tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33603966815012610042024-03-18T17:56:52.036+02:00Maronite BloggerUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1080125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360396681501261004.post-23839983508140735582015-11-21T17:46:00.000+02:002015-11-21T18:13:01.484+02:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;">مدلين
فرنسيس رعد<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;">أديبة</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "simplified arabic"; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">ﹲ</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;">
أنيقة</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "simplified arabic"; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">ﹲ</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;">
مؤمنة<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">بقلم
الأب لويس الخوند<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">أدبها سهل</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "simplified arabic"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">ﹲ</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> رقراق، لا يعرف
التعقيد البلاغي، هو عفوي</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "simplified arabic"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">ﹲ</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> انسانوي</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "simplified arabic"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">ﹲ</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> ناضج</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "simplified arabic"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">ﹸ</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">
الخواطر بليغ التعبير على بساطة</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "simplified arabic"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Simplified Arabic"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> و وضوح</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "simplified arabic"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Simplified Arabic"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> و
جمال، أسلوبها تغريدات</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "simplified arabic"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">ﹸ</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> تعابير</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "simplified arabic"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">ﹶ</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> عن
عمق مشاعر</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "simplified arabic"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">ﹶ</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> و
عناد قناعات، تعكس جمالات روح</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "simplified arabic"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Simplified Arabic"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> تحضن ﺇيمانا</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "simplified arabic"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">ﹰ</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> باﻹنسان
و بالمسيح و العائلة و الأرض و الوطن. حبّها لكل انسان</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "simplified arabic"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Simplified Arabic"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> واضح</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "simplified arabic"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">ﹲ</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> صادق</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "simplified arabic"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">ﹲ</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> عفوي</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "simplified arabic"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">ﹲ</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> و
جريء</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "simplified arabic"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">ﹲ</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> و
رسولي، ببساطة الطفولة و صفاء الحياة و جرأة بولس الرسول. ﺇن أدب مدلين يدور حول
محورين متلازمين: اﻹنسان و المسيح، اﻹنسان القيمة الكبرى و المسيح النموذج الكامل.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">قرأت
ما كتبت مدلين على صفحات مجلة رابطة الأخويات في لبنان، و في محفوظاتها التي اطلعت
عليها، و انفتحت أساريري، و توسمت آفاق التفاؤل الدائم، و أنتظر الجديد. أتبين في
مقالاتها الأدب المؤمن و الشاهد و المبشر.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">في
مقالي عن مدلين فرنسيس رعد، سأحاول ﺇقتطاف ما تذوقت من جمالاتها. سأغذي أسلوبي
بأفكارها هي. هكذا أدعو قارئي الى مرافقتي في صحبة مدلين فرنسيس رعد، الواضحة في
ما تريد أن تقول، و خاصة القناعات اﻹنسانية و الروحية و التربوية تنساب رقراقة في
أسلوب عذب كالنور. تطلعنا قراءتها على قيم أخلاقية و تربوية و عائلية و أنثوية و ﺇيمانية
و ﺇنجيلية تلذ القارىء على بساطتها و رونقها و أناقتها في آن.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">يلفتني
في قراءتي لمقالات مدلين العديدة تفكيرها في حياة الأولاد في العائلة و المدرسة،
في البيئة، و التربية، و المجتمع، و كلمة الله، و الكنيسة، و الرجاء، و الصلاة، و
الصليب، و الحب، و الشراكة، و العمل، و الوطن، و الهجرة، و الحنان، و الفقراء، و
الطفولة، و الأمومة الحاضنة المنفتحة و المسنين و غيرهم.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">من
أقوالها: الحرب "حرب على القيم و الأخلاق". "حرب على الحب و
الأخوة. من نتائجها تغييب التربية". "نستنجد بالحب فلا نعثر" و
الشبان "ينطلقون في أعمالهم بثقة و ﺇيمان" و "حب عطاء".<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">أسلوب
شيق. كلمات مختارة، سهلة و معبرة. يصطاد قارىء مدلين ما يشاء من لآلئها. مفردات
منتقاة، تعابير معبرة، تربويات عابقة باﻹيجابية و التنوير و التشجيع و الفرح اﻹنساني
و اﻹنجيلي.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">و في
أدب مدلين فكر لاهوتي حول شخص المسيح و اللاهوت المريمي.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">مع
يسوع نمشي "درب الجلجلة فنعبر ظلمة الموت وصولا</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "simplified arabic"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">ﹰ</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> الى
أنوار الحياة، الى مجد القيامة".<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">"و
نحن بماذا نجيب لو سأل يسوع كل واحد منا: أتحبني؟".<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">"لو
تولد عندنا يا يسوع!".<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">"أتى
الى الأرض ليلهب القلوب بالمحبة، و يشعل بنار الحب هشيم الحقد و التباعد. ﺇنه
(يسوع) حكاية الحب اﻹلهي لأبناء البشر".<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">"اﻹنجيل
أنقذ اﻹنسانية من شر الأنانية و الطمع".<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">"أعطنا مثلك أن نحب. نغفل أحيانا عن كل ما زودتنا به من تعاليم سماوية".<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">"حيث يكون الحب هناك يكون يسوع".<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">"ﺇنه
القربان الذي ﺇختارنا هياكل حضوره. نحن نؤمن يا يسوع أنك معنا. دوما معنا. فأنت
الطريق و الحق و الحياة. آمين".<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">كما
أن أدب مدلين يرشح "مريميات". "ﺇن مريم هي أم الخالق. بهجة الأرض.
ملكة للحب و السلام. تجدد الأمل و الرجاء في نفوس الجميع". لكأن مدلين قرأت
وثيقة المجمع الفاتيكاني الثاني "الكنيسة نور الأمم"، الفصل الثامن:
الطوباوية مريم أم الله في سر المسيح و الكنيسة".<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">و لا
تنسى مدلين مار شربل الذي، كما تقول، "لمس الحب بملء ما يتطلب هذا الحب من
زهد و امحاء، من تجرد و نكران للذات، فتدفقت النعم بحبه على الناس، كل
الناس". و تضيف: "نتأمل محبتك فنخجل من حب ندعيه، يهتز و يتغير مع
الظروف".<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">و
تختار مدلين آيات من اﻹنجيل، و تجعل من كل منها موضوع تأمل هو كناية عن درس تعليم
مسيحي للبالغين. من العناوين اﻹنجيلية:" نفسي حزينة حتى الموت فاسهروا
معي". "قم احمل سريرك و ﺇذهب الى بيتك". "أنت هو الآتي أم
