Sunday of the Announcement to Zechariah - Happy Season of Announcements Maronite Cathoic Church

Icon of the Announcement to Zechariah

 

The Angel Gabriel meeting the Priest Zechariah.  The Angel Gabriel tells Zechariah that he and his wife will conceive a son.

 Prayer of Forgiveness(Hoosoyo)
Sedro
O Lord of heaven and earth in times past you spoke to your chose ones through messengers and angels.
Adam heard you walking through the garden, and your voice led Abraham to a strange and new land.
Moses say you in a cloud and in a pillar of fire. Your Mysterious words appeared on the wall, traced by an unknown hand.
Through these means you have prepared a straight and level path for the final reveler of your mystery.
You have spoken, yet you have no mouth.
You have no feet, yet you have led.
You have never know sin, but you are infinite in your mercy toward sinners.

Birth of John the Baptist Foretold

 Luke 1:25

The Evangelist said,

 ⁵ In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named ^[a]Zacharias, of the division of ^[b]Abijah; and he had a wife ^[c]from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. ⁶ They were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord. ⁷ But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in ^[d]years.

 ⁸ Now it happened that while he was performing his priestly service before God in the appointed order of his division, ⁹ according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. ¹⁰ And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer outside at the hour of the incense offering. ¹¹ And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. ¹² Zacharias was troubled when he saw the angel, and fear ^[e]gripped him. ¹³ But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will ^[f]give him the name John. ¹⁴ You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. ¹⁵ For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit ^[g]while yet in his mother’s womb. ¹⁶ And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. ¹⁷ It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, TO TURN THE HEARTS OF THE FATHERS BACK TO THE CHILDREN, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

 ¹⁸ Zacharias said to the angel, “How will I know this for certain? For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in ^[h]years.” ¹⁹ The angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who ^[i]stands in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. ²⁰ And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”

 ²¹ The people were waiting for Zacharias, and were wondering at his delay in the temple. ²² But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them; and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he kept ^[j]making signs to them, and remained mute. ²³ When the days of his priestly service were ended, he went back home.

 ²⁴ After these days Elizabeth his wife became pregnant, and she ^[k]kept herself in seclusion for five months, saying, ²⁵ “This is the way the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked with favor upon me, to take away my disgrace among men.”

Celebrating the Feast Day of St. Theresa - October 1



St. Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face, better known as "The Little Flower," St. Therese of Lisieux, was born in Alencon, France in 1873. She was the youngest child of Louis and Zelie Martin, who were themselves declared "Venerable" by Pope John Paul II in 1994. All five of the Martin children who reached adulthood became nuns; four of them became Discalced Carmelites.

Therese was drawn to God from a very young age. At the age of 15, she received special permission from her bishop to enter the Carmel of Lisieux. There, Therese lived a life of humility, simplicity, and childlike trust in God. By word and example, she shared this "little way of spiritual childhood" with the novices in her community.

On the night between Holy Thursday and Good Friday in 1896, Therese experienced her first hemoptysis (spitting up of blood) from tuberculosis. Over the next 18 months, her condition steadily deteriorated. In the months prior to her death, she prayed for the grace to "spend my heaven doing good on earth" and promised that after her death she would send "a shower of roses" from heaven. Offering her sufferings for the salvation of souls, Therese died of tuberculosis on September 30, 1897, at the age of 24.

Upon her death, the nuns received permission to distribute Therese's autobiography, comprised of material that she had written at the command of her superiors and the request of one of her sisters in the monastery. Published on the first anniversary of her death as "The Story of a Soul," the initial printing of 2,000 copies quickly sold out. In the following years, hundreds of thousands of copies of her autobiography were printed, and it was translated into many languages.
As people read about this unknown nun and sought her intercession, letters started pouring into the Carmel reporting favors received through her prayers. By the time she was beatified on April 29, 1923, the Carmel was receiving 800 to 1,000 letters daily.

St. Therese was solemnly canonized by Pope Pius XI on May 17, 1925. On December 14, 1927, Pope Pius XI proclaimed St. Therese Principal Patroness, equal to St. Francis Xavier, of all missionaries, men and women, and of the missions in the whole world. On May 3, 1944, Pope Pius XII named St. Therese Secondary Patroness of France, equal to St. Joan of Arc.

Most recently, Pope John Paul II named St. Therese a Doctor of the Church on October 19, 1997, World Mission Sunday. "Doctor of the Church" is a title given to a select few saints "on account of the great advantage the whole Church has derived from their doctrine". She became only the third woman in the Church to be so honored, joining St. Catherine of Siena and St. Teresa of Jesus, foundress of the Discalced Carmelites.

In her life and her writings, St. Therese anticipated the teachings of the Second Vatican Council by showing that the path of holiness is open to all. She understood that what matters in the Christian life is not great deeds, but great love, and that anyone can achieve the heights of holiness by doing even the smallest things well for love of God. "All is well," she wrote, "when one seeks only the will of Jesus."



Exaltation of the Cross

The Exaltation of the Holy Cross
Feast Day

Bashlomo l'Moryo netcashaf
(in peace, we pray to the Lord)

We adore thee, O Christ, and we bless thee,
for by thy cross thou hast redeemed the world.

+ + +

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him may not perish, but have everlasting life.

- John 3:16 (Douay)


This feast was observed in Rome before the end of the seventh century. It commemorates the recovery of the Holy Cross, which had been placed on Mt. Calvary by St. Helena and preserved in Jerusalem, but then had fallen into the hands of Chosroas, King of the Persians. The precious relic was recovered and returned to Jerusalem by Emperor Heralius in 629.

