Joseph, Mary and Jesus: the First Christian Refugees Maronite
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Volume 16 | Issue 6 | December 2019 Joseph, Mary and Jesus: the First Christian Refugees Maronite BISHOP’S MESSAGE Christmas: The Symphony of God’s 4 Great Love for Us by Bishop Gregory J. Mansour SCHEDULES Bishop Gregory J. Mansour 6 Bishop A. Elias Zaidan We Are Never Without Hope 8 by Fr. David A. Fisher National Maronite Young Adult 12 Conference, San Antonio, Texas by Maya Khoury Joseph, Mary and Jesus: The First Christian Refugees When the Magi came in search of Jesus, whom they identified as the King of the Jews, Herod the Great became threatened that this child would take his throne. Herod was afraid that the newborn child would take his throne and initiated the Massacre of the Innocents with the intention of killing the child. However, an angel had already appeared to Joseph in a dream and warned him to take the baby and his mother from Bethlehem and seek refuge in Egypt. Egypt was a logical place for them: It was part of the Roman Empire, but beyond the control of Herod. The cover is a 1923 painting Flight Into Egypt, The entrance to the crypt of Saints Sergius and Bacchus Coptic Church in by Henry Ossawa Tanner. Cairo where Mary, Joseph and the infant Jesus are said to have rested. The crypt is 30 feet deep and, when Nile levels are high, is often flooded. 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 Ordinations 14 Editor Chorbishop John D. Faris WORKER IN THE VINEYARD Social Media Editor Rev. Elias Khalil Abbot Patrick, Maronite Managing Editor 18 Monasticism in Massachusetts Rev. Aaron Sandbothe LIVING CHURCH Art and Design Director Ms. Glory Rasi Saint Sharbel Church | Portland, Oregon Production Coordinator 20 by Antoinette Zeina Subdeacon Michael Maynes Parish News Editors Maronite Academy Regional Reunion Dr. Mabel George Howard 23 in Washington by Maya Khoury (Eparchy of Saint Maron) [email protected] Rev. Pierre Bassil Making Saints: The Process of (Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon) 24 Canonization in the Catholic Church [email protected] by Prof. Fr. Cherian Thunduparampil, CMI Feature Writers Brandon Shulleeta Antoinette Zeina Mother Isabelle Abdullah El-Khoury • In order to be considered for 26 by General Secretariat of the Antonine Sisters Our Lady of Graces publication, all submissions must be Convent - Generalate Roumieh El-Metn in electronic format and signed by the author with contact information. Images must be of high resolution and 28 Parish News quality (minimal 300 dpi, jpg format). • Subscription rates are $25.00/year. Reflection on Visit to the Holy Land • Paid Advertising 35 by St. Therese Maria, MSCL $150 – Quarter page full color $250 – Half page full color $400 – Full page full color Additional discounts for six editions GOING DEEPER INTO THE SPIRITUAL LIFE… (one year). All ads must be submitted electronically. The Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist High resolution jpg or PDF with 36 by Anne Borik, M.D. embedded fonts required. No bleeds. Contact [email protected] From the Editor Contact Us 39 Phone: 804.346.1160 Email: [email protected] Mailing Address: 4611 Sadler Road Glen Allen, VA 23060 Office Hours Monday – Friday | 9 am – 1 pm Printed in Richmond, Virginia December 2019 | 3 Christmas: The Symphony of God’s Great Love for Us by Bishop Gregory John Mansour hat we truly believe about It is no wonder that these tried and If God wanted to reach out to his the Incarnation and what true doctrines are hard to believe. creation, he could have surely sent we truly believe about the Nonetheless, by believing firmly messengers, it would have been much Eucharist are not, in fact, easy to in these truths, which have come easier. However, why God became believe. As for the Incarnation, we down to us since Christ Jesus and his man is at the heart of his own way; Wbelieve that God, in all his grandeur, apostles, we may understand more he did not choose the easy way to entered our world and became a little fully the interior, the intention, the communicate with us, but the hard, child (John 1). As for the Eucharist, ways of God. enduring and most endearing way: we believe that Jesus, at the Last “The Word was made flesh and Supper, took bread and wine and said Some people, Christian and non- dwelt among us” (John 1). This to his disciples “this is my body”, “this Christian alike, believe that God is communion with us, even to the is my blood”. He said that these are all-powerful, yet they don’t believe point of sharing with us in “all things not symbols, not signs, but his real that he became a child. Why? Perhaps but sin” (Hebrews 9), has made all and true Body and Blood. He said this because we can’t imagine why an all- the difference. clearly, even though it was hard for powerful God would want to do such some disciples to believe (John 6). a thing. 