ننتظر آخر؟". "مهما يقل لكم فافعلوه". "ﺇجعل قلبنا مثل
قلبك" الخ.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">و لا
ننسى في أدب مدلين المربية المؤمنة، "همسات المساء في العائلة" : أحاديث
تفتح قلوب الأولاد و تركز على فضيلة العطاء: "نواكب سير الأولاد في حب
العطاء" فيبادر الأولاد "الى فعل المحبة و العطاء، فنجني حب
العطاء". و هكذا يكبر الأمل. "أولادنا يحققون أحلامنا". "و
بالمحبة نزرع حولنا لحظات من السعادة و الفرح".<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">"الحصاد
كثير</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "simplified arabic"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">ٌ</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> و
الفعلة قليلون": نرى اللامبالاة و لا نتحرك". آلمت اللامبالاة مدلين قبل
أن يشهّر البابا فرنسيس ب"اللامبالاة". فالله وهبنا انعامات و طاقات
لنتاجر بها في خدمة ﺇخوتنا البشر جميعا</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "simplified arabic"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">ً</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">، و خصوصا</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "simplified arabic"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">ﹰ</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">
الفقراء، و في الأخص التلاميذ الفقراء الذين لهم في قلب مدلين منزلة خاصة تطال
منها العقل و القلب و العطف و اليدين و "التضامن" مع المربين الزملاء.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">و الأديبة
المربية مدلين رعد تؤمن "بعناية الله ترافق من يتّكلون عليه". بهذا اﻹيمان
نُقدِم، فلا نفكر بالوسيلة و الأرقام". "تؤمنون اذا</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "simplified arabic"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">ﹰ</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">
قادرون". "سوف نُحب، سوف نعمل، سوف نكمل".<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">أختم
مقالي بأمنية: نظرا</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "simplified arabic"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">ﹰ</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> لغزارة أفكار و تعابير و مفردات و ﺇيجابية أدب مدلين
فرنسيس رعد أقترح على القيّمين على ثمارها الناضجة أن يسعوا الى طباعة مقالاتها
المنشورة و المحفوظة، في كتاب أراه منهلا</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "simplified arabic"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">ﹰ</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">
لطلاب المدارس و الأساتذة و المجالس الأهلية و الأخويات. </span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "simplified arabic"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">ﻔﺈ</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">لى
مثل هذه الدّرر يحتاج عصرنا الساعي الى "الهدى" في السبيل الأخلاقي
السوي. فهلمّوا الى مدلين فرنسيس رعد و اقطفوا من ثمارها اليانعة الطيبة.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">دير
سيدة طاميش في ١٠/٧/٢٠١٥<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360396681501261004.post-14490322503989566242015-07-10T12:48:00.000+03:002015-07-10T14:13:16.266+03:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">مادلين فرنسيس في ذاكرتنا</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5foQMI218n-EIDYQ0hs3rjmAprAolN9EU1xtSyoOfXSTwpKpk96wD6DrCIkIHLzcoGsD2ePAZfF70Dc0EvTtfpdr3t0HfF1EfI_c28g6XOX9Q5pzsQ67j4N1Gp-BrT6XVvKNXPQU6aBOi/s1600/Mom-old+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5foQMI218n-EIDYQ0hs3rjmAprAolN9EU1xtSyoOfXSTwpKpk96wD6DrCIkIHLzcoGsD2ePAZfF70Dc0EvTtfpdr3t0HfF1EfI_c28g6XOX9Q5pzsQ67j4N1Gp-BrT6XVvKNXPQU6aBOi/s200/Mom-old+pic.jpg" width="121" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">على الرغم من معرفتي القصيرة بها، الا أنها كانت دائما بحركة لا تهدأ، مستعدة دوما للقيام بأي عمل او نشاط في خدمة الكنيسة. معلمة و مربية للأجيال، هكدا أفنت حياتها، و في السنوات الأخيرة أغنت صفحات مجلة الرابطة بمقالات وجدانية و روحية و نقدية بناءة. أتذكرها حاضرة في مكتب الرابطة، حاملة مقالاتها بكل فخر و اعتزاز و تواضع، كي يتم نشرها في المجلة، واضعة خبراتها في خدمتنا.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">أيتها الأم و المربية، مادلين نتذكرك اليوم بكل محبة و ننحني أمام كل ما قدمتيه في عائلتك الصغيرة، في أخوية لبعا التي انتسبت اليها، في مهنتك التربوية لأنك كنت حقا حاملة للرسالة الكلمة أينما حللت. و على الرغم من أن الموت خطفك سريعا، الا أنك حتما تتمتعين برؤية الفادي في ملكوته السماوي. رحمك الله و صلي من أجلنا من عليائك.</span></div>
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رئيس تحرير مجلة رابطة الأخويات</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360396681501261004.post-26290617839986154842015-04-03T10:07:00.000+03:002015-04-03T12:53:27.382+03:00Sublime And Wonderful Maronite Hymn & Voice<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dymoF3tBQih_Xs39MJtiuQOPEY0R5WuW7flkwX9pxltdplEZZiDxHy6EFlX950kk79BkzyNgMd_HncEcP8cjQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360396681501261004.post-85010101198939821882015-04-02T12:23:00.000+03:002015-04-02T12:23:01.796+03:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">نفسي حزينة حتى الموت ﺇسهروا معي</span><br />
بقلم مادلين فرنسيس<br />
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<span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">في غمرة وحدتك و حزنك ذهب الجميع من حولك، تختلف
أسبابهم بين تعب و ضعف و خوف. فالتلاميذ نيام و الأصدقاء و المحبون يراقبون الحدث
خائفين. وحدهم الجنود بسيوفهم و عصّيهم يتوجهون نحوك يتقدهم يهوذا ليدلهم ﺇليك. ترانا
يا يسوع نحشد كل طاقاتنا و نستجمع كل قوانا و نستعين بملء حبنا و نأتي لنسهر معك.
نفتش عن الكلمة المعزية و نغمرك بكل ما نملك من عاطفة و حب و نصلي معك: "يا
أبتاه ﺇذا أمكن أن تعبر عني هذه الكأس، لكن لتكن مشيئتك"</span><span dir="LTR"></span><span dir="LTR" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span dir="LTR"></span> </span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">لن
نخاف و لن نختبئ بل سنبقى معك و نتبع خطواتك بشجاعة. ترى من نكون بين هذه الجموع من حولك؟<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJYdAL8ypSQSf6gjVEgpRaPaj9xAi-4O4SfMZOYTWcc-KYUSvyfuqrNT_0c9AjY__0VYW4B4z7DyRi6d5D47Qzg7XlWALcahH7oztzIVnYvfnQMZG9qIeYb2rY1NQXEj_166KslDT2lZkr/s1600/jesus-in-gethsemane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJYdAL8ypSQSf6gjVEgpRaPaj9xAi-4O4SfMZOYTWcc-KYUSvyfuqrNT_0c9AjY__0VYW4B4z7DyRi6d5D47Qzg7XlWALcahH7oztzIVnYvfnQMZG9qIeYb2rY1NQXEj_166KslDT2lZkr/s1600/jesus-in-gethsemane.jpg" height="270" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">على منصته بيلاطس واثق من براءتك و خائف على مركزه و
في مقدمة الحضور قيافا يحرﱢض و يختلق التّهم ضدّك ليبقى الآمر الناهي باسم العدل و
الشريعة. و الجنود يتأهبون منتظرين الأوامر، و الشعب ببساطته يردد ما يملي عليه
الكبار، فيهتف معهم: أصلبه أصلبه و يتناسى أنه منذ أيام قليلة كان يهتف: مبارك
الآتي باسم الرب.</span></div>
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<span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">أما التلاميذ فقد توزّعوا خائفين. وحدها مريم مع بعض
النساء كانت تتبع خطاك خطوة خطوة لتعيش ملء لحظات العذاب و الألم. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">ترى من نكون في مسيرة آلامك؟ نحن محبون لكن خطأة.
مؤمنون لكن ضعفاء، وعودنا كثيرة يمحوها الخوف في اللحظة الحرجة.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">نحن ايضا يا يسوع نخاف نقمتهم لو سئلنا اذا كنا من
تلاميذك. و يرهبنا ثقل الصليب لو تقدمنا لنساعدك على حمله.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">نفتقد الحب الكبير يا يسوع الذي فيه الجرأة و الشجاعة،
فيه نخرج من دائرة الخوف و التردد، و معه نرتفع نحو مفهوم الشهادة و النداء. نلتمس
من جراحك قوة و من دمك حبا̎، نلتمس من موتك حياة، فأنت هويتنا معذبا̎ بين أيديهم. أنت
الهنا مكللا̎ بأشواك آثامهم. أنت حبنا الكبير مصلوبا̎ و ميتا̎ تنفيذا̎ لأحكامهم.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">نسجد لآلامك، نتأمل جسمك الدامي، و نقف عند أقدام
الصليب مثل مريم. فنعيش عمق المحبة و الغفران.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">عند أقدام الصليب تتبدل مفاهيم الحياة فلا نرى ﺇلا
جمال الخلق و عظمة السماء. عند أقدام الصليب لا ضجيج و لا صخب، بل ترانيم سماوية
تغني الحب و تمجد الفداء.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">عند أقدام الصليب يتغيّر مفهوم العذاب و الألم و الموت.