The lessons from the Breviary tell us that Emperor Heraclius carried the Cross back to Jerusalem on his shoulders. He was clothed with costly garments and with ornaments of precious stones. But at the entrance to Mt. Calvary a strange incident occurred. Try as hard as he would, he could not go forward. Zacharias, the Bishop of Jerusalem, then said to the astonished monarch: "Consider, O Emperor, that with these triumphal ornaments you are far from resembling Jesus carrying His Cross." The Emperor then put on a penitential garb and continued the journey.

Triumph of the Cross
This day is also called the Exaltation of the Cross, Elevation of the Cross, Holy Cross Day, Holy Rood Day, or Roodmas. The liturgy of the Cross is a triumphant liturgy. When Moses lifted up the bronze serpent over the people, it was a foreshadowing of the salvation through Jesus when He was lifted up on the Cross. Our Mother Church sings of the triumph of the Crosinstrumentedtrument of our redemption. To follow Christ we must take up His cross, follow Him and become obedient until death, even if it means death on the cross. We identify with Christ on the Cross and become co-redeemers, sharing in His cross.

We made the Sign of the Cross before prayer which helps to fix our minds and hearts to God. After prayer we make the Sign of the Cross to keep close to God. During trials and temptations our strength and protection is the Sign of the Cross. At Baptism we are sealed with the Sign of the Cross, signifying the fullness of redemption and that we belong to Christ. Let us look to the cross frequently, and realize that when we make the Sign of the Cross we give our entire self to God — mind, soul, heart, body, will, thoughts.

O cross, you are the glorious sign of victory.
Through your power may we share in the triumph of Christ Jesus.

Symbol: The cross of triumph is usually pictured as a globe with the cross on top, symbolic of the triumph of our Savior over the sin of the world, and world conquest of His Gospel through the means of a grace (cross and orb).

Celebrating the Birth of the Virgin Mary to Joachim and Ann

Icon of the Birth of the Vigin Mary - The Blessed Mother



History:

The Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary was celebrated at least by the sixth century, when St. Romanos the Melodist, an Eastern Christian who composed many of the hymns used in the Eastern Catholic and Eastern Orthodox liturgies, composed a hymn for the feast. The feast spread to Rome in the seventh century, but it was a couple more centuries before it was celebrated throughout the West. The source for the story of the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary is the Protoevangelium of James, an apocryphal gospel written about A.D. 150. From it, we learn the names of Mary's parents, Joachim and Anna, as well as the tradition that the couple was childless until an angel appeared to Anna and told her that she would conceive. (Many of the same details appear also in the later apocryphal Gospel of the Nativity of Mary.)

The September 8 date helped determine the date for the feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8 (nine months earlier).

SEDRO from the Maronite Prayer of the Faithful – Safro

Mary, the spirit finds itself powerless to describe your humility and the dignity to which you were raised.

The angle came to salute you in the name of the Most High, and in all humility you responded to him:

I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your will.  Because of your humility and your dignity, all generations call you blessed. The all-powerful has crowned you Queen of heaven and earth, Queen of angels and men.

Scripture Reading
A Reading from the Book of Sirach

Before all ages, in the beginning, he created me, and through all ages I shall not cease to be.  In the holy tent I ministered before him, and in Zion I fixed my abode.  Thus in the chosen city he has given me rest in Jerusalem in my domain.  I have struck root among the glorious people, in the portion of the Lord, his heritage.  “Like a cedar in Lebanon I am raised aloft, like a cypress on Mount Hermon, like a palm tree in Engedi, like a rosebush in Jericho.”

I spread out my branches like terebinth, my branches so bright and so graceful. I bud forth delights like the vine; my blossoms become fruit fair and rich. Come to me, all you that yearn for me and be filled with my fruits, you will remember me as sweeter than honey, better to have than the honeycomb.  He who eats of me will hunger still, he who drinks of me will thirst for more, he who obeys me will not be put to shame, and he who serves me will never fail.  All of this is true of the book of the Most High’s covenant, the law that Moses commanded us as in inheritance for the community of Jacob.  

Eleventh Sunday of Pentecost

ELEVENTH SUNDAY OF PENTECOST SEASON

The Repentance of Zacchaeus the Tax Collector

Luke 19:1-10

 He came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town. Now a man there named Zacchaeus, who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man, was seeking to see who Jesus was; but he could not see him because of the crowd, for he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus, who was about to pass that way. When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house." And he came down quickly and received him with joy. When they all saw this, they began to grumble, saying, "He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner." But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, "Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over." And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost."

Feast of The Assumption of The Blessed Mother, also known as the Dormition or the Falling Asleep of The Blessed Mother



Coptic Icon

The Dormition of the The Blessed Mother(Theotokos in Greek): Κοίμησις Θεοτόκου, Koímēsis, often anglicized as Kimisis) is a Great Feast of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches which commemorates the "falling asleep" or death of the Theotokos (Mary, the mother of Jesus; literally translated as God-bearer), and her bodily resurrection before being taken up into heaven. It is celebrated on August 15

Pslam 45 

Your throne, O God,^[c] will last for ever and ever;
a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.
⁷ You love righteousness and hate wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions
by anointing you with the oil of joy.
⁸ All your robes are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia;
from palaces adorned with ivory
the music of the strings makes you glad.
⁹ Daughters of kings are among your honored women;
at your right hand is the royal bride in gold of Ophir.



Alleluia! O Mother who gave Life to us,
petition on our behalf
the Son who appeared from you:
may he remove from us the blows of punishment,
and keep away divisions and disputes.
May he lead us in the path of life in which we journey
at all times.
On your memorial day,
we sing praise to your only Son.