4 | THE MARONITE VOICE “… why God became man is at the heart of his own way; he did not choose the easy way to communicate with us, but the hard, enduring and most endearing way: ‘The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us’ (JOHN 1).” The Incarnation helps us understand Nonetheless, dear brothers and that in Christ Jesus, the beloved sisters, like written music on a page Son of God, we encounter the same which is lifeless unless someone self-giving of the Father, and even conducts and someone plays, so too to the point of sharing with us the is God’s great love for us, lifeless shame and sorrow of the Cross. Saint until we conduct, sing, and play this Paul writes: “Though he was in the symphony with our own lives. form of God, he did not regard his equality with God as something to be God’s self-giving becomes our own grasped. Rather he emptied himself, when we live and love as he does: in taking the form of a slave, coming in marriage, vocation, friendship, and human likeness; and found in human fellowship with others. appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even May God this Christmas time invite death on a Cross” (Phillipians 2). us once again to celebrate his great love, may we experience it ourselves, If we believe that God is all- and, of course, may we share it with powerful, why would he do such the world. a thing? Perhaps this was the only means available to show us his great Merry Christmas! sacrificial love. The Incarnation and the Eucharist are thus two movements + Bishop Gregory Mansour in the same symphony of God’s great love. The third movement is the Cross, the fourth his resurrection, and the fifth his sending of the Holy Spirit to guide his Church. DECEMBER 2019 | 5 Schedule Bishop Gregory J. Mansour 13-15 December Torrington, CT | MYO Retreat and Parish Visit 18 December Wilkes-Barre, PA | St. Anthony-St. George Church | Pastoral Visit 19 December Livingston Manor, NY | Sisters of Bethlehem | Visit 22 December New Brunswick, NJ | Morning Divine Liturgy New York, NY | Manhattan Mission | 5pm Divine Liturgy 24 December Danbury, CT | St. Anthony Church | Vigil Liturgy of Christmas 24-25 December Brooklyn, NY | Our Lady of Lebanon Cathedral | Christmas Evening and Day Liturgies 27 December Miami, FL | Our Lady of Lebanon Church | Pastoral and Family Visit 5 January Brooklyn, NY | Our Lady of Lebanon Cathedral 6-12 January Silent Retreat 18-20 January Los Angeles, CA | Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon-St. Peter Cathedral | 25th Eparchial Anniversary 23-26 January Washington, DC | Seminary Visit | March for Life | MYA Gathering | Pastoral Visit 8 February Fayetteville, NC | St. Michael the Archangel Church | Diaconal Ordination of Charles VanHeusen 9 February Brooklyn, NY | Our Lady of Lebanon Cathedral | Feast of St. Maron BISHOP GREGORY AND BISHOP ELIAS WISH YOU A HAPPY AND BLESSED CHRISTMAS SEASON As we prepare for the coming of Christ in our hearts and in the world, consider giving a gift to your Eparchy this Christmas. Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon www.stmaron.org/donate www.eparchy.org 6 | THE MARONITE VOICE Schedule Bishop A. Elias Zaidan 13-15 December Dayton, OH | St. Ignatius of Antioch Church | Pastoral Visit and Consecration of New Church 23 December St. Louis, MO | Meeting with Archbishop Robert Carlson 25 December Los Angeles, CA | Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon-St. Peter Cathedral | Christmas Liturgies 1 January Happy New Year! 10-12 January Cleveland, OH | St. Maron Church | Pastoral Visit 13-17 January Phoenix, AZ | Annual Clergy Retreat 19 January Los Angeles, CA | Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon-St. Peter Cathedral | 25th Eparchial Anniversary 23-27 January Houston, TX | Our Lady of the Cedars Church | Capital Campaign Visit 31 Jan- 2 Feb San Antonio, TX | St. George Church | Capital Campaign Visit 7-9 February Minneapolis, MN | St. Maron Church | St. Paul, MN | Holy Family Church | Pastoral Visit 15-16 February Lewisville, TX | Our Lady of Lebanon Church | Capital Campaign Visit APPOINTMENTS • Chorbishop Michael Kail, Pastor of St. Maron Maronite Church in Youngstown, Ohio, is Eparchy of Our granted retirement status, effective December 31, 2019. Lady Of Lebanon • Rev. Elias Yazbeck has been assigned as the Administrator of St. Maron Church in Cleveland, Of Los Angeles OH effective October 1, 2019 Most Reverend A.