Charbel The Apostle

From Charbel the Hermit

Father Charbel was neither a pastor nor an envoy, but every time he had a chance to serve any soul he did it with great joy. He used to listen to the confessions of those who asked him, among them his brothers the monks, the priests and believers. His guidance was always useful and righteous. He was often called to visit the sick and the mourners, he always did his best to comfort them and prayed for them and for the sick, and helped them surrender their problems to Jesus and put their faith in him.

The Statue of Saint Charbel outside the Monastery of
Saint Maron Annaya

He always prayed for the sinners as well as for the welldoers, he often mentioned them during his celebration of the holy mass. Father Charbel was not a homilist, but he never frustrated anyone who asked him from any  advice or guidance. He was always obedient to the Superior, whenever he ordered him to celebrate the holy mass in a church outside the monastery, either on a Sunday or on a Feast day, he complied joyfully and when he finished he went back immediately to the convent without talking to anyone.

When his Superior ordered him to participate in a ceremony of funeral in any of the surrounding villages, he followed strictly the order and abided by going straight to the church. When villagers saw him, they run to him and asked him to pray over water and to bless them, while the Superior and the other priests went first to the house of the deceased then to the church to celebrate the funeral. Father Charbel used to participate to the liturgy of the funeral and return immediately to the monastery afterwards.

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