Alleluia!
Blessed are you, O Mary,
for God, who feeds all creatures,
was nourished by you
and rested on your breast.
O Wonder!
The Son of God was nourished
by a human creature!
He assumed what is ours
and gave us what is his.
On his mother's memorial let us proclaim:
Glory to you, O Lord.

Alleluia!
As dew was falling gently
over the city of Ephesus
Saint John wrote to its people.
He instructed them to celebrate
the memory of the Blessed Mary,
three times each year:
In January, during the time of planting of the seeds;
in May, during the time of harvest;
and in August, during the time of the grapes.
For the mysteries of life are prefigured in these months.

Alleluia!
On your memorial day, O Blessed Mary,
angels and mortals are overwhelmed with joy.
The dead rejoice in their tombs
because of the glory in creation.
God will bless
those who celebrate your memory with faith
and pour his mercy upon them.

Alleluia!
Who is to see a new ship
sustaining the One who is mighty;
the One who sustains and rules all creation.
Mary bore him, yet he bears all creation.
He nourishes all living creatures,
yet she nourished him with her milk.
He is the Maker of all infants,
yet he dwelt, as an infant, in her womb.
The fiery beings in the heights
sing hymns of praise to him!
Alleluia!

Maronite Icon



Maronite Catholic: Qolo (Hymn) of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Qurbono, The Book of Offering, Maronite Catholic Church | English rendering 1994 | Ancient Maronite

Qolo: Assumption Entrance Hymn

TRANSFIGURATION - August 6th

Maronite Icon - Transfiguration

All three Synoptic Gospels tell the story of the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-8; Mark 9:2-9; Luke 9:28-36). With remarkable agreement, all three place the event shortly after Peter's confession of faith that Jesus is the Messiah and Jesus' first prediction of his passion and death. Peter's eagerness to erect tents or booths on the spot suggests it occurred during the Jewish weeklong, fall Feast of Booths.

 

One of the Transfiguration accounts is read on the second Sunday of Lent each year, proclaiming Christ's divinity to catechumens and baptized alike. The Gospel for the first Sunday of Lent, by contrast, is the story of the temptation in the desert—affirmation of Jesus' humanity. The two distinct but inseparable natures of the Lord were a subject of much theological argument at the beginning of the Church's history; it remains hard for believers to grasp.

"At his Transfiguration Christ showed his disciples the splendor of his beauty, to which he will shape and color those who are his: 'He will reform our lowness configured to the body of his glory'" (Philippians 3:21) (St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae).

Tradition names Mt. Tabor as the site of the revelation. A church first raised there in the fourth century was dedicated on August 6. A feast in honor of the Transfiguration was celebrated in the Eastern Church from about that time. Western observance began in some localities about the eighth century.

On July 22, 1456, Crusaders defeated the Turks at Belgrade. News of the victory reached Rome on August 6, and Pope Callistus III placed the feast on the Roman calendar the following year.

Celebrating the Feast of St. Elijah



The Ascension of The Prophet Elijah



Elijah and the 1260 days of drought, Widow of Zarephath

1 Kings 17:1 And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.
1 Kings 17:2 And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying,
1 Kings 17:3 Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.
1 Kings 17:4 And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.
1 Kings 17:5 So he went and did according unto the word of the LORD: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.
1 Kings 17:6 And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.
1 Kings 17:7 And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.
Elijah the Tishbite had to make a strong proclamation to King Ahab: “As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.” The period with neither dew nor rain lasted for 3 1/2 years, and for much of this time, Elijah was at the brook Cherith.
When Elijah issued this proclamation, Ahab would have been stunned. The prophet then fled quickly to the brook Cherith and hid himself there, as instructed. “Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan [in Israel].” The word from God continued, “You shall drink water from the brook, and I have commanded ravens to feed you there.” The ravens brought Elijah bread and flesh morning and evening. Elijah’s necessities were thus provided for.
Like a bedouin, Elijah dressed in rough skins, or hairy garments. For him to have gone to Ahab, the king of Israel, who had a notorious reputation, and issue this proclamation was a courageous act. The message would have been delivered with confidence.
Ravens are flesh-eating birds. In fact, the word “ravenous” comes from “raven.” Therefore, we can be sure that the meat they brought to Elijah was freshly slain.
There is a prophetic aspect to this account, for during the period of papal persecution in the Dark and Middle Ages in Europe, worldly unconsecrated people (“ravens”) fed, hid, and helped Christians who were fleeing from brutal persecution. If caught, this “raven” class would have been punished severely, so many risked their lives by helping Christians. In the antitype, Elijah represents God’s people down through the Gospel Age who were preserved and fed from His Word and given time to develop Christlike characters in the hope of being kings and priests in the Kingdom Age. Many were tried and executed, but at least, they had an opportunity to develop their characters.
In time, the brook Cherith dried up, and Elijah had to move to another place. God’s instruction came to him, starting in verse 8.

1 Kings 17:8 And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying,
1 Kings 17:9 Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.
1 Kings 17:10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.
1 Kings 17:11 And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand.
1 Kings 17:12 And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.
1 Kings 17:13 And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.
1 Kings 17:14 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.
1 Kings 17:15 And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.
1 Kings 17:16 And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.