فتغيب كل الاعتبارات البشرية و الحسابات الضيّقة. تتبدل مشاعرنا و تسمو أهدافنا فاذا
نحن خليقة جديدة تسعى فقط لتستحق حمل الصليب.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">صليبك عرش الحب – صليبك شارة الانتصار.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">سنسهر معك يا يسوع. سنبقى بجانبك، و عندما نضعف ستكون
توبتنا دموعا̎ و ندما̎، و تصميما̎ جديدا̎، فنمضي في طريقك، و مثلك نحمل صليبنا
طوعا̎، و نمشي معك درب الجلجلة فنعبر ظلمة الموت و صولا̎ الى أنوار الحياة، الى
مجد القيامة. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360396681501261004.post-84687232453582686782015-03-31T13:02:00.001+03:002015-03-31T13:21:02.795+03:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">خواطر في أحداث موت يسوع وقيامته</span></div>
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بقلم الفريدو لاما</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">من منظار المذيع الإخباري الذي نعرفه اليوم (قبل موت يسوع):</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">لقد قام ليلة الخميس نخبة من الحرس النظامي الروماني يصطحبهم ثلة من مرسلي علماء الدين بإلقاء القبض على يسوع الناصري محرّض الفتن، الذي كفر بادعائه أنه ابن الله، وجروه الى مقر رئيس الكهنة قيافا في بيته لاستجوابه ومن ثم تم إحالته الى القضاء لدى حاكم الولاية بيلاطس. وقد تم أسره بعد نجاح الهيئات الاستخبارية في تتبعه واسترصاده بمساعدة المخبر المندس يهوذا الاسخريوطي. وقد رمي يسوع في دهاليز البيت مربوطا بالسلاسل وجُرّ لاحقا الى حاكم الولاية بيلاطس مع طلب الحكم عليه بالموت. ونظرا لعدم استطاعة العلماء الحكم عليه في ظل سلطان الولاية الرومانية صاحبة الفصل، حيث كان من المقرر رجمه حتى الموت، فقد ترك القول الأخير الى الحاكم الذي قرر صلبه في الجلجلة مع المجرمين من القتلة واللصوص.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibzCItqv8eOQCww2gEHNaWkhlEBbLh_OSza721YHgc0ETbTmhGIW6tAXvhdR13WG7B2vJoP3hGNfB13B8yFnByN-pDupen5MWMDGWkEK85g7CedaW4Fh4BDHIU3l1lVZr6EqGgwRRdOen0/s1600/crucifixion-22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibzCItqv8eOQCww2gEHNaWkhlEBbLh_OSza721YHgc0ETbTmhGIW6tAXvhdR13WG7B2vJoP3hGNfB13B8yFnByN-pDupen5MWMDGWkEK85g7CedaW4Fh4BDHIU3l1lVZr6EqGgwRRdOen0/s1600/crucifixion-22.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">من منظار المحلل السياسي (عند صلب يسوع):</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">لقد حمل الناصري رسالة اجتماعية عظيمة وكان يساعد المنكوبين والمرضى والجياع والمساكين. ومع أنه نجح في إثارة الشعب المكوب ضد الفساد حيث كان ضالعا في الفلسفة والمنطق وعلم النفس إلا أنه لم يكن دبلوماسيا أو سياسيا محنكا. هذا واعتبره أتباعه بأنه ابن الله لعظمة أفعاله. فقد قيل أنه صنع المعجزات وشفى الكثيرين. ولكن ماذا نفعه كل ذلك فقد فشل في إنقاذ نفسه رغم قوله بأنه يستطيع هدم الهيكل وبناءه في ثلاثة أيام. لقد كان فشله في رسالته وفي ثورته ذريعا أمام حشد علماء الدين وقادة الشعب وكانت ذروة هذا الفشل الحكم عليه بالموت صلبا مع المجرمين واللصوص.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">من منظار المؤرخ (بعد موت يسوع وقيامته):</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">لقد تحمل هذا الرجل أقصى أنواع العذاب الذي لا يستطيع أي من البشر تحمله. وبالرغم من كل عذابه وآلامه لم يفتح فاه، هذا الثائر الذي التفّت من حوله حشود الشعب الرازخ تحت ظلم العبودية وظلام الحالة الاقتصادية لم يقاوم ولم يجمع حوله قوات تحرير ولا جنود. لقد سيق كالشاة الى الذبح ولم يتظلم أو يعنّف أحدا. أذكر أنه قال يوما: "إن لم تقع حبة الحنطة في الأرض وتَمُت بقيت وحدها، وإذا ماتت أخرجت حبا كثيرا" (يوحنا 12). لقد صنع المعجزات في حياته وعند موته تزلزلت الأرض وأظلمت وبعد قيامته ظهر للعديد من تلاميذه الذين من بعده حملوا البشارة الى الأرض كلها. لقد كان هذا الرجل عظيما فوق كل طاقة أرضية وزمنية ولو لم يكن كذلك لما آمن به الملايين ولما احتملوا أمر التضحيات حتى الموت من أجل رسالته.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">من منظار القديس بطرس الرسول:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">"أننا لم نتبع خرافات مصنّعة إذ عرّفناكم بقوة ربنا يسوع المسيح ومجيئه بل قد كنّا معاينين عظمته". (2بطرس 1: 16)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">من منظار علم الاجتماع والنفس والفلسفة:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">إن الموت ليس الفشل بل هو حياة في حد ذاته وذلك وفق مثال حبة الحنطة وإنه يعطي ثماره من حيث النمو والتكاثر ومن حيث الأفق الروحي فالذي يموت من أجل مبادئه يحيى فيه أتباع كثر. ولأن مبدأ الفضيلة لا يتبع الأحاسيس الجسدية لذلك فإن الأنسان يجب أن يميت شهواته ولو أدى ذلك الى تألم الجسد وموته، ذلك كي يجعلها تُنمي فيه الفضائل التي بثباتها في المجتمع ترقى به وبرفعته الى قمة الكرامة الانسانية. وقد أثبت موت يسوع أنه حياة من حيث كثرة أتباعه في العالم.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">من منظار فلاسفة اللاهوت:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">قال مار اسحق : "النفس موضوعة بين الجسد والروح، فهى إما تتحد مع الجسد وتتعاطف معه ضد الروح، وإما تتحد مع الروح وتتعاطف معه ضد الجسد. وهكذا تكون النفس إما جسدانية وإما روحانية. لأن الكتاب يقول إن الجسد يشتهى ضد الروح والروح ضد الجسد، وهذان يقاوم أحدهما الآخر حتى تفعلون ما لا تريدون النفس هى القاعدة التى تصدر عنها العواطف والتى تحوى الحياة الجسدية. الروح هى القاعدة التى تستقبل التأثيرات الروحية وتعبر عنها ، والتى تتصل بالله وتحبه".</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">وأخيرا، عزيزي القارىء، فإن في الموت حياة وليس فشل وهذا ما تؤكده لنا النظريات الطبيعة كافة وأكده لنا أيضا ربنا يسوع المسيح في حياته وفي موته وفي قيامته.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">لذلك لا تلوم الله ولا تنكر عدم وجود الروح. فقط عليك أن لا تعتبر التحديات ولا الأحداث ولا الألم ولا الفقدان ولا الأحزان ولا الموت فشل لك بل كلها سبيلك الى الحياة، "لأن من أحب نفسه خسرها ومن أنكر نفسه في هذا العالم حفظها للحياة الأبدية". (يوحنا 12: 25)</span></div>
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الفريدو لاما – 30.03.2015</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360396681501261004.post-62926623331109297092015-03-20T12:08:00.001+02:002016-03-25T09:23:22.991+02:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">يا امرأة هذا ابنك! هذه أمك</span></div>
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بقلم مادلين فرنسيس</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">هي وصية غالية قبل موته على الصليب: يا امرأة هذا ابنك! هذه أمك" لتصبح مريم </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">أما̎</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"> لكل البشر- و كل البشر أبناء مريم.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMjN3yTupifiOiBRZibvJ0JLSZlLsLNz0DGxExj6Qv7GiJ0v3y57Z4_wIqkvG1nKFmo3uaBpePSzUY2UIarGXWcz8plTgbIjzlfLKjNxBODZaRuIUvUBacIZoBhYztVCHts9my4y3dDGPW/s1600/Mary-at-the-Cross.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMjN3yTupifiOiBRZibvJ0JLSZlLsLNz0DGxExj6Qv7GiJ0v3y57Z4_wIqkvG1nKFmo3uaBpePSzUY2UIarGXWcz8plTgbIjzlfLKjNxBODZaRuIUvUBacIZoBhYztVCHts9my4y3dDGPW/s400/Mary-at-the-Cross.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">كان قرارا</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">̎</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">صعبا بمستوى خوفه علينا - و كانت استجابتك مريم بمستوى حبك للبشر، و نسيت في تلك اللحظة جلاديه و قاتليه، و بكيت الجميع، بكيت عذابه و موته، و بكيت جهل البشر و حقدهم الأعمى فقتلوا مخلصهم. بكيت الضحية و الجلاد لأنك أم الجميع!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">و تتكرر هذه الوقائع كل يوم. تتجدد أخطاِؤنا، فيتجدد عذابه، و أنت تلتزمين عهد الحب: أنتم أبنائي.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">كيف لنا أن نفهم حبك و كيف لنا أن نسبر عمق أمومتك؟</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">أما آن للأبناء أن يتمثلوا أمهم؟</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">أين حنانك من قساوة قلوب البشر؟</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">أين و فاؤك من تقلبات آرائهم وفق مصالحهم؟</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">أين تضحيتك، لا يثنيها ألم و لا تقيدها حدود من أنانيتهم تسجن اهتمامهم داخل ذواتهم.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">و في عودة الى الذات، في وقفة حنان بين يديك، نعترف بذنوبنا و نرى الحقيقة، كيف نتخطى أحزانك و نمعن في أنانيتنا، و نتجاهل وعودنا المتكررة لك بالصفح و الحب و الغفران.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">نرجوك يا مريم، أعطنا أن نكون أبناءك حقا نحب، و نتحمل و نضحي دون تذمر.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">أنت أمنا أنت هويتنا، تتعدد أسماؤنا و عائلاتنا، تختلف آراؤنا و الحكم أنت.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">نحن أبناؤك فلا نخاف، بفعل الأمومة نسرع اليك و لو مذنبين بفعل الحب نجثو بين يديك واثقين.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">تحاصرنا الأزمات و المشاكل، تستبد بالأرض الأنانية و الأطماع، و ينتشر الفساد في المجتمعات، أنت شفيعتنا و ملاذنا، أطلبي لنا يا مريم.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">أطلبي لنا من يسوع الحب و التعاون و السلام في عائلاتنا و في وطننا.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">أطلبي لنا يا مريم النعم من يسوع فيستجيب بهمسة منك. امتلأت الخوابي خمرا</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">̎</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">في عرس قانا، فما عساه يفعل لو رأى دمعة تجول في عينيك؟ </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">وعدا ̎ يا مريم سنعمل جاهدين لنستحق أمومتك</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">وعدا ̎ يا مريم أن يكون رضاك همنا، و كنيستك ملجأنا، و حبك شعارنا، و مهما قست ظروف الحياة، ما همنا نحن أبناؤك، و أنت رفيقة دربنا في الجهاد و العذاب، و في الألم و الموت و في مجد القيامة. </span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360396681501261004.post-62905420367674813562015-02-21T18:53:00.000+02:002015-02-21T18:53:28.789+02:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>ا</b>لانسانية</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">بقلم مادلين فرنسيس</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">الانسانية لا تنكر على الأغنياء أموالهم.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">ولا تفرض أن يتساوى الجميع في الحياة.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">فهي تطلب من النبع قطرة و من العين نظرة و من القلب خفقة محبة.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">الكل بامكانه أن يلبي انسانيته مهما كانت حاله</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">أشياء كثيرة يمكننا أن نقدمها: أعمال المحبة، الكلمة المعزية، الصلاة.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">المهم أن نكسر الحاجز بيننا و بين البؤس،</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">ليتنا نستطيع أن نجمع الحب باقات نزين بها أرجاء مجتمعنا،</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">ليتنا نستطيع الوصول الى عمق انسانيتنا.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">يسوع ينتظر أن نفتح عيوننا على الانسانية حولنا لنعيش الحب و التسامح، فنسرع الى لقاء قريبنا في معاناته و أوجاعه، و نحيا التضحية و العطاء.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">حيث يكون الحب هناك يكون يسوع.