Mar Charbel

Icon update, day two

I don't really know anything about shading, so ... this time its much bigger, but I cut the bottom off. He is holding an eastern hand cross in this hand if one is wondering. I really need to work on the hand holding the staff, its not very good at all : ( . And my attempt at the greek caligraphy was horrible lol . The Syriac is ok looking though. The halo looks a little too big. I also attempted a paint version by copying the one from yesterday,but it was way too small and my lack of paint skill was very apparant (hence I won't be posting that). If anyone knows how to draw and has any tips or suggestions please tell me.

Prayers from Safro for Great Friday of the Crucifixion

Opening Prayer
"O Judge of the living and the dead,
who rewards and punishes,
this morning we raise our prayers and thoughts to you.
We share in your sufferings when you appeared before the judges,
when you played the role of the accused,
and were dragged from court to court.
You lived among us and could not be conquered by sin.
May we erase hatred,
purify our thoughts, and follow your teachings.
Thus, we shall receive pardon in this world
and on the day of judgement receive your mercy,
and glorify you, your Father, and your Holy Spirit,
for ever. Amen"

Hoosoyo(Sedro)" Prayer of Forgiveness"
"O Incarnate Word,
Son of Mary and Son of the Father,
on this day, the greatest of all history, you appeared before Pilate,
you, who are seated at the right hand of the Father.
You, remained silent before the judges,
you, through whose word everything exists.
You walked the path to Golgotha carrying the wood of the cross,
you who were seated on a chariot of cherubim,
draped in brilliant jewels.
On your head is entwined a crown of thorns,
you, whose head the heavens decorate with stars.
On the cross you are given vinegar and gall to drink,
you , who gave us your blood, the source of life.
You die on the cross at the hands of your executioners,
your, who give life to all the living.

Therefore, O God made man,
we ask to share in your humanity and divinity, your death and your life,
your scorn and your glory in this world and the next,
so that we may glorify you, your Father, and your Holy Spirit,
for ever. Amen"

The Trisagion is not part of Safro, but I think its a beautiful and holy prayer that I should add up here as well.
Trisagion(said three times)
"Holy God
Holy Might One
Holy Immortal One

O Christ Crucified for us, have mercy on us."

These are just some of the prayers for today , not the whole office. If you look up on google for the maronite podcast, or the hiddenpearl podcast, you can find a podcast of the entire Safro.

We are the heirs of Peter in Antioch; we tend the sheep with blessing and love.

Chant of the Maronites

Parodos

From the wilds of Syria I come,
from the holy church of Kefar-Nabo,
fleeing the Ol-Yambus Mount,
toiling for the God who gives,
my task a task of joyful bliss,
to hymn in word and deed
our glorious Lord and God.

Let those in the street be silent,
let those in the house hush down,
let the hermits retire in prayer,
as I sing the psalms of David,
the Hallelujahs of the Lord.

Blessed is the one the Father loves;
blessed the one for whom His Son died;
blessed is the one whose life is charged
with the power of the living Spirit.
Blessed is the one whose rubric of life
is an echo of heaven's liturgy,
the one who amid the cedars
feels the wild delight of God.

Bring Christ home, children of Maroun,
bring Him from the cedars of Liban,
from the enclosures of the hermits bring Him,
bearing Him in your heart in procession,
carrying Him to every city and nation.

The message goes forth: Do not be afraid!
The Glory shines out: Do not fear!
An angel appears to an Israelite maid,
telling of wonders and of heavenly favor,
foretelling a son to sit on the Throne,
the Throne that is David's, for ages and ever.
when the Spirit comes over Mary of Zion,
when the Most High's power, like glorious cloud,
overshadows the virgin that the Holy be born.

Glory to God in the highest of heights!
Glory to God in the will of the graced!
The angels are singing the highest Hosanna,
heralding the coming of the Messiah and Lord.
Highest of high meets the lowest of low;
God's Anointed is swaddled in a trough made for oxen,
the light of the Word infuses the flesh,
Christ comes to save creation from darkness.

Strophe

O Simeon, awaiting the great consolation,
sing songs of blessing for God's good grace;
the Spirit's promise in fire and light
is here fulfilled in a baby boy;
God's salvation comes, a light for revelation,
a hope and a glory for Israel's nation.
But, Oh! Contradiction, rise and fall,
and a piercing sword in the Virgin's heart;
many are the thoughts brought to exposure,
great is the tumult of a world thrust in darkness
at the rising of the Infinite Sun!