Elijah was told to leave the brook Cherith and go to Zarephath, which is in Lebanon today— and thus was quite a distance to go on foot. First, he went to Zidon, the capital of Phoenicia, as a landmark. Zarephath was located in a little village nearby. When Elijah entered the gate, he saw a woman gathering sticks. God had told him that a widow would sustain him there, so he called out to her, “Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.” Then, being famished, he added, “Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread.”
With a famine in the land, the woman had been gathering sticks to prepare a fire to bake a cake  of her last handful of flour mixed with oil. She had to scrape the bottom of the barrel to get the flour, and there was a little oil left in the cruse. Her expectation was that after this last meal, she and her son would die of starvation. Under this dire circumstance, Elijah has asked for something to eat. Imagine being in the woman’s place and getting this request for food!
Elijah next said, “Fear not; go and do as you have said. But make me a little cake first, and bring it to me, and afterward make one for you and your son. For God has said that the barrel will not be emptied of meal or the cruse of oil, until the very day He sends rain to end the famine.”
Elijah’s request was a test on the widow, and faith was involved. Perhaps the woman had been praying, but at any rate, she obeyed in this time of extremity. “And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.”
Elijah must have had a very magnetic, forceful personality. He started his mission by going to King Ahab and reprimanding him to his face with the boldness and courage that were instilled by the Lord. Now he spoke to the widow. His manner of speaking was convincing and persuasive, and she believed him. According to the King James margin, for a “full year,” they ate of the flour and the oil that kept replenishing. Therefore, Elijah was at the brook Cherith for at least two years, and then he was in Zarephath for another year.
Jesus used this widow of Zarephath as an illustration of faith when he was castigating the Israelites for not believing. Even after all his miracles, the number of believers was only 500 of the 7 million or so people who lived in Israel at that time. As an example of faith, Jesus also used Naaman the Syrian leper, who came for help. They had more faith than anyone in Israel.

Celebrating the Feast of St. Sharbel Makhloof



Biography of Saint Sharbel - Written by Subdeacon Brian Dunn

Saint Sharbel was born in a part of northern Lebanon known as, Bka’kafra.  This is an area of large forest of Cedars and is a historical place.  His parent’s names were Antoon Za’roor & Brigita Makhlouf.  His mother’s maiden name was Shediac and she came from a town known as Besharreh.  Saint Sharbel was one of five children born to Za’roor and Brigita.

At a very early age Saint Sharbel suffered a great loss.  When he was only four years old, his father passed away on August 8, 1831.  It was up to his mother to raise him after his fathers passing.  He grew up with his mother and siblings and learned Arabic and Syriac while going to school in the local village.  He was known in his village as the “saint” because he demonstrated a very pious and god like life.

Saint Sharbel entered the monastery of Our Lady of Mayfouk in the year 1851.  Within one year of his entrance into the monastery Saint Sharbel moved with other novices to the Saint Maron Monastery in Annaya.  Then in 1853 he took his solemn vows and changed his name from Joseph to Sharbel.  Saint Sharbel then started his schooling at the St. Cyprian’s Monastery in Kfeefan and this is where Saint Sharbel was prepared for the priesthood.

While at the St. Cyprian’s Monastery, Saint Sharbel learned from a priest known at that time as Fr. Nemetallah Kassab Hardini.  We know this priest as Saint Hardini.  While at the Monastery, Saint Hardini was a mentor for the young students.  It is known that Saint Sharbel obtained a final blessing from Saint Hardini before he died.

In July of 1859 Saint Sharbel was ordained a priest with his family present from his home town of Bka’kafra.  After his ordination he remained at the Monastery of Saint Maron in Annaya and remained there until 1875.  In this same year, he was asked to go to the Hermitage of Saints Peter and Paul.

While Saint Sharbel was at the Monastery of Saint Maron and the Hermitage of Saints Peter and Paul he would take on the most difficult chores.  Throughout these he was dedicated to his calling and his superiors and always did what they asked of him.  He was obedient to his mother and his superiors all his life.  Saint Sharbel always had God on his mind and he consecrated his entire life to God. The people also remembered his continuous communication with God, his love of the Blessed Sacrament, his devotion to the Virgin Mary and his compassion to the poor and the sick.

Saint Sharbel passed away on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1898 surrounded by many priests and brothers of the Monastery and Hermitage.  Many people came to see him and kissed his hands and feet. At that time people said that he was already a saint and that he was lucky, when they came to pay their respects.

That night when the body of Saint Sharbel was in the Church, the monks could see a light coming from the door of the Tabernacle that was shining around the body of Saint Sharbel.

Saint Sharbel was buried the next day in a very bad snowstorm.  The roads were covered with snow and it made it difficult to get to the funeral.  When Saint Sharbel was being moved from the church to the muddy grave, the sun came out and the sky cleared with the snow stopping and the wind as well. He was buried in the burial area of Saint Maron’s Monastery. 

After Saint Sharbel was buried in the mud of the burial area at the Monastery, the neighboring people could see light emanating from his gravesite each night.  The light that emanated from his grave brought many people to the Monastery.

Upon the time of his death, Saint Sharbel’s superior was not at the monastery.  When his superior, Fr. Anthony Mishmshany returned to the monastery, he learned of Saint Sharbel and his passing.  He went to his grave and prayed for intercessions on behalf of the monastery. Later when Fr. Mishnshany addresses the community near the monastery he was quoted saying,

“With the death of Fr. Sharbel, we have lost the lightning rod which was protecting the Order, the Maronite Church and Lebanon with his saintly life.  We pray God will have mercy on us and grant that the mission of his servant, Sharbel, will remain with us here on earth, just as God promised the house of David that their lamp would be extinguished on earth for the glory of his servant, David.”  

He also prayed,

“Lord, of the monastery, for the Order and for Lebanon, preserve the lamp of water which you lighted for your servant, Sharbel, in a miraculous way.  Preserve this lamp shining in his body, so that it will illuminate our way in this darkened world.  Deliver us from the dangers that surround us.  Help us to walk in the path of poverty, chastity and obedience, which we promised to follow in this life when we made our solemn vows.  May we reach Heaven, the Promised Land, for this lamp of exile. Amen!”