</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360396681501261004.post-85321236184948362952015-02-15T09:23:00.000+02:002015-02-15T09:23:59.764+02:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">مهما يقل لكم فافعلوه...</span><span style="font-size: large;">(يوحنا <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%; text-align: left;">٥:٢</span>)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">"مهما يقل لكم فافعلوه" كلمات جاءت على لسان مريم في فجر زمن البشارة، و يسوع لم تأت ساعته بعد (يوحنا </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%; text-align: left;">٤:٢</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">). كانت مريم تدرك جيدا كنة رسالة ابنها و تعرف حاجة البشر الى الخلاص من عبودية الجهل و الخطيئة. عاشت في الناصرة مع يوسف و يسوع حياة الأم المصلية، مكرسة </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%; text-align: left;">ذ</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">اتها للخدمة في عائلتها و مجتمعها تشارك في كل المناسبات من أفراح و أحزان مشاركة فعلية جاهزة للمساعدة و حاضرة لتكمل كل نقص و تقصير.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">تعرف مريم جيدا فعل ارادتها عند يسوع، فهو لا يرد لها طلبا، و لا يهمل لها شفاعة, </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%; text-align: left;">لذلك</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"> تبقى ساهرة متنبهة في شؤون حياتنا تدلنا الى الطريق و تردد باستمرار: مهما يقل لكم فافعلوه. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">تريدنا أن نكون مثلها نعيش فيه و معه، فهو الطريق و الحق و الحياة. تريدنا أن نعمل مشيئته في كل محطات عمرنا، و نقدم له كل انجازاتنا و أعمالنا، كل أحزاننا و معاناتنا. مريم و <span style="line-height: 115%; text-align: left;">منذ ولادتها مكرسة للرب، قدمت له شبابها و حياتها، و أ</span><span style="line-height: 24.5333347320557px; text-align: left;">ذعنت لمشيئته في البشارة "ها أنا أمة الرب" و عاشت حياتها في الأرض ككل أم عاملة محبة، مكملة الرسالة حتى بعد صعود ابنها الى السماء، فأصبحت الأم للرسل و الكنيسة، و المرجع الآمن لأبنائها.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 24.5333347320557px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">مهما قال الله فعلت مريم. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24.5333347320557px; text-align: left;">لقد شاء الله أن تبقى على الأرض بعد صعوده الى السماء، مع كل ما في </span><span style="line-height: 115%; text-align: left;">هذا البقاء من </span><span style="line-height: 115%; text-align: left;">عذاب الفراق و الحنين، بعدما عاشت ظروف </span><span style="line-height: 115%; text-align: left;">التعذيب و الصلب و الموت ثم القيامة.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">أمضت حياتها على الأرض بحسب كتاب الكنيسة تزور الأماكن حيث عاشت مع يسوع فترة وجوده بالجسد بين البشر.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 115%; text-align: left;">ها هي في بيت لحم واقفة أمام </span><span style="line-height: 115%; text-align: left;">المذود حيث أضجعته مولودا صغيرا. و ها هي في بيتها الصغير في الناصرة حيث مشغل النجارة محا</span><span style="line-height: 115%; text-align: left;">ذ للبيت، هناك ربت يسوع و تعلم من يوسف المهنة و مارسها كأي عامل يكسب قوته بعرق جبينه. و في بستان الزيتون هناك صلى و انساب عرقه دما ليلة الآلام. و في دار بيلاطس جلد و كلل بالشوك فيما انحنت هي تمسح قطرات دمه منسابة على الأرض مختلطة بدموعها. ها هي تزور جبل الجلجلة حيث رفع على الصليب و جعلها أمنا قبل أن يموت، فيما هي كانت تتمنى لو تموت معه لتبقى بجانبه. و في كل </span><span style="line-height: 115%; text-align: left;">هذه الزيارات أشواق تعصر قلبها و حنين يملأ كيانها، فكانت تتخطى ارادتها و عواطفها لتتمم مشيئته الى آخر لحظة في حياتها "مهما يقل لكم فافعلوه". و بقيت معنا أما ساهرة، لا تنتظر أن نشكو بل تبادر دوما الى مساعدتنا. تتشفع بنا و </span><span style="line-height: 115%; text-align: left;">تنقذنا من كل سقطاتنا. و ما زالت معنا تحتل القلوب و تسكن البيوت و المعابد، ما زالت معنا في ظهوراتها و رسائلها المتوالية للعالم تنصح و </span><span style="line-height: 115%; text-align: left;">تحذر و تشدنا الى السلام و الفرح.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 115%; text-align: left;">نسمع يا مريم صوتك </span><span style="line-height: 115%; text-align: left;">العذب يخاطبنا، و نلو</span><span style="line-height: 115%; text-align: left;">ذ بين يديك لنحتمي كلأطفال في حضن والدتهم، يجمعنا حبك، فنزين </span><span style="line-height: 115%; text-align: left;">مذابحك بالورود و ننشد لك أجمل التراتيل، فأنت ملكة الحب، أنت عروس الزمان.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 115%; text-align: left;">حسبنا من العمر بنوتك، حسبنا من الحياة رضاه، فهو الهدف </span><span style="line-height: 115%; text-align: left;">الذي نقضي حياتنا ساعين اليه، نجاهد أن نفعل مهما يقول لنا و معك حتما واصلون.</span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360396681501261004.post-17596463841947510272014-11-22T21:27:00.000+02:002014-11-22T21:27:26.700+02:00Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ According to Saint John 14:6<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Jesus said, “Don’t be troubled. Trust in God, and trust in me. There are many rooms in my Father’s house. I would not tell you this if it were not true. I am going there to prepare a place for you. After I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back. Then I will take you with me, so that you can be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”</div>
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Thomas said, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”</div>
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Jesus answered, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. The only way to the Father is through me.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360396681501261004.post-315607770461926342014-08-29T10:30:00.001+03:002014-08-29T10:30:06.928+03:00VIDEO: Our Lady of Lebanon<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Selection of Pictures and shots of Our Lady of Lebanon Sanctuary in Harissa with an old Maronite Hymn by Feyrouz as background.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360396681501261004.post-38077937845117211252014-07-30T10:38:00.001+03:002014-07-30T10:38:39.053+03:00A Secret Recipe For Happiness, By Pope Francis<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Slowing down, being generous and fighting for peace are part of Pope Francis' secret recipe for happiness.</div>
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In an interview published in part in the Argentine weekly "Viva" July 27, the pope listed his Top 10 tips for bringing greater joy to one's life:</div>
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1. "Live and let live." Everyone should be guided by this principle, he said, which has a similar expression in Rome with the saying, "Move forward and let others do the same."</div>
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2. "Be giving of yourself to others." People need to be open and generous toward others, he said, because "if you withdraw into yourself, you run the risk of becoming egocentric. And stagnant water becomes putrid."</div>
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3. "Proceed calmly" in life. The pope, who used to teach high school literature, used an image from an Argentine novel by Ricardo Guiraldes, in which the protagonist -- gaucho Don Segundo Sombra -- looks back on how he lived his life.</div>
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"He says that in his youth he was a stream full of rocks that he carried with him; as an adult, a rushing river; and in old age, he was still moving, but slowly, like a pool" of water, the pope said. He said he likes this latter image of a pool of water -- to have "the ability to move with kindness and humility, a calmness in life."</div>
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4. "A healthy sense of leisure." The pleasures of art, literature and playing together with children have been lost, he said.</div>
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"Consumerism has brought us anxiety" and stress, causing people to lose a "healthy culture of leisure." Their time is "swallowed up" so people can't share it with anyone.</div>
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Even though many parents work long hours, they must set aside time to play with their children; work schedules make it "complicated, but you must do it," he said.</div>
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Families must also turn off the TV when they sit down to eat because, even though television is useful for keeping up with the news, having it on during mealtime "doesn't let you communicate" with each other, the pope said.</div>
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5. Sundays should be holidays. Workers should have Sundays off because "Sunday is for family," he said.</div>
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6. Find innovative ways to create dignified jobs for young people. "We need to be creative with young people. If they have no opportunities they will get into drugs" and be more vulnerable to suicide, he said.</div>
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"It's not enough to give them food," he said. "Dignity is given to you when you can bring food home" from one's own labor.</div>
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7. Respect and take care of nature. Environmental degradation "is one of the biggest challenges we have," he said. "I think a question that we're not asking ourselves is: 'Isn't humanity committing suicide with this indiscriminate and tyrannical use of nature?'"</div>
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8. Stop being negative. "Needing to talk badly about others indicates low self-esteem. That means, 'I feel so low that instead of picking myself up I have to cut others down,'" the pope said. "Letting go of negative things quickly is healthy."</div>
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9. Don't proselytize; respect others' beliefs. "We can inspire others through witness so that one grows together in communicating. But the worst thing of all is religious proselytism, which paralyzes: 'I am talking with you in order to persuade you,' No. Each person dialogues, starting with his and her own identity. The church grows by attraction, not proselytizing," the pope said.</div>
