bishop Germanos SAKR and Sister Hindyieh Oujaymeh took it as a house for the Congregation of the Sacred Heart. In 1779, an apostolic decree was issued dissolving the Congregation of the Sacred Heart and putting the house at the disposition of the Maronite community for any useful purpose.

In 1786, the Maronite Synod of Bishops declared that Bkerke should be a dependency of the residence at Kannoubine. In 1890, Patriarch Hanna EL HAJJ restored it, adding part of the ground floor and the whole of the upper story. Brother Leonard, the Lazarist, was the architect. He also planned the residence at Dimane.

Ref: History of the Maronite Patriarchate
www opuslibani.org

Next Sunday: The Ottomans era (6) The end of the Ottomans era

===========================================================

 Links:
 
Join us on facebook to get notified about the next post:

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

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

 ===========================================================

Season of the Pentecost - 14th Sunday

Dear parishioners and friends of St Charbel’s Parish,

On the 14th Sunday of Pentecost, the Maronite Church reflects on the story of Mary and Martha from the Gospel of St Luke (10:38-42). This Gospel tells us that Christian discipleship begins with listening. Martha is a symbol of action-oriented people, responsible people who serve and get the work done. We certainly need people like Martha in our families, in our Church and in our world.

However, the problem with Martha is that she was too busy working that she forgot to listen to Jesus. Whereas Mary knew that all begins with Jesus and that before anything else, a disciple needs to receive from Jesus. May we learn to listen to God in our lives when He speaks through the Bible, through others and through our own hearts.

Feast of Blessed Estephan Nehma
Thursday 30 August marks the Feast of Blessed Estephan Nehme.

Youssef Nehme was born in Lehfed on March 8, 1889 to Christian parents. He was the youngest son of six children. As a child, Joseph preferred solitude and prayer and, from a young age, he would meditate and pray in silence in the woods surrounding his home. At the age of 16, he became a novice monk at the Monastery of Saints Cyprian and Justine in Kfifane and chose the name 'Estephanos' after his father’s name and the name of his village’s patron saint. He took his vows on August 23, 1907. He then became an associate brother spending the rest of his life working in silence in the gardens and the fields of the monasteries in which he lived. Br Estephan suffered a severe fever that eventually lead to his death at the age of 49.

Br Estephan Nehme is well known for his life's prayers "God can see me" that he would repeat at all times. Br Estephan always believed that God was watching him like a foreman and would work and live at all times accordingly.

May we learn from Bl Estephan to work diligently and zealously and to serve our Lord in silence and with love.

For that occasion , St Charbel’s Parish is organising a tridium of prayers starting Monday the 27th of August and concluding on Thursday the 30th of August with a solemn mass at 6:00 PM

I invite you all to click on this link to view this weeks KADISHAT in PDF with Arabic translations
I wish you all a blessed week!

In God’s Love, Fr. Dr. Antoine Tarabay

==================================================================

20th Year—Number 1023 Sunday 26/08/2012
Season of the Pentecost
14th Sunday
Sunday’s Readings: 1 Thessalonians 2: 1-13 & Luke 10: 38-42

Mary has chosen the better part

“ In the course of their journey he came to a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. She had a sister called Mary, who sat down at the Lord's feet and listened to him speaking.

Now Martha, who was distracted with all the serving, came to him and said, 'Lord, do you not care that my sister is leaving me to do the serving all by myself? Please tell her to help me.' But the Lord answered, 'Martha, Martha,' he said, 'you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one. It is Mary who has chosen the better part, and it is not to be taken from her.'.” Luke 10: 38-42

==================================================================

Reflection of the Week

 

At the feet of the Lord
The Gospel for today suggests that the first requirement for human love and Christian discipleship is listening. Human love begins with listening. Christian discipleship begins with listening. The primary foundation of human love is listening. Listening is the pipeline through which human love and divine love flows.