Also after the first night of his burial in tomb at the monastery, the people who lived in this area could see a bright light that came from the tomb.  This light also shined on the church, monastery and cells.  It also moved around these and then would return to the tomb.

Why is he Important to the Church?

During the beatification process of Saint Sharbel, Pope Sixtus V, “Give me a monk who observes the spirit and the letter of his monastic rules and I will beatify him in his life.”Saint Sharbel lived a monastic and hermitical in all he did and throughout the days of his life.

Abbot Ignatius Tannoory who was superior of the Maronite Lebanese Order was in the Vatican for the cause of the beatification of Fr. Nematallah, Fr. Sharbel and Sister Rebecca Trayes.  The date was October 4, 1925 and he was there to discuss that these three had performed miracles while they were still alive.

Since the 12^th century, the Holy See and Papacy was given the authority to beatify and canonize.  Here it was the 20^th Century and not one person or any cause for beatification or canonization had been presented to the Holy See from a Christian of the Eastern Rite Catholics.

Beatification of Fr. Nematallah, Fr. Sharbel and Sister Rebecca Trayes, would help the Maronite Order and it would also help others following the Maronite Order to imitate their lives. If these three were to become Saints, it would only communicate to the entire world that the Maronite Church and the Lebanese Order were in union with Rome and the Holly See.

Also on October 10, 1926 the Maronite Archbishop and Patriarch Elias Peter Hoayek (1843 – 1931) requested from Pope Pius XI to make the Massabki brothers and the Franciscan martyrs of Damascus to start the case of beatification and canonization.  That same day, the Pope declared them all blessed.

It was not until the end of the Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican in December of 1965, did the Maronite Catholic known as Fr. Sharbel Makhlouf become a Saint of a Maronite Catholic from the East, by the actual procedures of the Catholic Church.  Fr. Sharbel Makhlouf becoming a Saint was a sign of unity from the Pope, Vatican and West as symbol of unity for the East and West and for the entire Christian community worldwide.

His family prepared him for his life in the Monastery, from his parents to his uncles who were in an eremitic life.  His own mother was turned away from the monastery when she came to see Saint Sharbel and prayed that he would be a Saint.  The qualities of a good family and home and parents and extended family members are the type of life and surroundings that encourage vocations of all types.  These are the qualities of developing vocation to the church for the up building of the church.

There are more than 350 cases that have been identified as miraculous. These consist of healing the blind, deaf and paralyzed.  Over 100 cases of diseases that were thought to be incurable, were cured by Saint Sharbel.  Some of these cases were not just Christians seeking to be cured by his intersession as it has been noted in history that the Muslims were cured.

Information added July 24, 2011

Although this saint never traveled far from the Lebanese village of Beka-Kafra, where he was born, his influence has spread widely.

Pope John Paul II often said that the Church has two lungs (East and West) and it must learn to breathe using both of them. Remembering saints like Sharbel helps the Church to appreciate both the diversity and unity present in the Catholic Church. Like all the saints, Sharbel points us to God and invites us to cooperate generously with God's grace, no matter what our situation in life may be. As our prayer life becomes deeper and more honest, we become more ready to make that generous response.

Quote:

When Sharbel was canonized in 1977, Bishop Francis Zayek, head the U.S. Diocese of St. Maron, wrote a pamphlet entitled “A New Star of the East.” Bishop Zayek wrote: “St. Sharbel is called the second St. Anthony of the Desert, the Perfume of Lebanon, the first Confessor of the East to be raised to the Altars according to the actual procedure of the Catholic Church, the honor of our Aramaic Antiochian Church, and the model of spiritual values and renewal. Sharbel is like a Cedar of Lebanon standing in eternal prayer, on top of a mountain.” The bishop noted that Sharbel's canonization plus other beatification cases prove “that the Aramaic Maronite Antiochian Church is indeed a living branch of the Catholic Church and is intimately connected with the trunk, who is Christ, our Savior, the beginning and the end of all things.”

Joseph Zaroun Makluf was raised by an uncle because his father, a mule driver, died when Joseph was only three. At the age of 23, Joseph joined the Monastery of St. Maron at Annaya, Lebanon, and took the name Sharbel in honor of a second-century martyr. He professed his final vows in 1853 and was ordained six years later.

Following the example of the fifth-century St. Maron, Sharbel lived as a hermit from 1875 until his death. His reputation for holiness prompted people to seek him to receive a blessing and to be remembered in his prayers. He followed a strict fast and was very devoted to the Blessed Sacrament. When his superiors occasionally asked him to administer the sacraments to nearby villages, Sharbel did so gladly.
He died in the late afternoon on Christmas Eve. Christians and non-Christians soon made his tomb a place of pilgrimage and of cures. Pope Paul VI beatified him in 1965 and canonized him 12 years later.

Things to do:

• Make a virtual visit to Our Lady of Lebanon Shrine. (Private site but has many nice pictures of the Shrine.)
• Listen to an Arabic prayer for God's Mercy from the Great Paraklesis (Supplicatory Prayer) to the Most Holy Theotokos. Notice the frescoes in the video of the praying saints which are from an obscure ancient Byzantine church in Maad, Lebanon, named after St. Charbel the old.
• Learn more about the Maronites.
• view this blog back in October 2010 - http://bmdunn.blogspot.com/2010/10/post-of-day-st-sharbel-october-21-2010.html

Cited Sources:

Claire M. Benedict (1977,1990). Saint Sharbel, Mystic of the East.  The Ravengate Press, Cambridge, Mass.

Fr. Mansour Awad, Translated by Fr. George I. Saad and edited by Chorbishop Norman J. Ferris(1986, 1990). Three Lights From The East, publishing company unknown.

