Volume 16 | Issue 5 | October 2019 Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi OCTOBER 4 Maronite BISHOP’S MESSAGE “Lord, to whom can we go? You have 4 the words of eternal life.” (JOHN 6:68) by Bishop A. Elias Zaidan SCHEDULES Bishop A. Elias Zaidan 6 Bishop Gregory J. Mansour Saint Francis of Assisi Mary the Evangelist 8 by Fr. David A. Fisher The Cross in the Light of Jesus Christ: 12 Theology of the Cross in the Maronite Book of Offering by Fr. Armando Elkhoury, ThD Deacon Ordination 14 WORKER IN THE VINEYARD Cathy George 16 Glen Allen, VA by Suzanne Tavani Mary, Mother of A. Fisher The cover is the oldest existing depiction of Saint Francis, a fresco (painted 1228-1129) near the entrance of the Benedictine abbey of Subiaco. 2 | THE MARONITE VOICE THE MARONITE VOICE A bi-monthly publication of Saint Maron Publications under the auspices of the Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn and Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles. ISSN 1080-9880 Publishers Most Reverend Gregory John Mansour Most Reverend A. Elias Zaidan Editor LIVING CHURCH Chorbishop John D. Faris St. Joseph Church Centennial Celebration Social Media Editor Rev. Elias Khalil 18 Olean, New York by Fr. Anthony Salim Antoinette Zeina Managing Editor Rev. Aaron Sandbothe Annual October 2018 Art and Design Director Ms. Glory Rasi New Abbot Elected Fr. Gary Geo rge.20 Production Coordinator Subdeacon Michael Maynes The Rosary — The Luminous Mysteries Parish News Editors Dr. Mabel George Howard 22 by Fr. Gary Georgehem Today (Eparchy of Saint Maron) [email protected] Rev. Pierre Bassil Working at the Car Wash — Yeah! (Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon) [email protected] 23 by Christian Hbaiter – Seminarian for the Eparchy of St. Maron- em Today Feature Writers Suzanne Tavani Antoinette Zeina Parish News 24 • In order to be considered for publication, all submissions must be in electronic format and signed by Seminary News Fr. Gary Geo the author with contact information. rge.25e Images must be of high resolution and quality (minimal 300 dpi, jpg format). • Subscription rates are $25.00/year. GOING DEEPER INTO THE SPIRITUAL LIFE … • Paid Advertising Eucharist: Source and Summit of the $150 – Quarter page full color $250 – Half page full color 34 Christian Life $400 – Full page full color by Bishop Gregory J. Mansour Additional discounts for six editions (one year). All ads must be submitted electronically. From the Editor High resolution jpg or PDF with 35 embedded fonts required. No bleeds. Contact [email protected] Contact Us Phone: 804.762.4301 Email: [email protected] Mailing Address: 4611 Sadler Road Glen Allen, VA 23060 Office Hours Monday – Wednesday – Friday 9 am – 4 pm Printed in Richmond, Virginia OCTOBER 2019 | 3 “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life.” (JOHN 6:68) by Bishop A. Elias Zaidan n the sixth chapter of the answered for them saying, “Lord, exposed is understandable and I, Gospel of John, Jesus is teaching to whom can we go? You have the too, share this abhorrence along his disciples about the words of eternal life.” with many of you. It has weighed Eucharist—the eating of heavy on my mind and heart as his Flesh and drinking The last twenty years well. of his Blood. Some have been difficult for of his followers the Church and for In the passage I cited at the complained that us who make up the beginning of this article, the it was a “hard Body of Christ which faith of the disciples of Jesus was teaching” and is His Church. We shaken over his claim that his walked away have had to deal with Body is true food and that his from the Lord. scandal and shame for Blood is true drink. Jesus was Jesus turned the sins and crimes speaking of eating His Body and to his Twelve of some of the clergy Blood. Today, we may fail to see Apostles and over many years. We just how difficult a teaching this asked them, have witnessed the was for Jesus’ followers because “Do you also public humiliation most of us have been raised in the wish to go of cardinals and Faith and this belief has been part away?” Peter bishops, priests and of our lives for many years. But deacons. The faith of my purpose in using this Gospel some of us has been passage is not to comment on challenged and some the Holy Eucharist, but to reflect have turned their with you on St. Peter’s response backs on the Church. to Jesus’ question, “Do you also I am sure you wish to go away?” know people who have rejected the