MARCH 1ST 2020 2ND of LENT How My Lent of Love Has Created

MARCH 1ST 2020 2ND OF LENT PARISH DIRECTORY How my Lent of love has created my love of Lent

Bishop Francis Kalabat After years of failing at this season of conversion and sacrifice, I finally cracked Bishop of the Diocese the code … of St. Thomas the Apostle of USA Fr. Sanharib Youkhanna When it comes to Lent, I’m pretty sure I’ve done it all: no sugar, more daily Mass- Rector es, no alcohol, no bread, no cream in my coffee, daily Rosary, cold showers, and Fr. Patrick Setto hair shirt. OK, so maybe not hair shirt but, at one time I thought about it. Parochial Vicar Yes, I admit, I’m a classic over-committer to the idea of Lenten penance. Which is Fr. Emanuel Rayes probably why, for years, my Holy Week would always arrive with the same bitter Retired in residence realization: I was a Lenten failure. Over the 40 days, one by one, I would rational- Linda Arabo ize my Lenten promises away until I was inevitably left with none. And on Easter Office Administrator morning, I made a solemn vow that next year, I’d commit to Lent, be tried and Aiser Shammami Pastoral Associate true, and really celebrate Easter morning. After years of breaking up with Lent mid-season, I finally cracked the code. Lent Office Hours is about love. The love that Jesus Christ has for me and for you. Monday - Friday To really experience Lent, I had to put love into it. 8:00 am - 4:00 pm I realized that Lent wasn’t about what the sacrifice was, but who the sacrifice was for. Saying no to chocolate means something more when you are doing it with the Tel: 248-356-0565 intention of the full healing of your friend’s breast cancer. Likewise, getting up Fax: 248-356-5235 when your alarm rings is exponentially more powerful when your intention for that day is the holiness of your children. (Continued in page 2) يحموملا موملا موهفم ONLINE GIVING Mother of God Parish offers online giving الصوم ظاهرة اجتماعية موجودة منذ العصور القديمة وقبل المسيحية بسنين عديدة، وقد اخذ الصوم عند a web based electronic contribution البعض شكالً طقسياً من طقوس العبادة والديانة، فرضها المجتمع على سلوكياتهم! فمث ًال نجده عند االمم application that is safe and secure. you can الوثنية في مناسبات مختلفة مثل االستعداد للقاء االله بالمعبد، او لتهدئة غضبه، او لدى وفاة شخص قريب. manage contributions online or continue ونجده ايضاً عند اليهود في مناسبات خاصة للتعبير عن المصيبة والحداد، او قبل القيام بعمل كبير او مهمة، having your offering envelopes mailed to او التماساً للشفاء، او لمنع حدوث كارثة. وكانوا اليهود االتقياء يصومون يومين باالسبوع )االثنين والخميس( you. To sign up for online giving please visit كعالمة للتديين والعبادة، وهذا ما نجده في مثل )الفريسي والعشار(. our website at

من الناحية النفسية، الصوم هو رغبة االنسان في قهر الشهوات والرغبات الجسدية التي يميل اليها االنسان بطبيعته الفطرية الغرائزية، اوباندفاع شهواني، فيكون الصوم امام كل تلك المغريات وسيلة لقهرها والتخلص www.OurLadyOfChaldeans.Com من تاثيرها، برغبة واصرار حاسم لمقاومتها، فهنا يكون الصوم قد حقق اهدافه وهي االرادة القوية لدى Stay in touch with your parish on االنسان والقناعة بما لديه او ما يملكه. FACEBOOK والصوم في المسيحية فهو اإلمساك عن الطعام لهدفين: األول من أجل بناء الذات والشخصية، والثاني العالقة Mother of God Chaldean Catholic Church مع هللا ومع االخر )من خالل الصالة والصدقة(، فالصوم ليس فقط موضوع طعام وشراب وإنما هو لتهذيب اإلنسان روحيا وجسديا فهو يطوع جسده له كي يتحكم به وليس العكس! كما ان الصوم يساعدنا في التغلب على تجارب الشيطان كما فعل يسوع في صومه وهذا الشيء واضح من كالمه للتالميذ: عندما ارادوا طرد الشياطين، قال لهم يسوع: هذا“ الجنس ال يخرج اال بالصوم والصالة”. وهناك فكرة أننا في الصوم عندما نمسك عن أطعمة نوفر قيمتها من اجل التبرع بها للفقراء والمحتاجين، مثل ما يفعلون في االديرة والرهبانيات والمعاهد االكليريكية. تاريخياً هناك أنواع عديدة من الصيام، منها: صوم األربعاء والجمعة على مدار السنة، والصوم األربعيني المقدس حيث نصوم فيه خمسين يوما قبل عيد القيامة، وصوم الميالد وهو قبل عيد الميالد وهناك صوم السيدة العذراء قبل رقاد السيدة العذراء وصوم الرسل الذي هو بعد أحد جميع القديسين بعد العنصرة إلى عيد الرسل… الخ. )لاتت ةمففملا يهةم2(