The Most Reverend Pierre Dib, Bishop of Cairo, translated by Very Reverend Chorbishop Seely Beggiani, S.T.D. (1971). History of the Maronite Church. Imprimerie Catholique, Beirut, Lebanon and Maronite Apostolic Exarchate, Detroit, USA

Chapman, J. (1909). Eutyches. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved December 27, 2009 from New Advent:http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05631a.htm

Wikipedia. Patriarch Elias Peter Hoayek, last updated December 28, 2009 and retrieved January 16, 2010 from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elias_Peter_Hoayek

Fifth Sunday of Pentecost calling of the apostles and blessed massabki brothers

FIFTH SUNDAY OF PENTECOST SEASON

Calling of the Apostles
 
Matthew 10:1-7
 
 Then he summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness. The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus; Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him. Jesus sent out these twelve after instructing them thus, "Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town. Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, make this proclamation: 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.'
 
 
 Also, on this Sunday, the Maronite Church remembers the 3 Massabki Brothers.

Luke 12:6-10
 
Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.  Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. “I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God.  But whoever disowns me before others will be disowned before the angels of God.  And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

Feast Day for The Blessed Martyrs Massabki Brothers - July 10

Their martyrdom
At eight o'clock on the evening July 9th, 1860, Muslim fanatics entererd the Franciscan church in Damascus, where the three brothers were kneeling before the Altar, and gave the Massabkis the choice between death and the acceptance of the Muslim religion. The Massabkis replied:'You may destroy our lives but you cannot destroy our faith in Christ and our souls; we are Christians. I the faith of Chirst we live and in the faith of Christ we shall die.'
They were killed before the altar. In the same night, many Franciscan priests and brothers were killed for their faith.

Beatification

On May 4th, 1926 Patriarch Hoyek addressed a request to the Holy See, asking that the three Massabki martyrs be proclaimed saints. A committee was sent by Rome to make canonical inquiry in Lebanon and Damascus about the lives and virtues of the three brothers and the circumstances of their martyrdom. On October 7th, 1926, Pope Pius XI beatified the three brothers, Francis, Raphael and Abd-el-Mo'ty.

read more about them and their cause for Beatification
http://beatimassabki.com/eng/index.php



His Beatitude

Patriarch Estephan Boutros El Douaihy

of Antioch

He was known as “The Saint Patriarch,” “The Saint of the Patriarchs,” “The Father of Maronite History,” “Pillar of the Maronite Church,” “The Second Chrysostom,” “Splendor of the Maronite Nation,” “The Glory of Lebanon and the Maronites.”



Prayer for Obtaining the Beatification

of Patriarch Estephan (Stephen) Douaihy.

Heavenly Father,
You who have decorated Your Church with
Your saints
Through Your Only Son and Your life-giving Spirit,
You have chosen Your servant the Patriarch Douaihy
And granted him the grace to see the world
With the zeal of Your Kingdom.
He taught the young and the old,
Preached Your Word and lead Your Church,
Faithful to St. Maron and the glory of Lebanon.
He preserved the liturgy of the Church
And explained its sacraments
Such that they became a beacon to guide souls.
He retraced history for posterity
Elevating its dignity and his role.

We beseech You, Oh Lord,
To reveal his holiness for the glory of Your name,
And to make of him a yeast of hope in our world,
A flame of reform in our Church,
And the salt of dignity in our country.
May we through his example
Build Your Kingdom on earth,
Through science, faith, piety and courage.
And may we be
Witnesses for Your redeeming Son,
As temples for Your Holy Spirit,
As apostles for the civilization of love,
And as pioneers for truth and peace.
Praise and glory to You, Oh Lord,
Forever and ever, Amen.

Our Father... Hail Mary...
Glory be...

Read more about the Patriach at

http://douaihysaint.com/Biography/

and

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estephan_El_Douaihy

SIXTH SUNDAY OF GREAT LENT: SUNDAY OF THE MAN WHO WAS BLIND



SIXTH SUNDAY OF GREAT LENT:

SUNDAY OF THE MAN WHO WAS BLIND

Blind Bartimaeus Receives His Mark 10:46-52

46 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

48 Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”

So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” 50 Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.

51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him.

The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”

52 “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

 

SEDRO

O only word of God, you are beyond all description and praise.  You were born in tim of the Virgin Mary, yet you are the first and the last, the Alpha and the Omega.  You Humbled yourself and walked on our roads.  Like a guiding lighthouse, you saved the world from darkness.  You opened the eyes of thos who were blind to teach us that you are the life-giving source of light.  through your wondrous deeds you revealed that you are the long-awaited Messiah, foretold by the prophet Isaiah.

"the eyes of those who are blind will open, those who are lame will leap like a deer, and the tongues of those unable to speak shout with joy."

O Lord, you walked on the sea and calmed the raging storm;  you enlightened our pathways, fed the hungry,  and brought life to decayed bones.    We ask you now to accept our witness and our profession of faith, for you are truly the Son of God and the Savior of the world.

We implore you: with the light of your knowledge, shine in our hearts and in the hearts of all people.  Let us rejoice in the vision of your face, as did Bartimaeus on the road to Jericho.  Confirm our faith in you and lift up our minds and thoughts to you.  Let us not be distracted by the futile things of this world nor be blined by its mirages.  May your light shine throughout the entire universe, that all peoples may see your face and find joy in you.