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10. Work for peace. "We are living in a time of many wars," he said, and "the call for peace must be shouted. Peace sometimes gives the impression of being quiet, but it is never quiet, peace is always proactive" and dynamic.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360396681501261004.post-10686153952819638672014-06-13T10:49:00.000+03:002014-06-13T10:49:27.835+03:00Annual Synod of the Maronite Church<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The delay in the election of a new Lebanese president is "an unacceptable violation of the Constitution and of the national covenant". With these words, the Patriarch of Antioch of the Maronites, Bechara Boutros Rai, has launched a new alarm on the stalemate which for weeks has hindered the election of Michel Sleiman’s successor as president of the Lebanese republic, having de facto blocked the institutional life of the Country of the cedars in a particularly critical passage of the situation in the Middle East. </div>
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On Wednesday afternoon, June 11, on opening the annual Synod of the Maronite Church in the patriarchal seat of Bkerké, the Patriarch invited to pray so that the parliamentarians "elect a new President", reiterating that no one has the right to paralyze institutions, the protection of which must prevail "on all individual and sectarian considerations".</div>
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The Maronite Synod, after several days of prayer and retreat, will implement its operational phase from 16 to 19 June and will express strong and authoritative considerations on the impasse that continues to deteriorate the Lebanese political framework. The two political blocks of 8 March and 14 March cannot find a unitary consensus on who to elect in place of Suleiman, whose presidential term ended on May 25. </div>
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The complex institutional Lebanese balance provides that the office of President of the Republic is occupied by a Christian Maronite. In recent days, the leader of the Lebanese Forces, Shamir Geagea , attributed to the Maronite Patriarchate the support to a shortlist of three potential candidates - former ministers Damien Kattar, Ziyad Baroud and Roger Dib - declaring his readiness to support one of them. But Bkerké officially denied the existence of candidates "supported" by the Patriarchate.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360396681501261004.post-40946019868408477652014-06-01T20:15:00.000+03:002014-06-01T20:15:47.966+03:00The Maronite Patriarch in the Holy Land in Pictures<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360396681501261004.post-64067040858066617402014-05-27T10:55:00.000+03:002014-05-27T10:55:05.992+03:00Cardinal Al Rahi, Where no Other Patriarch Has Ever Been Before<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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In past days, what was surprising was Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Al Rahi’s decision to be present in Bethlehem and Jerusalem on the occasion of the visit of Pope Francis. So far no Maronite Patriarch had gone to Jerusalem after the creation of the State of Israel. Criticism regarding Patriarch Al Rahi’s choice had been expressed in particular by members of the Shiite party of Hezbollah, that saw in the patriarchal visit a gesture of recognition of a State considered an enemy. The Patriarch responded to criticism pointing out that his visit will be spiritual and not political. Approximately 10 thousand Maronite Christians live in the Holy Land. After the end of the papal pilgrimage, Patriarch Rai will also travel to Haifa to meet the faithful of the local Maronite community.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360396681501261004.post-33171554489562844422014-05-04T14:54:00.000+03:002014-05-04T15:13:40.321+03:00Maronite Patriarch Celebrates Mass in Lourdes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Maronite Patriarch, Cardinal Mar Beshara Peter Al Rahi celebrated mass at the Roman Catholic pilgrimage site of Lourdes in France on Sunday on the occasion of the international pilgrimage of the Order of Malta. The Order of Malta’s members and volunteers from all over the world travel each year during the first weekend of May to Lourdes. They accompany the sick and disabled and pray and bathe in the holy waters.</div>
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Around 200 Lebanese, among them 24 sick people, took part in the five-day pilgrimage and attended Sunday's mass. The 2014 international pilgrimage was attended by 25,000 faithful from all over the world. This year's event had a greater significance thanks to Cardinal Al Rahi's attendance.</div>
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The patriarch celebrated the mass in French but the bible was read in Arabic, the first time such a move has been made in the annual mass. Al Rahi said he prayed that Virgin Mary would salvage the Orient, which is engulfed with hatred. </div>
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Lourdes shrine attracts millions of visitors each year. The Catholic church recognizes 68 miracles linked to it and many disabled or sick people go there to pray for a cure. It has a famous grotto where the Virgin Mary appeared to Bernadette Soubirous, a peasant girl in 1858. The water fountain in Lourdes grotto is miraculous and many miracles are attributed to it.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360396681501261004.post-42148024632409554062014-04-27T12:28:00.000+03:002014-04-27T13:51:39.807+03:00I Saw This Saint!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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What a great and awesome feeling, to watch today on TV the canonization of a man whom I saw in a Pope mobile on the streets of Beirut in July 1997 passing just in front of me! It was on a hot Sunday and people were amassed on both sides of the road, trying to catch a glimpse of the Holy Father, who was heading to Beirut Downtown to celebrate Holy Mass, ending his historical trip to Lebanon. I was on the Dora Highway, standing there among thousands of people in one of the renowned Christian suburbs of Beirut.</div>
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Everybody was waiting and excited about this passage of the intriguing white Mercedes. Then suddenly the roaring sound of the helicopter of the Lebanese Army accompanying the motorcade from the air was heard. In a split second the crowd was by all means raised and you could hear nothing but loud applause and heavy cheers, one could only see hand waving and tears of joy, Lebanese and Vatican flags floating from every child, boy, mother and elderly people on the street. </div>
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Then the white car appeared, preceded by an endless number of motorcycles, armored cars and vehicles with antennas. It was probably a never seen before motorcade, with a huge number of accompanying officers and military personnel watching over John Paul II with their Lives.</div>
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The white man was standing inside the glazed car with the Maronite Patriarch with him, Cardinal Sfeir. The car passed in front of us. John Paul II with his usual smile and firm looks was maybe less than 10 meters away from where I was standing. The sight lasted maybe less than a second, but the picture of the man on that day is still clear and present in my mind after 17 years.</div>
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Today on April 27, he is becoming a Saint! Thank you Jesus for showing us that Sainthood could be within reach and touch, it is a lot easier than one might think, it could be one decision away from every man and woman.<br />
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Jean Ogassapian, a minister and Lebanese deputy was a Lebanese Army officer in charge of the Pope's personal security on that trip, he said: John Paul II has a powerful influence on people, I spoke with him on the plane but I cannot remember a single word from what he said, but I knew that my life will change after this encounter, and it was so!</div>
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Saint John Paul II pray for us, and for all those who walked a long distance on feet to try to get a sight of your holiness on that memorable trip of 1997.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360396681501261004.post-63743478049072518422014-04-20T15:04:00.000+03:002014-04-20T15:04:27.675+03:00Pope Francis' Easter Message to the City and to the World: "Urbi Et Orbi"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Dear Brothers and Sisters, a Happy and Holy Easter!</div>
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The Church throughout the world echoes the angel’s message to the women: “Do not be afraid! I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised… Come, see the place where he lay” (Mt 28:5-6).</div>
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This is the culmination of the Gospel, it is the Good News par excellence: Jesus, who was crucified, is risen! This event is the basis of our faith and our hope. If Christ were not raised, Christianity would lose its very meaning; the whole mission of the Church would lose its impulse, for this is the point from which it first set out and continues to set out ever anew. The message which Christians bring to the world is this: Jesus, Love incarnate, died on the cross for our sins, but God the Father raised him and made him the Lord of life and death. In Jesus, love has triumphed over hatred, mercy over sinfulness, goodness over evil, truth over falsehood, life over death.</div>
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That is why we tell everyone: “Come and see!” In every human situation, marked by frailty, sin and death, the Good News is no mere matter of words, but a testimony to unconditional and faithful love: it is about leaving ourselves behind and encountering others, being close to those crushed by life’s troubles, sharing with the needy, standing at the side of the sick, elderly and the outcast… “Come and see!”: Love is more powerful, love gives life, love makes hope blossom in the wilderness.</div>
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With this joyful certainty in our hearts, today we turn to you, risen Lord!</div>
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Help us to seek you and to find you, to realize that we have a Father and are not orphans; that we can love and adore you.</div>
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Help us to overcome the scourge of hunger, aggravated by conflicts and by the immense wastefulness for which we are often responsible.</div>
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Enable us to protect the vulnerable, especially children, women and the elderly, who are at times exploited and abandoned.</div>