1 Mother of God Church | 25585 Berg Road, Southfield, MI 48033 |

THE GOOD NEWS

Continued from page (1) This connection between sacrifice and love, directed outward, always perfected by loving others, is exemplified and preached again and again by the great saints of our Church. St. Gianna Molla said perfectly, “Love and sacrifice are closely linked, like the sun and the light. We cannot love without suffering and we cannot suffer without love.” Or St. Maximilian Kolbe, who gave his life in Auschwitz for another prisoner, “Let us remember that love lives through sacrifice and is nourished by giving. Without sacrifice, there is no love.” And maybe the most beautiful sentiment of them all is when Jesus, Himself, said to St. Faustina, “A single act of pure love pleases me more than a thousand imperfect prayers.” Lent, to me, has now become the most moving and prayerful part of my year. It can be yours, too. Here’s what I do: I write down 40 names and assign each day of Lent to one person on the list. Then, each day of the season, I offer whatever sacrifices I can for that person. I pray for them and I fast for them. Sometimes I let the person know it’s their day and sometimes I don’t. It’s my Lent of love that has created my love of Lent. And it can for you too. Be assured of my prayers for you this lent, dear reader, I’ll be remembering you and your intentions on Day 32.

By: Maria Garabis Davis

لاتت ةم نملا يهةم)1( لشكالملا موملا موهف: -1صوم فردي: أن يصوم اإلنسان لهدف معين مثل التوبة او لتحقيق طلب معين. يقول الرب يسوع: “وأما أنت فمتى صمت فادهن راسك واغسل وجهك. لكي ال تظهر للناس صائما بل ألبيك الذي في الخفاء، فأبوك الذي يرى في الخفاء يجازيك عالنية.” )متى 6: -16 11(. -2صوم جماعي: هو صوم جماعة المؤمنين ألجل مشكلة او ضيقة تقع عليهم ..”اعلموا أن الرب يستجيب لصلواتكم إن واظبتم على الصوم والصلوات أمامه” )يهوديت 4 : 12(. -3صوم كنسي: تحدده الكنيسة، مثل صوم الميالد، صوم نينوى، والصوم الكبير … الخ. لنملعملا مو لا موهف : -1صوم الفـم: هو االنقطاع عن الطعام والشراب لمدة معينة من النهار. -2صوم الحواس: أي ضبط اللسان والعينين واألذنين واليدين واالنف من الخطيئة. -3صوم الفكـر: هو تنقية الفكر وتقديس المشاعر واألفكار وكذلك التفكير باألخرين. -4صوم القلب: أي نقاوة القلب من كل شيء شرير وقهر الشهوات الدنسة. الصوم بشكل عام يكون مرتبط بالصالة والصدقة: يقول اشعيا النبي: ” اكسر للجائع خبزك….، وإذا رأيت عريانا عليك أن تكسوه، وأن ال تتغاضى عن لحمك )أقاربك(” )أش81: 7(. اما القديس اغسطينوس فيقول: “أتريد أن تصعد صالتك للسماء فامنحها جناحين وهما الصوم والصدقة”. بركاتملا مو اإلنمان: -1تقوية اإلرادة: فهو تدريب لتقوية اإلرادة في حياة اإلنسان وكبح جماح الجسد: ” أذللت بالصوم نفسي” )مز38: 13(. والصوم اكبر تدريب على قمع الشهوات الجسدية وتهذيب للميول المنحرفة “اقمع جسدي واستعبده” )1كو9: 27(. -2اكتساب الفضائل: الصوم يصفي األركان الضعيفة في اإلنسان: تصفية الشهوات، تصفية الكسل والفتور، تصفية البغض والكراهية… الخ. “لكي تخبروا بفضائل الذي دعاكم من الظلمة الى نوره العجيب.” )1بط 2 : 9(. -3رحمة ومعونة هللا: الصوم يخلص من الضيقات والتجارب ويجلب المعونة اإللهية، لقد استدرك شعب نينوى بصومه وتوبته رحمة هللا فرحمهم )سفر يونان(. خاطرملا مو: .1أن يصير الصوم عالقة تجارية مع هللا )شيء مقابل شيء(. .2أن يضعف الصوم الجسد فال يعود قادراً على الصالة واالنتباه. .3أن يفقد الصوم معناه ويبقى مجرد التمسك بالشكليات والتقاليد! .4ان يكون ألجل اغراض الريجيم او ألجل اعطاء جمالية اكثر للجسم. .8عندما ال يقترن الصوم بالصدقة والمحبة والتسامح واكيد الصالة. ولهذا يجب ان يكون هدف الصوم الحقيقي هو تهذيب ذاتنا وتقوية عالقتنا ومحبتنا هلل والقريب. فالصوم الخالي من العالقة الحقيقية مع هللا ال يعد صوما ألنه سيقتصر على اإلنسان والطعام. فليكن صومنا حقيقياً وصالتنا قلبياً ومساعدتنا مجانياً. كتبهملا طرلنمباسولومسميلدو