Martha has become a symbol of action-oriented people, responsible people, men and women who get the job done. And the world needs men and women and boys and girls who get the job done. This is certainly true in the church. It is also true in the house. We need responsible people to do the work of the house:
 

What is wrong with being a Martha? Martha’s fault is that she was … too busy to listen … too distracted to sit at his feet and absorb his presence … too busy living life to quietly hear what Jesus had to say … too involved with all her activities and actions that she didn’t find time to first listen to the voice of Christ.
 

And so Jesus taught in an unforgettable way that listening precedes action that we listen first and then do or act. It is always in that order. That is true in both human love and Christian discipleship. Listening and then doing.
 

Martha has become a symbol of the modern world. Martha has become a symbol of you and me who have become so active and busy with living life, we no longer have time to slowly quietly listen to God or even our spouse, kids or friends. In fact, it is a subtle trick that we become so active in doing good things, that our activities become a cover-up for our lack of listening and quiet caring. Martha has become a symbol of a person who is far too busy and has lost the art of listening.

Mary knew that all begins with Jesus and that before anything else, a disciple needs to receive from Jesus. Discipleship doesn’t start or depend on all the effort we make for God.
 

Discipleship means we have to find our ways of sitting at the feet of Jesus before we do anything else. Mary knew how to listen to the Word of God.
 

The Gospel today is primarily concerned about Christian discipleship and listening to the voice of God and Jesus. To focus, to centre, to concentrate, on Christ and the words and spirit of Christ. Listening is a gift of oneself to the other, a concentrating of oneself on the other, on Jesus Christ, and listening to his voice. Mary knew how to listen to Christ, and we are encouraged to do the same.
 

Ref: http://www.sermonsfromseattle.com/

==================================================================

30 August—Feast day of
Blessed Estephan Nehme
Readings 2 Peter 1:3-11. & Luke 18:18-30

==================================================================

Think About 

Listening is an art that is learned 

and slowly developed where you actually focus on that person before you. 

Listening focuses on that one person, not on the past, not on the future, 

not on all the stuff going on right now. 

Listening is a gift; it is an art; it is a learned behaviour. And listening is the first face of love. 

The more one listens, the more love grows. 

The less one listens, the less love there is. 

Listening is the conduit, the pipeline, through which love flows and grows.

==================================================================

 Saints of the Week

30 August
Blessed Estephan Nehme,
Joseph Nehmé was born on 8 March 1889 in Lehfed, J'beil, Lebanon, the youngest of seven children of Estephanos Bou Haykal Nehmé and Christina Badawi Hanna Khaled. Baptized on 15 March 1889, at Our Lady Church of Lehfed, Nehmé studied under the Maronite Order at Our Lady of Grace School in Sakii Rishmaya. A story from his childhood reports that he once observed a badger enter an underground cave; Nehmé dug at that spot and unearthed a spring, which is known today as "Badger's Fountain".

In 1905, Nehmé entered the novitiate of the Order of Maronites at the Monastery of Ss. Cyprian and Justina in Kfifan. Nehmé made monastic vows on 23 August 1907, taking the name Stephen (variously transliterated as Estefan or Estephanos). He made solemn vows on 13 April 1924. At various monasteries, he did manual labor in the fields and gardens, as well as in carpentry and construction. Nehmé's contemporaries made special note of his constant repetition of the mantra, "God can see me".
Nehmé died of a severe fever that eventually led to apoplexy at 7 p.m. on 30 August 1938 at the monastery in Kfifan.

01 September
St Simon the Stylite
Simon is the most famous of the stylites or saints who spent their days seated on high platforms or pillars. The immense monastery which had been built around his pillar still exists in the environs of Alepo. The celebrated historian Theodoret who was a contemporary of Simon, had personally met him and wrote about his life. Simon was born near Antioch in the year 392. While still a young man, he gave himself over to the service of God in the desert. When he later sought solitude away from the crowds that pressed around him, he established himself on a pillar which grew higher and higher above the crowds. He thus lived between heaven and earth for about forty years, preaching and exhorting the crowds from high upon his pillar. Numerous individuals who came to him were converted by his preaching. He died in the year 459. Devotion to Saint Simon spread throughout Syria and Lebanon. The monastery named after him and the sight of his pillar were the objects of pilgrimages throughout the East.
 