Antistrophe

O tribe of Asher, in the prophetess Anna
fortunate are you, favorite and favored,
the oil of gladness runs over your feet!
Mighty your fortresses, iron your gates,
your strength is of God, enduring forever.
The daughter of Zilpah, most holy widow,
gives thanks to her God, will not be silent,
but speaks of the Lord to all who await;
happy is Asher, the tribe of good fortune,
to herald the one who will seal every tribe!

Epodos

Our Lord and God spoke to Peter
on the shore of the Tiberias Sea:
"Simon, son of John, do you love Me,
more than the rest of these?"
And Peter replied, "You know that I love you."
"Then, O Peter, feed my lambs."

We are the heirs of Peter in Antioch;
we feed the lambs with prayer and love.
Hallelujah!

Our Lord and God spoke to Peter
on the shore of the Tiberias Sea:
"Simon, son of John, do you love Me?"
And Peter replied, "You know that I love you."
"Then, O Peter, tend my sheep."

We are the heirs of Peter in Antioch;
we tend the sheep with blessing and love.
Hallelujah!

Our Lord and God spoke to Peter
on the shore of the Tiberias Sea:
"Simon, son of John, do you love me?"
And Peter replied, "You know that I love you."
"Then, O Peter, feed my sheep."

We are the heirs of Peter in Antioch;
we feed the Lord's sheep with praise and love.
Hallelujah!

Listen to me, O children of Maroun!
No province are you, no small group;
the garden of Maroun is the whole holy Church,
catholic and complete, it has no end,
blessed of God in memory of Peter,
only within it is salvation found.
Raise your eyes to the cedar-crowned hills:
on every hill is the whole holy Church.
Rome is a cedar in the garden of Maroun,
Liban is a hill in the city of Rome,
for each is in each, and each is in all:
for Christ is for each and in everything All.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Maronites

Since January, I have come to a startling conclusion. When I think theologically, I am thinking from an Eastern basis for some of my views. I realized that the emptiness of the Novus Ordo Mass was not just the NO, but the Tridentine Mass as well. I do not beleive I am a latin anymore theologically or liturgically. I am some kind of stange hybred between the two. So I decided I will rediscern Eastern Catholicism once again. Now I fully understand the implications of the Filioque so I have no reason to worry of being led astray by photian schismatics. At first I thought the Byzantine Liturgy at St. Basil's was where I should go. It is better there, but it is not home. I realized two sundays ago that the Maronites were where I felt most comfortable. This is not really new information, I had realized this over Christmas break as well when I would go there instead of my Latin Catholic parish. I had stopped attending the Maronite Qurbono at St. Elias' as much over last summer break because I thought I should reaquaint myself with St. Andrew's since I had avoided it for so long due to my SSPX schismatic mindset. Now that I am fully recovered from this SSPX mindset, I realize that the Maronite Church had grown on me immensely. What is the point of this blog post one may ask? Well I beleive that this is the start of a serious discernment as to whether I should become a maronite or remain a latin Catholic. I am not doing this to be a married priest. Especially since in the Maronite church, a married priest's ordination is pushed much further back then an unmarried cleric. No my motivation here is a serious look at whether or not I am indeed a Latin Catholic at heart, or a Maronite Catholic. This even makes my priestly, and religious discernment harder because you must wait five years after switching Ritual Churches to enter seminary in it. At best I am looking at 26 before I could even consider entering a seminary if that is what God is calling me to. Even then, Maronite priests must learn Arabic on top of Syriac.

And then, what am I to do if I feel called to serve as a Holy Land Franciscan or a Benedictine at BAC? Would I be forced to abandon the Liturgy of my potential Church? If thats the case then would I not be better just remaining a latin? So many questions and I do not really have a maronite pastor to even ask these questions to! Abuna Bart is a nice guy, but I barely know him, and Abuna Claude I do not know either. Abuna Rudolph is off in Pittsburgh now and perhaps does not even remeber who exactly I was. There is no easy access to the maronite vocations director, excluding phone or letters. I just need to trust that God will not lead me astray and that in the end, whatever I discern, that it will be His will guiding my safetly.