PARISH SCHEDULE AND WEEKLY INFORMATION

LITURGICAL SCHEDULE BAPTISM: We celebrate Baptism at 2:00 pm on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month. Please call Saturday Vigil Mass the parish office at least two weeks in advance to 4:00 PM English see if a date is available. Sunday Masses عربف/AM Arabic 8:30 ANOINTING OF THE SICK: Please call the 10:00AM English parish office to make arrangements for Anointing 11:30 AM Morning Prayer سمرث/or to receive the Eucharist. 12:00 PM Chaldean 7:00 PM English MARRIAGE: Please schedule at least six months before you plan to be married and before Weekday Masses you make arrangements for the reception, please 8:00 AM English at ECRC call the parish office to make an appointment with 9:30 AM Morning Prayer سمرث/the priest to begin the necessary preparations. 10:00 AM Chaldean

Wednesday 11:00 AM-6:00 PM Adoration 6:00 PM English Mass

 NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING CLASSES Confession First and third Wednesday of every even month 5-6 pm Wednesday 6-7 pm Sunday from 7:30 - 9:30 pm. (or by appointment)  MARRIAGE CLASSES Adorations First four Thursdays of every even month St. Joseph Adoration Chapel from 7:00-10:00 pm For more open 24 hour, Code: 2533#

information please visit:

www.ecrc.us/marriage-prep

FINANCIAL STATUS Sunday Goal: $8,000 Sunday Collection (February 23): $9093 Over/(Under): $93

Monthly Online Donation Goal: $4,000

YOU CAN LISTEN TO OUR CHALDEAN PARISHES Monthly Online Collection (Jan): $3,047 SUNDAY HOMILIES BY DOWNLOADING PODCASTS Over/(Under): $(953) APP ON YOUR PHONES AND SUBSCRIBING TO ST. THOMAS CHALDEAN DIOCESE *Sign up for online donation at www.OurLadyOfChaldeans.Com

KIDS CORNER

2nd of Lent

KIDS CORNER

THE GOOD NEWS

Saint Agnes of Bohemia Feast day: March 2 Agnes had no children of her own but was certainly life-giving for all who knew her.

Agnes was the daughter of Queen Constance and King Ottokar I of Bohemia. She was betrothed to the Duke of Silesia, who died three years later. As she grew up, she decided she wanted to enter the religious life.

After declining marriages to King Henry VII of Germany and King Henry III of England, Agnes was faced with a proposal from Frederick II, the Holy Roman Emperor. She appealed to Pope Gregory IX for help. The pope was persuasive; Frederick magnanimously said that he could not be offended if Agnes preferred the King of Heaven to him.

After Agnes built a hospital for the poor and a residence for the friars, she financed the construction of a Poor Clare monastery in Prague. In 1236, she and seven other noblewomen entered this monastery. Saint Clare sent five sisters from San Damiano to join them, and wrote Agnes four letters ad- vising her on the beauty of her vocation and her duties as abbess.