August 29th.
Beheading of John the Baptist
The Church, having celebrated the earthly birthday of St. John the Baptist on June 24, today honors the anniversary of his mar-tyrdom. Besides our Lord and our Lady, St. John the Baptist is the only one whose birth and death are thus celebrated. John had the courage to blame Herod to his face for the scandal of his illegal union with his sister-in-law Herodias, whose husband was still alive. Herodias contrived to make Herod imprison him and took advantage of an unexpected opportunity to obtain through her daughter Salome the beheading of the saint.

==================================================================

The Maronites and Lebanon (25)
The Ottomans era (4)
The first Maronite Order

 As we have seen before, ever since its birth, the Maronite Church has been closely bound up with the monastic life which grew up around Antioch. It was the only Church to have been actually nurtured in a climate of monastic life and it was to the activity of the monks of the Monastery of Saint Maroun that it owed its development and territorial extension.

The Lebanese Maronite Order, founded in 1695, was the result of a renewal of monastic life which was the work of three young Maronites, Jibrayel Hawwa, Abdallah Qaraali and Youssef Albeten, all from the city of Aleppo. Having felt a call to the monastic life, they discussed the matter among themselves and then they decided to go to Lebanon to fulfil their dream.

As soon as they reached the Monastery of Our Lady of Qannubin, the seat of the Maronite Patriarchate, they presented themselves to Patriarch Estefan Dweihy (1670-1704) and disclosed to him the secret of their religious call. He questioned them closely, insisting on the austerity of the monastic life followed in places that had little to offer in the way of resources or safety from danger, then he gave his blessing and encouragement to their initiative and, on August 1, 1695, even went so far as to offer them the Monastery of Saint Maura (Mart Moura), at Ehden. This marked the very beginning of the Order.

It was on November 10, 1695, that the three founders received the hooded monastic habit, blessed by Patriarch Estefan Dweihy himself, at the Monastery of Our Lady of Qannubin. Ever since, this date has been considered to mark the founding of the Order and it is on this basis that it holds it, General Chapters. The Mart Moura Monastery was chosen to be the Mother House. It was there that they were joined by Jibrayel Farhat at the end of the same year. The founders set about organising their way of life and began to receive new vocations. They elected Jibrayel Hawwa as Father General (1695-1699).

 

Ref: http://www.discoverlebanon.com
Next Sunday: The Ottomans era (5)- The move to Bkerky

================================================================== 

 Links:
 
Join us on facebook to get notified about the next post:

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

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

================================================================== 

Season of the Pentacost - 13th sunday

Dear parishioners and friends of St Charbel’s Parish,

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

==================================================================

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)

================================================================== 

 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.

He went south to the wilderness of Mount Matout, a refuge for anchorites. There he lived in solitude for many years, eating only three loaves a week with some uncooked vegetables. Eventually blindness and old age forced him to retire to the monastery of Shabar, where he died and was buried. At the time of his death he was nearly blind, a fact that some attribute to his devotion to study. Isaac is remembered for his spiritual homilies on the inner life. Following is an example of his homilies, titled “Obeying God”

“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.”

==================================================================  

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

================================================================== 

 Links:
 
Join us on facebook to get notified about the next post:

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

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

==================================================================  

Season of the Pentecost - 12th Sunday

Dear parishioners and friends of St Charbel’s Parish,

I hope you have been in good health and spirits!

I invite you to read our parish newsletter, Kadishat, which explains this week's Gospel about the Canaanite woman who displayed a truly remarkable faith (Matt 15: 21-28), the history of the Maronites during the Ottoman era, the Solemnity of the Assumption of Our Lady and the activities and events of our parish. To read the newsletter, please click on the link below:
 Please click here to download the full Kadishat newsletter with ARABIC translation.

