By Natalie
Salameh
The Sodality of
the Blessed Mother of St. George Maronite Church attended a Day of Recollection
at the Mother of Light Convent on Saturday, October 18th 2014 hosted
by the Maronite Servants. The theme focused
Our Lady’s place, role and influence in our Maronite tradition, with emphasis
on the rosary.
Mother Marla
Marie explained to the ladies that our Maronite tradition has always reserved a
special place of honor for the Blessed Virgin. Indeed, all over Lebanon, this
prominence given to the Blessed Virgin can be seen in the large number of
shrines built in Mary’s honor. The Maronite heart is, after all, a Marian
heart. The Maronite Liturgy has many
references to the Blessed Virgin. In the Liturgy, as well as the Divine Office,
the commemoration of the Blessed Virgin is frequent.
With a focus on
the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary, Mother Marla Marie gave the ladies plenty
of food for reflection as she took each Mystery and explained its central
spiritual themes. This proved to be a beautiful segway into the morning’s
Adoration Hour.
Sr. Therese
Maria led the ladies in a lectio divina (divine reading) of the scripture
passage of the Visitation. We commemorate Our Lady’s visit to her cousin St.
Elizabeth soon in our Maronite Liturgical Season of Announcements. Sr. Therese
Maria walked the ladies through each of the steps of lectio divina, and
encouraged them to meditate on how the passage could apply to their own lives
with thought-provoking questions.