One Father, One Family
Dear Parishioners,
There are two strong spiritual points among quite a few that I took from the Patriarch during His Beatitude's visit to Australia that are so important for all of us as we journey as a Church Community and as members of our particular human families with all the ups and downs of life in our broken world.
The first was from the Homily at St Joseph’s Croydon where the Patriarch spoke of “Communion and Love” – the Theme His Beatitude chose for His Patriarchal Ministry when elected Patriarch. The Patriarch was preaching on Jesus’ prayer in the Gospel of John 17:1-8 and spoke how we are called to be in communion with the Father just like Jesus and from that people will change and believe in Jesus. His Beatitude reminded us that “we cannot love if we are not in communion with God in prayer”. The Patriarch was really so animated when expressing this point in the homily to all - the Clergy, Religious, Parents, Husbands and Wives, Youth and the Political leaders here and in Lebanon. He said we cannot make decisions that are loving and proclaim the Truth if we are not in communion with the God of Love. In the busy, pride-filled and materialistic atmosphere of daily living, our ‘self-made agendas’ can cause us to struggle to have time for our relationship with God to experience His Love and Truth in Jesus. We then struggle to hear his call to live Love in a humble, repenting, serving, and truthful spirit. On this Renewal of the Church Sunday let us hear the call to be renewed in our commitment to make time for daily personal and family prayer and Communal prayer at Mass on Sunday.
Secondly the theme for the Visit of the Patriarch was “One Shepherd, One Flock.” This while a powerful Scriptural image, can be a little hard for some to directly relate to in todays contemporary world. It calls us to know we belong and are loved by God the Divine Shepherd. The Patriarch for me translated this in His availability and energy to spend time to reach out to all, young and old, where he visited. So one Shepherd one flock he translated into action to “One Father, One Family.” His Beatitude showed as Patriarch (which comes from the word father) in his time and energy to meet so many, that the Church is God’s Family under the One Heavenly Father in His Son Jesus, through the Communion of the Holy Spirit.
Let’s remember this and always do what we can to let others know they are loved and have a place to belong in the Church.
I echo the Patriarch and Bishop’s strong words of thanks and say a loud “WELL, WELL, WELL, DONE” to the DEDICATED Priests, Staff, Committees, Volunteers, and Choir members who did such a fantastic job for the three Events for the Patriarch’s Visit here at Our Lady of Lebanon. The time, hard work and Sacrifice is a witness to “Communion and Love”, to the “One Father and One Family”
Monsignor Shora Maree
Beating Heart of our Community
“Your word O Lord is a lamp to my feet and a lamp to my path” -
“Inna kalimataka misbahoun li khoutaya wa nouran li sabili” -
إن كلمتك مصباحٌ لخطاي و نوراً لسبيلي
Psalm 119:105
Dear Parishioners,
This verse of the longest Psalm, Psalm 119 was chosen by the youth members of the Maronite Youth Diocesan Council (MYDC) to be the theme of the Australian Maronite Youth Celebration with the Patriarch.
We know through the witness and preaching of the Apostles that Jesus is that living Word of God that is the brightest lamp and light for our lives and path to God.
We also know that in our world, east and west, there is much darkness and need for the light of the living Word. At this time we know Christians in the East (Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon) are under great threat and persecution for their faith. In the West, Christians are falling away from their faith.
In the Middle East, cities and villages are covered in rubble from rockets, bombs and gun fire. In the West, cities and towns
are smothered by the spiritual bombs of materialism and secularism. In the Middle East there are so many homeless refugees. In the West, so many are spiritually homeless in their large houses. East, West, North and South we all need the light of Jesus, the living Word. In this world, his Beatitude and Eminence, strives as a successor to the Apostles of the living Word to lead the Maronite Clergy, Religious and Faithful in Lebanon and around the world, including Australia. His Beatitude carries in his heart and his words the lamp and light of God’s word for the youth, our young families and elders.
His Excellency Bishop Antoine-Charbel Tarabay has made the youth one of his seven priorities for his seven year plan. He calls them the “beating heart of the Diocese”. We believe that our Patriarch has seen the heart of the youth beating with faith, community fellowship and readiness to serve following his visit to Australia and last night’s youth event. During the Liturgy, where the Patriarch carried Christ, the living Word, in the Blessed Sacrament in procession amoungst the youth and all gathered and then lead us in prayer. At the conclusion of Adoration, the youth presented the Patriarch with a gift and had a chance to meet him while there was a free BBQ, entertainment and fireworks.
Most Gracious and Loving Father,
We thank you for the gift of our Patriarch. May he be a shepherd after your own heart.
We pray that you bless him with every grace he needs to lead and serve the Maronite Church throughout the world.
We pray too for every grace we need to be faithful and obedient sons and daughters who witness the light of your
Son Jesus Christ Our Lord to all the world.
Mary, Mother of all Christians,
We lift up our prayers to God through your motherly intercession with the prayers of all the Maronite Saints, and with you,
we raise glory and praise to the Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.
(Prayer by the Diocesan Youth Ministry Team)
Monsignor Shora Maree
“One Shepherd, One Flock”
“I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.” (John 10:14-16)
Dear Parishioners,
This Gospel passage inspired the theme “One Shepherd, One flock”, for the Pastoral Visit to Australia of His Eminence and Beatitude Mar Bechara Boutros Cardinal Rai, Maronite Patriarch.
In last weeks Shepherds Corner, I talked about the Patriarch’s visit to Australia and our Parish, as being an opportunity to experience the Apostolic presence more fully as our Maronite Patriarch, traces his Ministry back to St Peter and the early Church of Antioch. Part of the Ministry of the Apostles was to unite in love and build up the Church in faith, to grow the flock of Jesus the Good Shepherd. The Apostle’s were called to be Shepherd’s of the Church, following the example of Jesus. As Shepherds they were called to lead, and build up the Church and the flock in unity with each other and in unity in Christ with the Father. All of us are called to share in the mission of Jesus from our baptism and we have a shepherding role to work with those who are the ordained shepherds in the priestly ministry.
Three things we can notice about our Patriarch is his willingness to always reach out to his flock and meet people, his prayerfulness during the Liturgy, and his energetic and engaging style in his teaching and preaching the Word of God.
In his role and Ministry, the Patriarch will remind us to be united in love, united in prayer and the Liturgy to the Father and through Jesus and to proclaim and teach with the power of the Holy Spirit, in our words and most importantly in our actions.
At the family level, parents are called as husbands and wives to share in this shepherding role for their children as mums and dads and can be inspired to take on these attributes that we see in the Patriarch.
On the Parish level, I feel honoured as a Shepherd to work with so many among our Parishioners, who are always willing to give of their time generously to lead and work in unity, prayerfully and with faith with the priests following the words of the Good Shepherd. The effort and time so many have given, so generously, to organize and prepare for the visit of the Patriarch is a wonderful testimony to this.
This Sunday, after all the effort and time given by so many, as Parishioners, with joy and enthusiasm we will welcome our Patriarch, for his first public Mass and we look forward through his Ministry, to be nourished by God’s Word and to receiving Christ, the Good Shepherd, truly present in the Eucharist.