Feast of the Assumption
On the 15th of August, we celebrate the Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady to Heaven. This is one of the most important feasts of Our Lady. We believe that when Mary's earthly life was finished, she was taken up, body and soul, into heavenly glory, where the Lord exalts her as Queen of Heaven (Catechism of the Catholic Church, # 966). On this feast day, let us thank the Lord for the gift of our Holy Mother, and let us pray to Our Lady to lead us to her Son every day.

May God bless you all through the intercession and prayers of His Mother and our Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary!
In God’s Love,

Fr. Dr. Antoine Tarabay

====================================================================

20th Year—Number 1021 Sunday 12/08/2012
Season of the Pentecost
12th SundaySunday’s Readings: Ephesians 3: 1-13 & Matthew 15: 21-28

You have great faith
““ Jesus left that place and withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And suddenly out came a Canaanite woman from that district and started shouting, 'Lord, Son of David, take pity on me. My daughter is tormented by a devil.' But he said not a word in answer to her. And his disciples went and pleaded with him, saying, 'Give her what she wants, because she keeps shouting after us.' He said in reply, 'I was sent only to the lost sheep of the House of Israel.' But the woman had come up and was bowing low before him. 'Lord,' she said, 'help me.' He replied, 'It is not fair to take the children's food and throw it to little dogs.' She retorted, 'Ah yes, Lord; but even little dogs eat the scraps that fall from their masters' table.' Then Jesus answered her, 'Woman, you have great faith. Let your desire be granted.' And from that moment her daughter was well again.'” Matthew 15: 21-28

Reflection of the week

A "great" faith
In today’s Gospel we look at the story of the Canaanite woman who displayed a truly remarkable faith. A faith which Jesus ultimately commends as a "great" faith. A faith which can still serve as model for each one of us. A faith which was tested by God and a faith which Trusted in God. This woman trusted that Jesus could and would heal her daughter not because of who she was but because of who Jesus was. Let us take the test that the Lord put her through and see how she reacted.
The First test "Lord Son of David, have mercy on me" But he answered her nor a word”. What would most of us do? The chances are that we would quit the church. This woman did not let the silence of Christ turn her away. Her child’s life was more important than her feelings. How many of us would past this first test that Jesus put this woman through.

The Second Test. When Christ did not answer, his disciples said, "Send her away…” Surely this would have been enough to send her away with wounded feelings. But her need was too great to let Christ's disciples stand in her way. She would not let them rob her of blessings needed.

Is your soul more important than your feelings?
We must desire to know the truth regardless of the obstacles that seem to get in our way. We must not quit or give up We must remember that our souls are in danger, and Christ and the church are the only places where safety can be found.

The Third Test. Jesus said to her, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel."
What would you do if someone should say the blessings of the Lord are not for you? But this woman said:”Lord help me”.

The Fourth Test. Jesus said, "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs." What would we have done? What would you do if someone should call you a dog? Most of us would think this would be enough to give up. But this woman simply said, "Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat the crumbs." That is saying, "I know how unworthy I am; I do not ask for anything but the crumbs." This woman obtained the mercy she sought." Was it worth it? It would have been so easy to let her feelings rob her and her daughter of the healing she desired and needed.

Walk by faith not by feelings
Today with the great faith of this Canaanite woman that she showed, we tell the world that we should walk by faith, not by feelings. What are you walking by? Are you a quitter because you have had your feelings hurt? Are you walking by faith, even though your feelings have been hurt?

Sensitivity
Sensitivity is a wonderful thing. We should be sensitive to the physical and spiritual needs of others. We should be sensitive to our personal needs. It is a wonderful thing to see Christians sensitive to their problems. But sensitivity shouldn’t be misdirected. There are many members of he church that are too sensitive. Many have quit the church because someone hurt their feelings. There are others who still attend, but they are no longer active in the Lord's work because someone hurt their feelings. Are you one of them or you are like this Canaanite woman?

====================================================================

 15 August—Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Readings: Romans 12: 9-15 & Luke 1: 46-55

====================================================================

Saints Of The Week

15th of August is the Solemnity of the Assumption of the
Blessed Virgin Mary.

