Saint Maron Maronite Catholic Church June 3-4, 2017 Certainly knowing is a part of life but within the wider and harmonious horizon of Christian existence. PENTECOST SUNDAY REFLECTION FROM POPE FRANCIS Speaking to the Apostles at the Last Supper, Jesus said that, after his departure from this world, that he would send them the gift of the Father, that is, the Holy Spirit (cf. John 15:26). This promise is fulfilled with power on the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descends upon the disciples gathered in the cenacle. That outpouring, while extraordinary, did not remain unique and limited to that moment, but is an event that is renewed and continues to be renewed. Christ glorified at the right hand of the Father continues to realize his promise, sending the Church the vivifying Spirit, who teaches us and reminds us and makes us speak. The Holy Spirit teaches us: he is the interior Teacher. He guides us along the right path, through the situations of life. He teaches us the path, the way. In the early Church, Christianity was called the Way (Cf. Acts 9:2), and Jesus himself is the way. The Holy Spirit teaches us to follow him, to walk in his footsteps. More than a teacher of doctrine, the Holy Spirit is a teacher of life. QUOTE OF THE WEEK The Church of Christ is always, so to speak, in a situation of Pentecost: she is always gathered in the Upper Room in prayer, and at the same time, driven by the powerful wind of the Spirit, she is always on the streets preaching Saint John Paul II Fr. Vincent Farhat, Pastor Fr. Richard Cannuli, Weekend Assistance Mrs. Zeina Topalian, Religious Education Director Address: 1013 Ellsworth Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147 Office: 215-389-2000 Hall Reservations: 215-334-1884 Evening Emergency Number: 215-952-0712 or 561-371-5316 Website: www.saintmaron.org Church Office: saintmaronphiladelphia@hotmail.com Instagram Page: @saintmaronphiladelphia Facebook Page: Saint Maron Maronite Catholic Church of Philadelphia OFFICE HOURS: The Church office will be open Monday through Thursday from 10:00 am until 5:00 pm.
The Holy Spirit reminds us, he reminds us of everything that Jesus said. He is the living memory of the Church. And while he helps us to remember, he helps us understand the Lord s words. This remembering in the Spirit and thanks to the Spirit is not simply a mnemonic but an essential aspect of the presence of Christ in us and in his Church. The Spirit of truth and charity reminds us everything that Christ said, he makes us enter ever more deeply into the meaning of his words. We all have this experience: one moment, in any situation, there is an idea and then another links it with a passage of Scripture... It is the Holy Spirit that leads us down this road, the road of the living memory of the Church. And this solicits a response from us. The more generous our response, the more Jesus words become life in us, become attitudes, choices, deeds, witness. In substance, the Holy Spirit reminds us of the commandment of love and calls us to live it. A Christian without memory is not a true Christian. He is only half Christian, he is a man or a woman who is a prisoner of the moment, who does not see his or her history as a treasure, does not know how to read it or live it as history of salvation. But with the help of the Holy Spirit, we can interpret the interior inspirations and events of life in the light of Jesus words. And, thus, there grows in us the wisdom of memory, the wisdom of the heart, which is a gift of the Spirit. May the Spirit revive the Christian memory in each us! And that day, with the Apostles, was the Woman of memory, she who from the beginning meditated on all those things in her heart. It was Mary, our Mother. May she help us along this road of memory. The Holy Spirit teaches us, reminds us, and another thing he makes us speak, with God and with men. We are not mute Christians, mute of soul; no, there is no room for this. He makes us speak with God in prayer. Prayer is a gift that we gratuitously receive; it is a dialogue with God in the Holy Spirit, who prays in us and permits us to turn to God and call him Father, Papa, Abba (cf. Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:4); and this is not only a manner of speaking, but is reality, we really are sons of God. In fact, all those who are guided by the Holy Spirit of God, they are the sons of God (Romans 8:14). He makes us speak in the act of faith. None of us can say Jesus is Lord we hear this today without the Holy Spirit. And the Spirit makes us speak with men in fraternal dialogue. He helps us to speak with others recognizing them as brothers and sisters; to speak in a friendly, tender way, understanding the anxieties and hopes, the sadness and joys of others. But there is more: the Holy Spirit even makes us speak to men in prophecy, that is, he makes us humble and docile channels of the Word of God. Prophecy is made in boldness, to show the contradictions and injustices openly, but always with meekness and constructive intent. Penetrated by the Spirit of love, we can be signs and instruments of God who love, serve, and give our lives. Summing up: the Holy Spirit teaches us life; he reminds us of the words of Jesus; he makes us pray and say Father to God, he makes us speak to men in fraternal dialogue and makes us speak in prophecy. The day of Pentecost, when the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit, was the baptism of the Church, which was born and went out, departed to proclaim to everyone the Good News. Mother Church who goes off to serve. Let us remember the other Mother, our Mother who departed promptly in order to serve. Mother Church and Mother Mary: both are virgins, both are mothers, both are women. Jesus was preemptory with the Apostles: they must not leave Jerusalem before receiving the power of the Holy Spirit from above (cf. Acts 1:4, 8). Without him there is no mission, there is no evangelization. For this reason, with the whole Church, our Mother the Catholic Church we call out: Come, Holy Spirit! A BIG THANK YOU TO THE VOLUNTEERS AND SPONSORS Thank you to all of you who made this weekend possible. Your hard work, dedication, and donations of time and money helps make this major fundraiser special. May Almighty God bless this community of Saint Maron and all of her benefactors and sponsors. Job well done to all of you.