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Enable us to care for our brothers and sisters struck by the Ebola epidemic in Guinea Conakry, Sierra Leone and Liberia, and to care for those suffering from so many other diseases which are also spread through neglect and dire poverty.</div>
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Comfort all those who cannot celebrate this Easter with their loved ones because they have been unjustly torn from their affections, like the many persons, priests and laity, who in various parts of the world have been kidnapped.</div>
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Comfort those who have left their own lands to migrate to places offering hope for a better future and the possibility of living their lives in dignity and, not infrequently, of freely professing their faith.</div>
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We ask you, Lord Jesus, to put an end to all war and every conflict, whether great or small, ancient or recent.</div>
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We pray in a particular way for Syria, beloved Syria, that all those suffering the effects of the conflict can receive needed humanitarian aid and that neither side will again use deadly force, especially against the defenseless civil population, but instead boldly negotiate the peace long awaited and long overdue!</div>
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Jesus, Lord of glory, we ask you to comfort the victims of fratricidal acts of violence in Iraq and to sustain the hopes raised by the resumption of negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians.</div>
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We beg for an end to the conflicts in the Central African Republic and a halt to the brutal terrorist attacks in parts of Nigeria and the acts of violence in South Sudan.</div>
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We ask that hearts be turned to reconciliation and fraternal concord in Venezuela.</div>
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By your resurrection, which this year we celebrate together with the Churches that follow the Julian calendar, we ask you to enlighten and inspire the initiatives that promote peace in Ukraine so that all those involved, with the support of the international community, will make every effort to prevent violence and, in a spirit of unity and dialogue, chart a path for the country’s future. On this day, may they be able to proclaim, as brothers and sisters, that Christ is risen, Khrystos voskres!</div>
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Lord, we pray to you for all the peoples of the earth: you who have conquered death, grant us your life, grant us your peace!</div>
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Dear brothers and sisters, Happy Easter!</div>
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Watch the video:</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360396681501261004.post-86312643745033895352014-04-18T10:45:00.000+03:002014-04-18T10:45:32.860+03:00The Saddest Yet The Most Wonderful Hymn For Good Friday...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Of all the Maronite hymns that have been composed and performed for Good Friday, "Wa Habibi" by Fairouz remains the most beautiful one with a heartbreaking melody and sorrowful lyrics, as it speaks words of the Virgin with a pierced heart mourning her Son on the day of Crucifixion.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360396681501261004.post-6363988592437855812014-03-26T14:26:00.002+02:002014-03-26T14:26:37.158+02:00Cardinal Al Rahi Intervenes On The Election of a New Lebanese President<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The election of the new President of the Lebanese Republic is a choice that belongs only to the people of Lebanon "and not to the Iranians, the Saudis or the Americans". It must be carried by the Parliamentary Assembly, and not between underground extra-parliamentary faction agreements that for years have been blocking the proper functioning of state institutions. This is what Cardinal Mar Beshara Peter Al Rahi, Patriarch of Antioch of the Maronites, said in an interview on Tuesday, March 25th for LBCI television network. During the interview, Patriarch Rahi repeatedly referred to the president of Parliament Nabih Berri to convene the Parliamentary Assembly immediately in order to allow MPs to begin the choice of possible candidates for the Presidency of the Republic as soon as possible.</div>
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The call to immediately involve Parliament, expressed by the Patriarch, is in contrast to the moves of those who instead aim to entrust the choice of a new President to pre-agreements between the two political majority blocs - the March 8 Coalition and the March 14 Coalition - which for years affect the political life of the Country of the cedars .The current incumbent President, Michel Sleiman, will end his term on May 25. In the institutional system in force in Lebanon, the office of President of the Republic belongs to a Christian. The concerns expressed by the head of the Maronite Church concern the possibility that the contrast between the blocs could lead to an impasse.</div>
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The Patriarch reiterated that he does not intend to indicate the names of the presidential office. But he added that in the event of a deadlock, he will announce the list of candidates preferred by the people of Lebanon, on the basis of the guidelines documented by surveys and research opinion polls. With regard to the candidate profile, Patriarch Rai stressed the urgency of finding a "modern person who knows how to deal with the affairs of the state", reiterating that Lebanese citizens are the only ones allowed to choose their President, "and not the Iranians, the Saudis or the Americans".</div>
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The Cardinal and Patriarch Rahi also revealed meeting with diplomats from various countries to ask them to keep Lebanon out of the Syrian conflict, negotiations on the Iranian nuclear program and tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia, in order to ensure that the election of the President is not affected by regional and international tensions.When asked about the militias linked to the Hezbollah Shiite party, Patriarch Rahi stressed that they cannot operate outside of the jurisdiction of the State and must be part of the national defense strategy.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360396681501261004.post-81380324041196271142014-03-21T11:15:00.000+02:002014-03-21T11:15:09.559+02:00Monthly Meeting of the Maronite Bishops, March 2014<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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On March 5, 2014, their Excellencies the Maronite bishops held their monthly meeting at the patriarchal seat in Bkerke under the chairmanship of His Beatitude and Eminence Cardinal Patriarch Bechara Boutros Rai and with the participation of His Beatitude and Eminence Cardinal Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir, and superior generals of the Maronite religious orders. They discussed ecclesiastical and national affairs and published at the end of the meeting, the following statement:</div>
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1. His Beatitude informed the fathers of the results of his visit to Rome where he took part in the General Assembly of the Synod for Catholic Education, the meetings of the College of Cardinals, the promotion ceremony of the new cardinals and Papal Mass of His Holiness the Pope for the occasion. He was received by His Holiness Pope Francis and he thanked him for his positions on humanitarian issues, Lebanon, current events in the Middle East and the future of Christians.</div>
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2. Faced with national unanimity which has been the "national Memorandum" announced by His Beatitude on the feast of Saint Maron, the fathers hope that the new government would be inspired in his ministerial statement to define priorities for the coming short term period preceding the election of a new president.There was no need to address issues that can not be resolved but only through national dialogue and within the framework of constitutional institutions. Especially since the formation of the government was approved by the majority, both inside and outside, and that the Lebanese have welcomed, seeing a way for the due presidential election.</div>
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3. The Fathers deplored the campaign against His Excellency the President following his recent speech at the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, alleging the infringement of his personal dignity and status of head of state and symbol of national unity, as stipulated in Article 49 of the constitution. Indeed, when the arrow hits the head, the whole body suffers. We call on all parties to put an end to this campaign, to respect the dignity of all, the dignity of the chief magistracy, and the dignity of the country. While his Excellency the President takes part today in Paris, with the accompanying delegation in the conference of countries supporting Lebanon, we wish the success of this conference and thank the participants for their support on the international recovery of the economy and stability of Lebanon, on strengthening the army and resolving problems related to displaced Syrians.</div>
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4. The Fathers praised the efforts of the Lebanese security agencies and army to deal with terrorism, kidnapping and all kinds of theft. They consider that the strengthening of the military and security forces are urgently needed in view of the state of insecurity in Lebanon and the attempts to establish a self-security. All this may make Lebanon a state without borders and in which citizens do not feel safe.</div>
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5. The Fathers severely condemn the latest Israeli raid on Lebanon and the continuous aggression from Israel against the sovereignty of the Lebanese state. Likewise, they strongly condemn the Syrian shelling affecting parts of Lebanon, and the usurpation of the border with Syria to sow unrest in Lebanon. Such usurpation shows how - oh excessive - some Lebanese factions are involved in the Syrian crisis, while it is required to play a different role which converge towards a peaceful solution to protect the lives of innocent citizens and avoid the destruction of homes and infrastructure, and displacement of people.</div>