"My soul magnifies the Lord my spirit exults in God my saviour; for he has looked upon his servant in her lowliness. From now on all generations shall call me blessed, for he who is mighty has done great things for me. (Luke 1:47-49)

On this day we celebrate the fact that Mary was the first human being to be taken to God's Kingdom. The Assumption of Our Lady into heaven is the fruit of the Resurrection and Ascension of her Son.

In this mystery, we can see Our Lady as the symbol and representative of the whole-redeemed human race. In her, we see effected what is God's desire in respect of each of us.

The whole nature, body and soul, Her desires should be perfected and welcomed into the glory of heaven. Mary's life is an example to us. Her holiness lies in her acceptance of God's will. "Thy will be done". Her life was spent with matching these words with deeds. We need to do likewise. Like Mary, we must try to utilize the gifts and graces, which God has bestowed upon us; to completely co-operate with God's will whenever we know it.

Mary's true greatness is to be found in her faith in God. She trusted in God and accepted the message given her by the angel Gabriel, and as well, all the consequences it implied. We pray to Mary, our Heavenly Mother, to intercede for us, so that we too can accept God's Will and place our complete faith and trust in Him. Through the grace of God, then we will, one day, share like Mary, in a place in His Kingdom.

====================================================================

The Maronites and Lebanon (22)
The Ottomans Era (1)

During the years of difficulties, and as a result of the multiple occupations of the Lebanese land many tribes inhabited Lebanon especially the southern part of the mountain which will have enormous influence on Lebanon. some of these tribes are the Maanis and the Shahabis.

In 1516 the Ottomans defeated the Mamluks in Marj Dabiq battle in Aleppo, during this battle, the Maanis (Druze tribe moved to Lebanon around the year 1100) fought alongside with the Ottomans to defeat the Mamluks therefore they won the confidence of the Ottomans and Amir Fakhr ad Din (1516-1544) appointed as the ruler.

At the beginning of their era, the Ottomans did not govern Lebanon directly, consequently, having attained a high degree of maturity, a Druze-Maronite alliance was established lasting for hundreds of years; this prosperous principality would be the base of the modern Lebanese Republic, the Maronites were ready for a new era of renewal. The difference between this period and the preceding centuries was great. It can be considered the age of renaissance of the Maronite.

The Maronites were partners in governing the new principality; often the post of Moudabbir (roughly Prime Minister) and the post of Army Commander were given to a Maronite, usually a Khazen or a Hobeich of Keserwan. During this period (1516-1840), the Maronites started returning to southern Mount Lebanon, where they had lived before they were almost exterminated by the Mamlukes in 1307. Thus, the historic Ke-serwan and all the Druze mountains were repopulated. It was this relation between the Maronites and Druze that helped establish the Lebanese identity.

In 1618 Fakhr ed Eddine II army captured Akkar and Tripoli and removed their stones so as to rebuild Dier al Qamar (Lebanon’s capital city then). Next came the turn of the pasha of Damascus, in the battle of Anjar, 4000 Lebanese (Druze and Maronites) captured the pasha and cut down 12,000 of his men. Lebanon, Syria and Palestine was now under the rule Fakhr-al-din II. Nothing was left for Fakhr, in the words of a biographer of his time, but to declare himself sultan. Fakhr-al-din II preferred the title of 'Emir of Mount Lebanon, Sidon, and Galilee'.


In maintaining their Christian identity. In 1610, the Maronite monks of the Monastery of Saint Anthony of Qozhaya imported one of the first printing presses in what is known as the Arabic-speaking world; however that press was printing in the Syriac language and not Arabic. The monasteries of Lebanon would later become key players in the Arabic Renaissance of the late 19th century as a result of developing Arabic, as well as Syriac, printable script.




Next Sunday: The Ottomans era (2)
The Maronite College of Rome

====================================================================

Links:

Join us on facebook to get notified about the next post:

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

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

=====================================================================