Agnes became known for prayer, obedience and mortification. Papal pressure forced her to accept her election as abbess, nevertheless, the title she preferred was “senior sister.” Her position did not prevent her from cooking for the other sisters and mending the clothes of lepers. The sisters found her kind but very strict regarding the observance of poverty; she declined her royal brother’s offer to set up an endowment for the monastery.

Devotion to Agnes arose soon after her death on March 6, 1282. She was canonized in 1989.

Reflection

Agnes spent at least 45 years in a Poor Clare monastery. Such a life requires a great deal of pa- tience and charity. The tempta- tion to selfishness certainly did- n’t vanish when Agnes walked into the monastery. It is perhaps easy for us to think that clois- tered nuns “have it made” regarding holiness. Their route is the same as ours: gradual ex- change of our standards— inclinations to selfishness—for God’s standard of generosity.

THE CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH PART TWO: THE CELEBRATION OF 1477 "This treasury THE CHRISTIAN MYSTERY includes as well the prayers and good works of the  SECTION TWO THE SEVEN Blessed Virgin Mary. They SACRAMENTS OF THE CHURCH are truly immense,  CHAPTER TWO THE unfathomable, and even SACRAMENTS OF HEALING pristine in their value  Article 4 THE SACRAMENT OF before God. In the treasury, PENANCE AND RECONCILIATION too, are the prayers and  X. Indulgences good works of all the saints, all those who have 1477 "This treasury includes as well the prayers followed in the footsteps of and good works of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Christ the Lord and by his They are truly immense, unfathomable, and grace have made their lives even pristine in their value before God. In the holy and carried out the treasury, too, are the prayers and good works of mission the Father entrusted to them. In this all the saints, all those who have followed in way they attained their own salvation and at the the footsteps of Christ the Lord and by his same time cooperated in saving their brothers in grace have made their lives holy and carried out the unity of the Mystical Body."88 the mission the Father entrusted to them. In this way they attained their own salvation and at the Obtaining indulgence from God through the same time cooperated in saving their brothers in Church the unity of the Mystical Body."88 1471 An indulgence is obtained through the Obtaining indulgence from God through the Church who, by virtue of the power of binding Church and loosing granted her by Christ Jesus, intervenes in favor of individual Christians and 1471 An indulgence is obtained through the opens for them the treasury of the merits of Church who, by virtue of the power of binding Christ and the saints to obtain from the Father and loosing granted her by Christ Jesus, of mercies the remission of the temporal intervenes in favor of individual Christians and punishments due for their sins. Thus the Church opens for them the treasury of the merits of does not want simply to come to the aid of Christ and the saints to obtain from the Father these Christians, but also to spur them to works of mercies the remission of the temporal of devotion, penance, and charity.89 punishments due for their sins. Thus the Church does not want simply to come to the aid of 1479 Since the faithful departed now being these Christians, but also to spur them to works purified are also members of the same of devotion, penance, and charity.89 communion of saints, one way we can help them is to obtain indulgences for them, so that 1479 Since the faithful departed now being the temporal punishments due for their sins purified are also members of the same may be remitted. communion of saints, one way we can help them is to obtain indulgences for them, so that the temporal punishments due for their sins may be remitted.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Throughout Lent, Mother of God Church will have the Stations of the Cross on Fridays: in Arabic at 11:15 AM followed by mass at 12:00 PM, in Chaldean and Arabic at 5 pm followed by Mass at 6 pm, and in English at 7 pm, directly followed by reflections with Bishop Francis.

Join us in Mother of God church hall for dinner and socializing. Every Friday, during the Lenten Season after the reflections with Bishop Francis. The cost is $5 per person.

Fr. Patrick’s program, Burning Hearts: Lives of the Saints will continue every Thursday. This week, on Thursday, March 5th, the lecture will be about the life of Saint Maxilliaim Kolby at 7 PM in the church hall.

Following the footsteps of St. John Paul II, Fr. Pierre Konja is organizing a trip to Poland & Prague. Travel dates are April 13-23, 2020, the cost is $3,500. For reservation please call Nada Vostmyer at 310-689-5420

This summer, thousands of teens will attend the Steubenville Youth Conferences to encounter God and be Restored. ECRC is taking 2 separate groups on one of the two-weekend options in June at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio. The cost is $350, all-inclusive. The trip is open to all current high school teens and 8th graders who will begin high school Fall of 2020. To register or for more information, please contact ECRC or visit ecrc.us.

“Honor the LORD with your wealth, with first fruits of all your produce” Proverbs 3:9

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