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6. The Fathers received with great apprehension the reports about attacks against Christians in Syria, by fundamentalist forces, imposing laws that violate their religious and civil liberty, and which oppose the live- together Christians and Muslims for several centuries in the region. The Fathers call upon the UN, the Arab and Islamic countries, especially those weighing directly on these forces to intervene immediately and put an end to such attacks that have indeed nothing to do with Islam as we know it.</div>
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7. Lent is the to return to God and to oneself, so that man discovers his true vocation and sublime dignity, grounded in the love of God, and through Jesus Christ, has become close to every man so that every man, become closer to God. Faced with such a love, man discovers his greatness and, hence, his poverty, notably his moral poverty in what is called civilization of consumption and earning race, which has transformed humans into commodities rather "junk", according to Pope Francis. We invite our faithful to make this Lent a time to repent to God and solidarity with man, with every man whose dignity has been lost or humiliated, especially in our Middle East which has witnessed countless wars and dramas.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360396681501261004.post-66046039585389203352014-02-16T11:13:00.002+02:002014-02-16T11:13:53.809+02:00Christian Land Ownership in Lebanon in Continuous Decrease<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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After the proclamation of independence of Lebanon, 8130 square km of land belonged to the Lebanese Christians. Today, however, Lebanese Christians have about 4 thousand km of land. These figures provided by Talal al-Doueihy, head of the Movement "Lebanese Land-Our Land Movement" are eloquent, with regards to some remarks reported by the The Daily Star newspaper. The drastic decrease in landed properties belonging to Christians in the Country of the Cedars has various causes, and is also connected with the strong emmigration tendencies that characterize the Christian portion of the Lebanese population. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The christian area of Debbieh which has been recently the center of polemics<br />after several large land sales to non christians</td></tr>
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Many Christians wishing to emigrate, sell their land to Muslims buyers before leaving. In addition, during the years of the government of Rafiq Hariri - Prime Minister from 1992 to 1998 and then from 2000 to 2004, who was killed in a bloody suicide bombing on February 14, 2005 - the law regarding the sale of land which guaranteed the right of first refusal to owners of adjacent lands was canceled. The Hariri government wanted in this way to encourage investments in Lebanon from the Arab Gulf countries. The result is that almost all of the lands sold during those years increased from Christian owners to Muslim owners.</div>
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Several legislative proposals have been presented in parliament to try to block the erosion of the land ownership of Christians in Lebanon. The one presented by the MPs Sami Gemayel and Ibrahim Kanaan aims to regulate the ownership of land property in Lebanese territory by foreign buyers. While that prepared by the Parliamentary Joseph Maalouf aims to curb the change of ownership of plots of land above 3 thousand square meters, and to limit the room for maneuver of intermediaries in the sale of land.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360396681501261004.post-33001602094297900422014-02-12T11:17:00.000+02:002014-02-12T11:17:21.670+02:00Secret Conversions to Christianity in Lebanon<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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According to a local bishop, numerous conversions of Muslims to Christianity occur every year in Lebanon but the true number is unknown because of the risk of social stigma and persecution. “Most of them try to go outside from Lebanon, to Europe or America or Canada or Australia to live there, because it’s not possible to be converted and to stay here,” a Catholic bishop in Lebanon said in a phone interview.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Qadisha Valley or "The Valley of the Saints" in Northern Lebanon</td></tr>
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“It’s very, very hard to know how many are baptized, because everything will be a secret.” Given the delicacy of conversion in Lebanon – a Middle Eastern country with a slight Muslim majority – the bishop spoke on condition of anonymity. While the region is lauded for its comparative plurality as Muslims generally coexist well with the Christian population, some hostility can be present toward those who convert from Islam. </div>
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“I have heard many stories about the conversion of Muslims,” he said, in both the Maronite and Melkite communities – the two largest Catholic groups in the country. The bishop cited one Melkite priest who baptized 75 Muslims last year. “Most of them left Muslim areas to stay in the Christian area,” he said, and many are trying to emigrate.</div>
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One young woman from Baalbek was converted, he recounted, and her family “accused the priest of having used sorcery to make her convert to Christianity.” “The priest was then abducted and kidnapped by the family. A deal was done after that between the diocese and the tribe of the family, that the family would bring the daughter back home, without torturing her.” Her family has since converted as well, he explained, “but in a secret way.”</div>
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If converts from Islam are not able to leave Lebanon, he said, they often move to areas of Lebanon with larger concentrations of Christians: “other people left the Beqaa valley to stay in Beirut, or in Jounieh, in the Christian country.”</div>
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Those converting to Christianity in Lebanon are by and large Lebanese themselves, the bishop explained, saying, “I know only one Syrian.” This Syrian convert is from Aleppo, and was in Beirut studying sharia to become a sheikh.</div>
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The man “was baptized in Lebanon and now he’s married, but he cannot register his marriage in Syria. He’s in big trouble now because he cannot go to Syria, and he cannot register his marriage in Lebanon either. We are trying now to see if he can go outside of Lebanon, to Europe or somewhere else, to live there with his family.”</div>
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Lebanon, according to the U.S. state department, has no procedures for civil marriage; all marriages performed there are performed by religious officials. “Everything is a secret,” the bishop said. “It’s not easy to speak publicly about … conversion to Christianity.”</div>
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Lebanon, where it is not easy to speak publicly about Christian conversion, “is better than other Arabic countries. But we still have a problem,” he said. </div>
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The Lebanese constitution provides for freedom of religion, and members of parliament and cabinet officials are all apportioned among Muslims and Christians. National identity cards generally include the bearer’s religion, though this is not required by law.</div>
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“It’s easy for a convert to register with the state as a Christian,” the bishop said. “In other countries it’s not possible. I know for example in Egypt there are many conversions, but they still are registered as a Muslim, not Christian.”</div>
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Even though the Lebanese government provides for religious freedom, societal discrimination against converts is widespread. The bishop reported that families of converts often “never accept” their relative’s Christian faith, and the convert “is persecuted by his family and his tribe, by his village.”</div>
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While the country has long been able to live in the tension between its religious groups – an estimated 54 percent Muslim, 41 percent Christian – the large influx of Syrian refugees in the wake of the neighboring country’s civil war has strained the status quo.</div>
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The Lebanese government estimates that more than 1 million Syrian refugees are living in the country. In 2011, at the start of Syria’s civil war, Lebanon’s population was estimated at a little over 4 million.</div>
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Now that nearly 20 percent of Lebanese residents are Syrian refugees, inter-religious relations are stressed. On Feb. 3, a suicide bomber wounded several in a district of Beirut largely home to Christians and Druze.</div>
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The bishop said that his diocese is assisting both Christian and Muslim refugees.</div>
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“When we receive Muslims, we help them without trying to convert them, because when we give material help, we don’t like to play this game.”</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360396681501261004.post-10859263599098642112014-02-02T16:46:00.000+02:002014-02-02T16:46:42.580+02:00Pope Francis' Sunday Homily and Angelus Message on February 02, 2014<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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On Sunday, February 2nd, Pope Francis celebrated the 18th World Day for Consecrated Life highlighting the fact that at the center of Consecrated Life there is always Jesus. During his Homily at Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, the Pope recalled the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple which commemorates when Jesus and Mary brought the infant Jesus to the Temple forty days after his birth.</div>
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Below is the translation of the Pope's Homily: </div>
