Deyim Deyim
Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Today we celebrate the feast of the Epiphany, starting a new season of our Liturgical Year. After the Season of the Birth of the Lord, when the Son of God became man to save us, the Trinity appears today in a glorious image in which we are liberated by the Father’s voice, the Son’s baptism and the Spirit’s descent.
This revelation comes after a state of expectation and awaiting the Messiah the Saviour. The good news came through John who said “I baptise you with water… He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Luke 3: 16). John pointed to the Messiah and disappeared after he said “He must grow greater, I must grow less” (John 3: 30). With John the Baptist the Old Testament concluded and the New Testament started, the Testament of the great grace.
In his epistle today, Saint Paul reminds us that we have been saved not because of our own upright actions but by the free grace that has overflown us through our Lord Jesus Christ. But how can someone obtain the grace if they are not in touch with the giver of that grace? In the midst of a corrupt world which attracts us to be a part of it, John’s call prompts us to repent and return to God in order to receive the blessing. Are we aware of its importance?
Give us O Lord to be faithful to your grace and to renew our baptismal vows by devoting ourselves to you so we can maintain the presence of the Holy Trinity in our daily lives saying: Deyim…Deyim…
The Lebanese people have kept many traditions related to the Feast of the Epiphany, including the women preparing special food and sweets such as Awamet which are made with wheat flower, cut into small balls, cooked in oil and dumped in sugar syrup. They also make Zlabia and Macaron, calling these sweets “baraket el-eid”. One of the most prominent Lebanese beliefs is that Jesus walks around and visits the homes at midnight while saying: ‘Deyim, Deyim’, meaning ‘Everlasting, Everlasting’. Just before midnight, people would pray while kneeling to receive the blessing when Jesus passes by, and lift up their supplications which are answered because the gates of heaven are open on this night. They used to light up fire as January is very cold and sit around it, stirring the fire with a long stick. If they see a lot of sparks they become optimistic and they ask God to give them as much money or other things. Some of the other beliefs is that all the trees kneel for Jesus when passing except for the fig tree because of its arrogance, so they would burn its branches as a punishment. On this night, the housewife would go and check the food provisions in her house, stirring them while saying ‘Deyim, Deyim’, believing that the blessing would descend on them. On this day, the faithful bring their children to receive the Sacrament of Baptism. In the morning of the Feast day, the masses are celebrated and the faithful bring with them bottles of water with a green stick for the priest to bless them so the sick would drink from it to be healed, and the homes sprinkled with it to cast out bad spirits, mice, rats and so on. One of their sayings: “whoever does not have someone to baptise let them baptise a stick on Epiphany.” Some people used to celebrate mass at the spring water of the village so its water would be blessed. They would also make a dough on this night and the dough would rise without yeast. One of the traditions too is the priest visiting the homes, sprinkling them with water to bless them.
On a parish note, as we begin this new year - we have a hint of sadness in the air as we farewell Sr Margaret and Sr Guita who are leaving our parish community to start their new mission at St Maroun's Dulwich Hill. We thank both for their dedication, service and presence with us. Sr Guita supported the ministry of our Seniors Committee and had an active presence with their initiatives and events. Her cheerful spirit and smile will be missed around the parish. Sr Margaret leaves us after a tremendous 22 years of participation and service in the life of our parish family; particularly the youth. During her many years as assistant Youth Chaplain, she helped develop many of our current and former parish leaders. She used her experience and knowledge to support adult faith formation and her weekly newsletter contributions are always helpful in breaking open the Gospel of the week. We thank Sisters Margaret and Guita and wish them well on this next chapter of their religious ministry. We are joyful to welcome Sr Marlene and Sr Cynthia who will be joining our community.