I find comfort in the answer Church just for given by St. Peter, “Lord, to this reason. whom can we go?” This response Righteous is as relevant today as it was indignation almost 2,000 years ago. Difficult at what times requires difficult decisions has been and difficult choices. We are 4 | THE MARONITE VOICE living through difficult times and members of the Church can be the Son of the God. This is not our faith is being challenged by saved, but it is to say that all that the time to walk away from the many events. The full impact of is necessary for our salvation is Church. It is a time to become all of this is yet to be seen. But we found in the Church that Christ more serious about our faith, to must hold on to our faith. St. Padre founded. be more reverent towards and Pio of Pietrelcina is often quoted more observant of our liturgical as saying, “The most beautiful St. Peter is absolutely correct, life, our prayer life and of our act of faith is the one made in “You have the words of eternal love for others. It is time to get darkness, in sacrifice and with life.” The Church, founded by involved, to help, to walk the extreme effort.” An “act of faith” is Christ, is the guarantor of the journey of holiness, to reach out about making a decision. Faith is truth of these words. In our to others and invite them back to not about how we may feel on any Divine Liturgy for the Dedication the Church. given day, but about choosing to and Consecration of the Church believe and choosing to trust. Sunday (at the start of our new In his first Epistle, the Apostle Church year in November), we Peter tells us, “…sanctify Christ The truth is that Jesus does have say that Jesus “built the Church as Lord in your hearts, always the words of eternal life and to be an invincible and secure being ready to make a defense to these words found in the Gospel fortress and a tower of salvation.” everyone who asks you to give of St. John have been preserved (Hoosoyo). As sinful human an account for the hope that is and handed down to us through beings—of whatever rank or in you, yet with gentleness and the Church. The Church does station in life—we falter, we fall, reverence.” (1 Peter 3:15) That not belong to any one of us. It is we fail. The Church does not. is one more thing that you can truly the Lord’s Church. We, the do. You can always be ready to members of Christ’s Church, are As a Bishop of the Church, one explain your faith to others; to certainly sinners who often fail of my tasks is to encourage the be ready to share your faith with to live up to our call to holiness, faithful and help all of you to others—especially within your but the Church, who is also the “stay the course” and not to own families. “Bride of Christ”, continues to be become discouraged, alienated or the channel of divine grace and estranged from the “Rock” that So, as we are about to start a new eternal life for us. The Catechism is the Church. As the Catechism Church Year, I ask you to renew of the Catholic Church teaches teaches us, the Church is truly your faith in the words of Jesus, us that “all salvation comes from the channel of our salvation. to renew your commitment to Christ the Head through the There is no other place to go. His Holy and Apostolic Church Church which is His Body.” (n. This special gift given to the and support one another in 846) In other words, without the Church is not dependent on our Holy Faith. May God guide Church there is no salvation. That the goodness or holiness of any us and accompany us in this is not to say, of course, that only individual, but on the holiness of journey. OCTOBER 2019 | 5 Schedule Bishop A. Elias Zaidan 18-20 October North Jackson, OH | Our Lady of Lebanon Shrine | Inter-Eparchial Deacon and Subdeacon Retreat 21-31 October Personal Time 2-3 November Austin, TX | Our Lady’s Church | Capital Campaign Visit 9-10 November Birmingham, AL | St. Elias Church | Capital Campaign Visit 11-14 November Baltimore, MD | USCCB Meetings 15-16 November St. Louis, MO | The Chancery | Eparchial Pastoral and Stewardship Council Meetings 17 November St. Louis, MO | St. Raymond Cathedral | 25th Eparchial Anniversary 18-19 November St. Louis, MO | The Chancery | Presbyteral Council Meetings 22-24 November Fairlawn, OH | Our Lady of the Cedars of Mount Lebanon Church | Capital Campaign Visit 30 Nov – 1 Dec Birmingham, AL | St. Elias Church | Diaconal Ordination of Subdeacons Mark Ferris and James Wehby 6-8 December Las Vegas, NV | St.