Homily of Bishop Mounir Khairallah in Saint Maroun, Minnesota (USA)
Sunday November 11, 2012
Dear Msgr Sharbel Maroun,
Dear Maronites and friends in Minnesota,
I am proud to be with you this morning.
We celebrate today the Renewal of the Church; that means the renewal of each one of us, members of the Church; renewal of our faith in God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – and our confession that Jesus Christ is “the Son of the living God”, just as Peter said when Jesus asked his disciples “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”. And Jesus answered him: “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my father in heaven. And I tell you: you are Peter – the rock, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it”.
We are called as Maronites to renew our faith, but to renew also our commitment to put our faith into action through our prayers and spiritual acts of charity, and to dedicate ourselves to Christ, as Simon Peter and the apostles did, and to be his witnesses in his land first – in Lebanon and in all countries of the Middle East – and then in all countries of the world where we are living and where we are citizens.
Are we ready to keep renewing ourselves?
Renewing means to return to the Roots: to the spiritual, ecclesiastical, liturgical and social history of our Maronite Syriac Antiochian Church.
Our Maronite Church was founded by Saint John Maroun first Patriarch, around 685, according to the faith of Saint Peter who found the Church in Antioch and then in Rome, and according to the ascetic spirituality of Saint Maroun, and as the monastery organization where the Patriarch will be as the Superior, and the Maronite community united under his leadership, as he is united to the Successor of Peter the Pope of Rome.That is how our Church preserved her faith and unity for centuries carrying her Cross after Jesus Christ and accepting the challenge of all persecutions, wars and difficulties.
We often use the term that Saint Ignatius Patriarch of Antioch used to say:”Where the Bishop is, there is the Church”, where the Patriarch is, there is the Maronite Church! And where the Maronite Church is, the faith of Pope of Rome is.
Our famous Patriarch Estephan Doueihi (1670-1704) used to repeat: “The faith of the Pope of Rome is my faith; the faith of the Catholic Church is the faith of my Church”.
This will explain why the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI announced on October 24 that our Patriarch Mar Bechara Boutros Rahi was nominated as a Cardinal in the Church. This was in recognition for the great role that he witnessed the Patriarch doing in Lebanon as the Pope visited this land last September. The Pope was very touched and satisfied by his visit. He discovered that the Maronite Church and our beloved Lebanon can be important and active in the mission of the Church of Jesus Christ throughout the Middle East, and how they can render support and life to the rest of the Christians in the Middle East as they live together. He encouraged the role that they are playing in the conviviality and the dialogue in charity and truth with the Moslem and Arab peoples. He encouraged us to remain in our countries and to be the disciples of Jesus Christ living the charity and serving our brothers without any confessional and religious distinction. He repeated many times: “You have to build together the Peace for a peaceful society according to the human Rights. Here is your role and your responsibility”.
He said to us Maronites: “You have to preserve your unity around your Patriarch and your Bishops, successors of the apostles, and with the Church of Rome and the Successor of Peter. You have to preserve your special identity, your spirituality and your traditions in the heart of the Universal Church. Your Maronite Church has given many great saints to the Universal Church”.
He said to the Christians of the Middle East:”Remain in your countries; here our Lord Jesus Christ was born, performed his miracles, was crucified for the salvation of the all humanity and, after his resurrection, sent his apostles and disciples to all over the world to carry the good news of salvation”.
Our Patriarch Rahi, the 77th Maronite Patriarch said immediately after his election in March 2011 that he will operate to renew of our Church according to the resolutions of the Maronite Patriarchal Synod, that was held in Lebanon in four sessions between 2003 and 2006, and with the active participation of all our Bishops and dioceses, including especially the Intishar or Expansion Dioceses.
Three constant elements were issued by this Patriarchal Synod:
- The Maronites are fully attached to the person of their Patriarch and the Patriarchate in Lebanon because they are the guarantee of their unity and permanency.
- The Maronites are fully attached to the tradition of their Antiochian Syriac Maronite Church at all levels.
- The Maronites are fully attached to Lebanon, “which is more than a country. It is a message to the world” as Blessed Pope John Paul II used to say, and “An Example Country” as the Pope Benedict XVI said recently; because Lebanon is the Land of the foundation of their Maronite Church, the Land of the spiritual roots, and the Land of the saints and the Holy shrines.
Dear Brothers and sisters, we should not be afraid. Jesus Christ is always with his Church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. Give us your hearts, your minds and your will, and we can collaborate with the Christians of all over the world to build the Church of Jesus Christ according to the Maronite Syriac Antiochian Charisma entrusted to us by God. Each one of us has his and her role to play in building the community of the People of God.
I pray today that God’s love will enflame our hearts and rekindle that zeal for the church that will make us want to serve it better with holiness, charity and humility.