Celebrating Entrance into Lent - The Wedding at Cana

Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the lamb!" ( Rv 19:9)

John 2

The Wedding at Cana

 ¹On^(A) the third day there was a wedding at^(B) Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. ²Jesus also was invited to the wedding with^(C) his disciples. ³When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine." ⁴And Jesus said to her, ^(D) "Woman,^(E) what does this have to do with me?^(F) My hour has not yet come." ⁵His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."
 ⁶Now there were six stone water jars there^(G) for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty^(H) gallons.^{[a] 7}Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water." And they filled them up to the brim. ⁸And he said to them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast." So they took it. ⁹When the master of the feast tasted^(I) the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom ¹⁰and said to him, "Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now." ¹¹This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested^(J) his glory. And^(K) his disciples believed in him.

As we celebrate the beginning of Lent this year, remember the words that the Mother of Jesus said to the people who were serving at the wedding, "Do whatever he tells you."  Lent is a time for us to fast, pray and to give back to our community.  As you pray this lent, listen to Jesus and do whatever he tells you to do.

Celebrating the Feast of St. Maron 1600 Years 410 AD - 2010 AD

Brief History of St. Maron

Saint Maron was a priest who became a hermit and through his missionary work, healing, miracles, and teachings of monastic devotion to God became the Father of the Maronite Church.   When Saint Maron was a priest he was the disciple of Hermit Zebinas.  He then became a hermit and moved to live an ascetic life in isolation to the mountains of Lebanon and Syria and inhabited the area around the 4^th and 5^th century.  Geographically speaking he moved to an area that is Cyrrhus (southern Turkey) between Antioch and Aleppo (Syrian City). This was an area that was inhabited by Pagan temple ruins until Saint Maron accomplished to convert an ancient temple to the Babylon god Nabo to his first church.  He used his first church for mass and prayers.

Saint Maron lived a monastic, strict and rigorous life and lived to be closer to God through all things.  For example, even though he had a tent made of animal fur that could have saved him from the elements he preferred to be exposed to the elements so that he might know God through all things and as a form of mortification.  He also celebrated liturgy daily.  He prayed days and spent nights standing in prayer.  He did not accept the standard type of faithfulness and would add to his daily life additional penance and fasts for weeks on end.  He used manual labor to keep his mind away from the temptations of the world. He deprived his body from all means of comfort.  He believed that God was in all things and all things were in God so to live in daily prayer and work was to be as close to God as possible.

Saint Maron had tremendous influence on his followers.  People would travel long distances to see him.  They would travel near and far to be near him.  He performed miracles, healed people of physical, spiritual and emotional ailments, ministered to all who followed him.  He became their spiritual leader and they became his followers.

Bishop Theodoret identifies Saint Maron’s followers this way, “these anchorites were virtuous and heroic, totally dedicated to a life of contemplative prayers.  There were strangers to any other consideration of the world.  They were obedient to the church authority and tried to imitate their predecessor in their exercises of austerity”.

Knowledge of Saint Maron developed throughout the Roman Empire. In fact, some historians place Saint Maron and Saint John Chyrsostom as students together in Antioch around the year 398 AD.  His exact date of passing is unknown but history notes that his death took place somewhere between the years of 407 AD and 423 AD.  What is known is that he was so popular at the time of his death that his death caused mass disturbances, and riots as people were striving to obtain his remains.

Shortly after his passing, and after the Council of Chalcedon in 451AD, Bishop Theodoret started the construction of the Saint Maron Monastery.  The Monastery is the center of teaching of the Maronite Church and its theological history.  The Maronite Church honors its Patron by celebrating him on February 9^th.  Lebanon has promoted Saint Maron to her Patron Saint and honors his feast day as a National Day each year.  The monastery bears the name of Saint Maron.  It is the only Catholic Church to bear the name of a person and bears the teachings of that man who left the world to live a monastic, ascetic life in the mountains so that he might be closer to God.

To this day there are hundreds of thousands of Maronite Catholics following the teachings of Saint Maron.  Truly these people are walking by faith because historical authorities can only agree on the history of the Maronite’s as far back as the 16^th century, a mere 400 years ago.  Saint Maron lived and breathed in 400 AD!

The features of the Syriac liturgical tradition takes us back to 400 A.D.  At this time in the area of Syria there were three different rites and the areas were either influenced by the Greek or Syriac traditions.  The areas of Antioch and Jerusalem spoke Greek and were influenced by the Greeks.  The area of Edessa, where there were Chaldeans, spoke Aramaic and was influenced by the Syriacs.  Both of these groups of people were influenced by the movement of the Jacobite Church to deny following the Counsel of Chalcedon.  The areas of Antioch and Jerusalem followed the movement by the Jacobite Church and became Orthodox.  The area of Edessa where the monastery of St. Maron was established sustained some of their roots and heritage and remained Catholic following the Counsel of Chalcedon.  The Chaldean Aramaic speaking people of this area formed its own hierarchy and became what is now known as the ancient Syriac rite of Edessa.  The liturgy that was created there is known to current day Maronite’s as the Anaphora of St. Peter.  Parts of this Anaphora can be found in the Rite of Chrismation and in other parts of the liturgy.

Edessa and Antioch are the birth place of the original rites, the Maronite and the Chaldean, of the Catholic Church.  The Syriac liturgical tradition takes its liturgy from Antioch and its Anaphora’s from the Jerusalem Rite.  Within the Maronite Rite and Liturgy there are three ancient anaphoras.  One that is well known in the Chaldean church, but the Maronite’s identify it as the Anaphora of the third peter.  The Maronite Rite also has the ancient anaphora of the Antiochene Rite, known as the Anaphora of the twelve apostles.  It has also adopted the Jerusalem and Antiochene liturgy of James.  These are the features that characterize the Syriac liturgical tradition.

