Maronite Young Adults attend FOCUS

Sister Therese Maria, Maronite Servant, attending the FOCUS Conference in Chicago.  Sister has tracked down four fellow Maronites.  Here is an interview with Leah Boustany from
St. Elias in Birmingham.  Leah explains her mission in the FOCUS program.

Thoughts for the Start of a New Year

The following homily was given by Fr. Herbert Nicholls, Chaplain at the Mother of the Light Convent and priest of the Diocese of Fall River, on January 1st.

Today the secular world is celebrating the birth of a new year or recovering from last night’s celebration of New Year’s Eve. I guess it goes back to the worship of the Roman god, Janus, the god with two faces, one looking forward and one looking back.

But the Baby whom we honor today does not have a fancy ribbon numbered 2018. Yes indeed, we find a Baby born more than 2000 years ago, yet as we celebrate the octave of His birth, He is a baby who knows no age and no date.

Today, we feel with Him, the pain of the Rabbi’s knife, pain which this child, this man would feel for the rest of His earthly life. This Baby is called by many, the Prince of Peace.

In 1966, Pope Paul VI asked for a World Day of Prayer for Peace on this first day of the New Year. Not the kind of peace that the world gives, not a political peace, a fragile peace that shrivels and disintegrates, rather the peace that only God can give.

If His word is true, if He is God as we profess, it calls for us to shoulder the awesome responsibilities of the world for the next generations to come. This quest for peace is a powerful challenge for the world today and tomorrow, especially for our youth and young adults.

Peace is the primary challenge to the youth of today. When we speak of young people today, it must be in the context of the whole of society. Today we must begin to recognize that every human being is a child of God, to develop a sense of solidarity as brothers and sisters, rejecting every form of prejudice and injustice, no matter what the label.

Peace is rooted in love and justice, patience and kindness, goodness and faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Without these virtues we are not able to respect one another as persons, as a mirror image of the One True God. We must develop a respect for life in all institutions.

We must hold true to this dignity, even in those who have wronged us. Sensitivity of our youth to the problems of peace and disarmament clearly demonstrate the need for involvement in the formation of public policy. Young people are the first to volunteer to take up arms in order to set out a path of peace. But taking up arms must always be a last alternative.

We must inculcate in our young men and women the reality of the whole. We are not factions. We are one Body, one family in Christ. Wether we agree with these teachings of Pope Paul VI, and reiterated by our present Pope Francis, few would deny that they are holy men, men of faith and conviction, and vision for the now and the future.

In the Maronite Tradition, we celebrate today the feasts of Sts. Basil and Gregory, two saints who were great teachers not only in their own time but for all time.

They were brought together by an intense desire which each felt to know as much about God as possible. This knowledge which they sought was not a theoretical understanding of God, but a practical one which effects every human life. For both of them faith was not only preached but lived.

The Office of Readings for this feast in the Roman Rite recounts a reflection from the memoris of St. Gregory: The friendship which brought Basil and I together was as two streams coming together to form a mighty river, which leads to Christ…our single object and ambition was virtue; and a life of hope in things that are to come…our great pursuit, our focus of attention was to be found worthy of being called a Christian!

Each of us has a handful of trustworthy, lasting friends. At the start of this new year we have the opportunity to thank God for those whom He has sent to us along our journey. Such friends are true gifts and wonderful anointing which encourage us to draw others into the community of God’s believers in order to strengthen one another in life, perhaps particularly when the pain of the knife draws blood and tears.

God Became Man

God Became Man

 by Sr. Natalie Sayde Salameh

God became man,

a concept that baffles the mind.

God became man,

a light to the blind.

God became man,

could this possibly be?

God became man,

Yes, to set man free.

God became man,

because His essence is Love.

God became man,

to shower mercy from above.

God became man,

the Almighty, a child.

God became man,

so meek and so mild.

God became man,

on a cold winter’s night.

God became man,

and tyranny took flight.

God became man,

to show man the way.

God became man,

to keep sin at bay.

God became man,

so that we could approach.

God became man,

not to condemn or reproach.

God became man,

so that we could have life.

God became man,

so that we have a friend in strife.

God became man,

a sign of contradiction.

God became man,

this is no work of fiction.

God became man,

because His love is true.

God became man,

to make all things new.

God became man,

born today in a cave.

God became man,

to liberate and save.

God became man,

how can we overlook such love?

God became man,

let us echo the ‘gloria’ that came from above.

God became man,

the eagle born of a gentle dove,

God became man,

so let’s give love for love.

Feast of St.Nicholas

The following Homily was given by Fr. Herbert Nicholls on December 6th at the Mother of the Light Convent

This very popular saint whom we honor today has been patronized through the centuries on altars and in churches recognizing him as one who enjoys the presence of God. It is believed that he was born in the town of Myra in Lycia, which is now part of Muslim Turkey. He was well brought up by his parents and trod piously in their footsteps. At a very young age, he expressed interest in the teachings of the Church. Upon his parents’ death, he was left with a hefty inheritance which he determined to devote to works of charity.

 

Real face of Saint Nicholas 2014 Reconstruction

An opportunity arose when an impoverished father was unable to support his three daughters or find suitable husbands because of their poverty. In desperation he was going to hand them over to prostitution. Whether this story is fact there is a lesson which tells us that Nicholas, under the cover of darkness, threw three bags of gold through the window as dowries for the girls to attract husbands.

Perhaps today we might snicker not merely at the legend, but at the generosity of this humble old bishop. And perhaps that is why Pope John Paul II told us that a healthy church must learn to breathe with both lungs: east and west. While we concentrate on the natural generosity, the east concentrates on the gift of Mary and humility.

In the Roman Liturgy for today, we read from the Gospel of St. Mark (18:1-4). This is the pericope in which the Apostles ask: Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? One might think that Jesus would say: Well you are! You have given up everything to follow me. But Jesus did not say that. Instead he lifted up a little child saying: Whoever embraces a little child such as this is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

At the Annunciation, Mary, though confused humbly embraces the will of God. She gives birth to Jesus who is the Christ. She is not only Christotokos, she is Theotokos. The one whom she lifts up is not only human but Son of God.

At the age of 12, Jesus is taken to Jerusalem. Her adolescent son whom she lifted up has disappeared and when found, He fills her with confusion and fear. His answer seemingly impolite and out of place is nonetheless accompanied by a return to love and obedience.

Twenty years later this grieving mother stands humbly beneath the Cross as His scourged body is lifted up. She weeps humbly beneath the Cross as He is taken down, placed in her arms in one final embrace.

The Archbishop in his homily continued describing the first Ecumenical Council at Nicaea where a priest, Arius, promulgated erroneous teaching that all things material/spiritual were mutually opposed. Natural things are by nature totally evil and spiritual things are of the only essence. When asked about the Incarnation, Arius denied its possibility.

According to Byzantine legend, Nicholas proceeded to slap Arius across the face for the sin of blasphemy. The homilist continued: all the other bishops in shock, sat there very politically correct saying nothing.

The next morning however, they proceed to deliberate a vote which approved the “one person” and “two natures of Christ”. The Council, inspired by Nicholas, representing what was then still an undivided Church. Nether east nor west but one, gave to us devotion to Mary as Theotokos – Mother of God.

The universal appeal of Nicholas is one of childlike simplicity. It is not about words but about deeds. No even more than deeds, it is about recognizing who we are – sons and daughters of God.

The spirit of the season, like that of St. Nicholas must be an attitude of grateful receivers and generous givers in forming loving relationships with one another. Are these attitudes not worth much more than 3 bags of gold?