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The Feast of the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple is also known as the Feast of the Encounter: the encounter between Jesus and his people. The liturgy tells of when Mary and Joseph brought their child to the Temple in Jerusalem; it is when the first encounter between Jesus and his people took place. This day is also called the Feast of Encounter because on it the New Testament, represented by the Baby Jesus, encountered the Old Testament, represented by Simeon and Anna.</div>
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He points out it was also a meeting between the young and the elderly: the young were Mary and Joseph with their infant, and the elders were Simeon and Anna, two characters who always attended the Temple.</div>
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We observe what the evangelist Luke tells us of them, as he describes them. He says four times that Our Lady and St Joseph wanted to do what was required by the law of the Lord (cf. Luke 2, 22.23.24.27). One perceives that Jesus' parents have the joy of observing the precepts of God, the joy of walking according to the law of the Lord! They are two newlyweds, they have just had their baby, and they are motivated by the desire to do what is prescribed. This is not an external fact; it is not just to feel right, no! It ' a strong desire, a deep desire, full of joy. That’s what the Psalm says: "I rejoice in following your statutes…. Your law is my delight (119, 14.77).</div>
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And what does St. Luke says of the elderly? He underlines, more than once, that they were guided by the Holy Spirit. He says Simeon was a righteous and devout man, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and that "the Holy Spirit was upon him" (2:25). He says that "the Holy Spirit had announced "that before dying he would see the Christ, the Messiah (v. 26); and finally he went to the Temple “moved by the Spirit “(v. 27). He says Anna was a “prophet” (v. 36), She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying" (v. 37). In short, these two elders are full of life! They are full of life because they are animated by the Holy Spirit, obedient to his action, sensitive to his calls...</div>
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And thus, this is the encounter between the Holy Family and the two representatives of the holy people of God. Jesus is at the center. It is He who moves everything, who attracts all of them to the Temple, the house of his Father.</div>
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It is a meeting between young people who are full of joy in observing the Law of the Lord, and the elderly who are filled with joy for the action of the Holy Spirit. It is a unique encounter between observance and prophecy, where young people are the observers and the elderly are prophetic! In fact, if we think carefully, the desire to keep the Law is animated by the Spirit and the prophecy moves forward in the path traced by the Law. Who, more than Mary, is full of the Holy Spirit? Who better is docile than she to its action?</div>
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Dear Brothers and Sisters, in the light of this Gospel scene, let us look to consecrated life as an encounter with Christ: it is He who comes to us, led by Mary and Joseph, and we go towards Him guided by the Holy Spirit. But the center is Him. He moves everything, He draws us to the Temple, to the Church, where we can meet Him, recognize Him, welcome Him, embrace Him.</div>
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Jesus comes to us in the Church through the foundational charism of an Institute: it is nice to think of our vocation in this way! Our encounter with Christ took its shape in the Church through the charism of one of its witnesses. This always amazes us and makes us give thanks.</div>
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And in the consecrated life we live the encounter between the young and the old, between observation and prophecy. Let’s not see these as two opposing realities! Let us rather allow the Holy Spirit to animate both of them, and a sign of this is joy: the joy of observing, of walking within a rule of life; the joy of being led by the Spirit, never unyielding, never closed, always open to voice of God that speaks, that opens, that leads us and invites us to go towards the horizon.</div>
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It's good for the elderly to communicate their wisdom to the young; and is good for the young people to gather this wealth of experience and wisdom, and to carry it forward, not so as to store it in a museum, but to bring it forward addressing the challenges of life, to carry it forward for the sake of respective religious orders and of the whole Church.</div>
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May the grace of this mystery, the mystery of the Encounter, enlighten us and comfort us in our journey. Amen.</div>
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After the Mass, and before the Sunday recitation of the Angelus, the Pope said: “What would happen” – the Pope said – “if there were no nuns? No nuns in hospitals, in missions, in charitable institutions, in schools… Can you even imagine a Church without nuns…? No it is unthinkable!... they are a gift, the leaven that carries the message of Christ”. “These women – he said – are great!” </div>
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And to those gathered in the Square Pope Francis said that consecrated persons in different sectors are “the leaven of a more just and fraternal society”. He said that “Consecrated Life is a gift of God to the Church and to His people”.</div>
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The Pope said that the Church and the world needs the witness of religious and consecrated lay people to the love and the mercy of God, and he asked for prayers so that many young people may say “yes” to God who calls them “to consecrate their lives to Him and to be of service to their brothers and sisters”. </div>
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Pope Francis recalled that the year 2015 will be dedicated to Consecrated Life and asked for prayers for this initiative. After the recitation of the Angelus Prayer, Pope Francis reminded those present that in Italy “The Day for Life” is celebrated today with the theme “Generating the Future”. He sent his greetings and encouragement to those committed to the defense of life from its conception to its natural end.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360396681501261004.post-37074134875102517022014-02-02T10:57:00.001+02:002014-02-02T10:57:31.918+02:00Holy Gospel on the Feast of the Presentation of Christ in Temple<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>Letter to the Romans 9:30-33, 10:1-4. </b></div>
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What then are we to say? Gentiles, who did not strive for righteousness, have attained it, that is, righteousness through faith; but Israel, who did strive for the righteousness that is based on the law, did not succeed in fulfilling that law. Why not? Because they did not strive for it on the basis of faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling-stone, as it is written, ‘See, I am laying in Zion a stone that will make people stumble, a rock that will make them fall, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.’ Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. I can testify that they have a zeal for God, but it is not enlightened. For, being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they have not submitted to God’s righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.</div>
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<b>Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to</b></div>
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<b>Saint Luke 2:22-35. </b></div>
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When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, ‘Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord’), and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, ‘a pair of turtle-doves or two young pigeons.’ Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying, ‘Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.’ And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, ‘This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed and a sword will pierce your own soul too.’</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360396681501261004.post-67315607647799147342014-01-22T15:46:00.000+02:002014-01-22T15:46:40.732+02:00Prayers For The Geneva II Peace Conference<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The leaders of the Christian Churches in Syria have launched a renewed campaign of prayer to support peace efforts in view of the Geneva 2 Conference, calling for the end of the war and concrete steps towards national reconciliation.</div>
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In his message, Gregory III Laham, the Melkite Patriarch of Damascus, invites the Syrian Christians to gather in prayer for the success of the Conference, while calling on all Christians in the world to join this intention: "Let us pray for true reconciliation in Geneva II", says the message, noting that "the key to the success of Geneva II is national reconciliation based on faith, on fundamental human rights".From the Geneva 2 Conference the establishment of a "transitional government" is expected that could include representatives of the incumbent government and representatives of opposition groups. Among the many difficulties that the Geneva 2 Conference has to deal with, is to know and decide who truly represents the people of Syria and which countries should be invited to participate.</div>
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As noted in a statement by the organization "Middle East Concern" , with offices throughout the Middle East, "violence continues to rage in many parts of Syria, causing death, injury and trauma, with severe restrictions for access to food and medical care. Humanitarian crisis is now a problem as much as the violence of the conflict". MEC recalls the scourge of kidnappings and specific cases of persecution, such as "religiously motivated violence against Christians". The NGO invites all the faithful in the world to join the Syrian Christians in prayer so that the Conference puts an end to the crisis in Syria and for delegates to consider the needs and welfare of the Syrian people a priority. The wish expressed is that also the urgency of the millions of Syrians displaced within the country or in neighboring countries are taken into account.</div>
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