Written by Subdeacon Brian Dunn

Feast of St. Anthony of the Desert or St. Anthony the Great - January 17th

Icon of St. Anthony of the Desert or St. Anthony the Great and Short History

St. Anthony was the forerunner and shaper of the monastic movement. He was born about 250 in a village near Heracleopolis, Egypt, of rich and noble parents. After the death of his parents, he secured his sister's position preserving her half of their inheritance for her. He gave his half away and retreated into the desert near the Red Sea. He spent 20 years in the company of no one but God. After that, others were retreating to the desert and discovering his great wisdom. He discipled many ascetics in the deserts of Egypt. Only twice did he leave the desert to enter Alexandria, once to seek martyrdom, the second time to refute the charge that he was Arian. He was unable to read, yet confounded the philosophers with his great wisdom. He reposed at the age of 105, leaving behind a multitude of monastics, in the year 356. With the toleration of Christianity and the threat of martyrdom greatly reduced, many men and women sought the martyrdom of asceticism in their pursuit of holiness. St. Anthony was there to give order and lead the way. His scroll reads: "I no longer fear God, but I love Him."

St. Anthony in the desertHe was about thirty-five years old when he left his retreat to move to the east bank of the Nile to the "Outer Mountain" at Pispir (Vista) where he lived in complete solitude. As Saint Anthony lived in solitude, he was tempted by boredom and discouragement. His soul fell into such weariness and confusion of thought that he began saying, "Lord, I want to be saved but these bad thoughts do not leave me alone; what shall I do? How can I be saved?". After a little while, he began to walk in the open and saw someone as if it was himself, sitting and working - making mats of palm leaves - and then rising to pray. This was an angel sent by the Lord to teach Anthony how to live in the desert. The angel repeated what he was doing several times until Anthony understood that he had to combine manual work and prayer in order to overcome boredom.

After twenty years, his reputation attracted many followers who settled near him, and wished to copy his holy life. Saint Anthony became their spiritual leader, teaching them constantly by word and by example the ascetic life. From every part of the world, people came to him, even to the innermost part of the desert, seeking cures of the body, mind, and soul; and as they did at Pispir, monks came to him for his sympathy and practical advice.
Living in solitude (anchoritism) made Saint Anthony a spiritual father beyond all others. He escaped from cares of the world but not from the love for his brothers. During that time, many came to live near him and copy his holy life. He became their spiritual leader, teaching them by word and by example the life of the ascetic. Anthony also taught them to perform manual labor between prayer times as an additional contribution to society.
The Hermit in Alexandria
When the persecutions began again against the Christians in Egypt at the hands of Maximinus Daia in the early 300s, St. Anthony went to Alexandria and ministered to those in prison. After the persecutions ended, he returned to his life of solitude. Once Saint Athanasius had invited Anthony to Alexandria to support him against the Arian Heresy in 352. Many came to see the aged holy man as he walked through the city. Didymus, a man of great learning who had lost his eyesight, joined them. The conversation turned to the Holy Scriptures, and Anthony could not help admiring the blind man's ability and praised his insight. The he said, "You do not regret the loss of your eyes, do you?". At first Didymus was reluctant to answer, but when the question was repeated, he frankly admitted that his blindness was a great grief to him. Whereupon, Anthony said, "I am surprised that a wise man like you should grief at the loss of a physical organ which he shares with everyone, and not rejoice rather in having the gift which only saints and apostles have been thought worthy." He returned to his desert soon after, society no longer having any hold on him, for he felt like a fish out of the water.

St Anthony and the Evil

In his solitude he was fighting off the temptations of the flesh and attacks of demons. The enemy, however, could not endure to behold the likeness of Christ shining forth from this creation of dust and ashes, and he was determined to destroy this 'house of virtue. Satan frequently attacked the saint in spirit and body, often appearing in the form of a pig. (In many countries today ham is the traditional meal on the feast of Saint Anthony). A friend who brought Anthony bread, found the saint beaten and near death from Satan's attacks.
The first campaign was waged on the battlefield of the mind. Anthony experienced a barrage of unsettling thoughts--flattery, the allurement of the world and all the pleasures his former wealth could buy, concern for his sister's welfare, the difficulties of the path he had chosen. The vicious net was craftily woven, but the Saint recognized it as the handiwork of his adversary and tore it apart by means of intense prayer and vigilance, deflecting any and all disturbing thoughts before they took hold in his mind. The battle grew more intense when the Enemy, taking advantage of the Saint's youth, assailed him with lustful thoughts, inflaming the natural appetites of the flesh until the Saint was burning with his own lust. He manfully fought back by mortifying his body with increased fasting to quench the passions of the flesh, and by meditating on death and the eternal torments which await those who give themselves over to the spirit of fornication. And so be escaped unharmed, even strengthened by this experience.
When the Evil One found himself so disgraced, he took on a human voice and complained bitterly to Anthony: "I have deceived and conquered many in my time; but now in your case, as in that of many others, I am defied by your ascetic labors."
Knowing that his antagonist would continue to stalk him as a roaring lion after his prey, Anthony did not allow himself to relax his vigilance on account of his victory. Not to be defeated by Satan during his sleep, St Anthony hung a bell to his stick on what he took a rest while praying up to remain heedful and not to give a chance to Satan to defeat it even while sleeping. Thus, when he was asleep, the stick fell and the bell sounded. St Anthony woke up to continue his prayer and his fight against Satan. (St Anthony's picture shows the bell hung to his stick). He passed many nights without sleep, en grossed in prayer, and limited his bodily nourishment to bread and water, of which he partook once a day at evening. For, he said, by weakening the pleasures of the body the mind is strengthened. Such disregard did he have for the body as to imitate the nature of the fleshless ones, i.e., the angels. The severity of his labors and his accumulated virtues astonished the older ascetics, but Anthony never thought about his spiritual progress and regarded each day as the beginning of his spiritual journey, thereby shielding himself from pride and vainglory.