LITURGY INTENTIONS Saturday, June 3, 2017, @ 6:00 pm, Liturgy is offered for the soul of Michael Chubby Simon requested Carmen and Rosemarie Marrone and family. May his soul rest in peace. Sunday, June 4, 2017 @ 11:00 am,. Liturgy is offered for the soul of Emilia Ruggiero requested by Ziad and Maha Labbad and family. May her soul rest in peace. Saturday, June 10, 2017, @ 6:00 PM, liturgy is being offered for the soul of Michael Chubby Simon requested by the Edmond Tayoun Family. May his soul rest in peace. Liturgy is being offered for the souls of Maci Taylor and Deborah Minton requested by Marlene Mockewich. May their souls rest in peace. Sunday, June 11, 2017, @ 11:00 AM, liturgy is offered for the souls of John Kouri and Theresa Khawley requested by his wife and daughters. May their souls rest in peace. Liturgy is being offered for the soul of Linda Reed by Dany and Rania Cherfane and family. May her soul rest in peace. PRAYER FOR SOLDIERS During these difficult times, we remember those family members and friends in faraway places. Let us lift in prayer the many women and men serving overseas in our armed forces. May they know of our respect and gratitude and be kept safe in the Lord s love. Amen. UPCOMING EVENTS AT SAINT MARON CHURCH St. Sharbel Church, Somerset, NJ, Summer Festival, June 9-11, 526 Easton Ave., Somerset, NJ, 08873. MYA PHILLIES OUTING The MYA is organizing a baseball outing for the parishioners of Saint Maron Church. The date will be Wednesday, June 21, at 7:00 PM. Phillies vs Cardinals. Tickets are $20.00 each. Members of the MYA will be going around to collect names of those interested. SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION (CONFESSION) Please know that confession is available before liturgies. You may also call to set up an appointment. IN OUR PRAYERS Please keep in your prayers Baby Elle Isgro, Suzanne Haney, Lisa Alestra, John Nader, Joseph Alestra, Rita Impo, Albert Boulos, Mary Fetterman, Issa Mazahreh, Aminee Skaf, Carmen Marrone, Helen Butrus, Josephine Rudolph, Rose Kouri, Yasmine Myers, Joey Gdowick, Francis Joseph Kerns, Albert Saleem, Albert Anderson, Jr., Michelina Krewda, Samer Chokeir, Kathy Newman, Vickey Saulino, Rita Arrigale, Helen Freedenberg, Maryann Bratton, Renee Sahar, Joann Divon, Jane Trevelino, Sister Nahida Al Sawa, Virginia Ramano, Rose De Jesse, James Cordisio, Stacey Fuentes, Debbie Freedenberg, Noel Andjuhar, Eddie Gussin, Angel Salerno, Dennis McGiney, Emilia and Alan Sacilowski, Donny Pizzi, Betty Antrilli, and Bonnie Sabatini. We ask Almighty God to bless them with good health so that they may join us in the Church and give glory and thanksgiving to God. Please notify the Church office of any family member who is ill so that we may remember them in our daily prayers and on our altar of intentions. WEEKLY COLLECTION FOR May 27-28, 2017 Collection $ 1,158.00 2 nd Collection $ 110.00 Coffee Hour $ 33.00 Total: $ 1,301.00
PLEASE REMEMBER TO SILENCE YOUR CELL PHONES AND BEEPERS WHEN YOU ENTER THE CHURCH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
Saint Maron Maronite Catholic Church First Reading Acts of the Apostles 2:1-21 June 3-4, 2017 A reading from the Acts of the Apostles. Your blessing father Brothers and Sisters: When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs in our own languages we hear them speaking about God s deeds of power. All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, What does this mean? But others sneered and said, They are filled with new wine. But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them: Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o clock in the morning. No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: "In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist. The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of the Lord s great and glorious day. Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." Praise be to God always. فصل من سفر أعمال الرسل اح د. ف ح د ث ب غ ت ة د و ي م ن ٱلس م اء ك أ ن ه د و ي ر يح ع اص ف ة وم أل ك ل ٱلب ي ت ٱلي و م الخ م س ين ك ان الر س ل م ع ا في م ك ان و إ خ وتي :في ت م ام يا وٱس ت ق ر ع لى ك ل و اح د م ن ه م ل س ان. وٱم ت أل وا ك ل ه م م ن ٱلر وح ٱلق د س وب د أ وا ح يث كان وا ج ال سين. وظ ه ر ت ل ه م أ ل س ن ة م ن ق س م ة ك أ ن ه ا م ن ن ار ي ت ك ل م ون ب أ ل س ن ة أ خ ر ى ك م ا ك ان ٱلر وح ي ؤ ت يه م أ ن ي ن ط ق وا. وك ان ي قيم في أ ور ش ل يم ي ه ود ر ج ال أ ت ق ي اء م ن ك ل أ م ة ت ح ت ٱلس م اء. ف ل م ا ح د ث ذل ك ٱلص وت ٱح ت ش د ٱلج م ع وأ خ ذ ت ه م ٱلح ي ر ة أل ن ك ل و اح د م ن ه م ك ان ي س م ع ه م ي ت ك ل م ون بل غ ت ه. ف د ه ش وا وت ع ج ب وا وق ال وا:»أ ل ي س هؤ الء ٱلم ت ك ل م ون ج م يع ه م ج ل يل ي ين ف ك ي ف ي س م ع ه م ك ل و اح د م ن ا ب ٱلل غ ة ٱل ت ي و ل د ف يه ا ون ح ن ف ر ت ي ون وم اد ي ون وع ي الم يون وس ان م ا ب ين ٱل نه ر ي ن وٱلي ه ود ي ة ان ور وم ان ي ون ن ز الء وم ه ت د ون وك ر يت ي ون وع ر يه ود ٱلق ريب ة م ن ق ي ر و اح ي ل يبي ة وم صر ون و وك ب د وك ي ة وب ن ط س وآس ي ا وف ر ي ج ي ة وب م ف يل ي ة ن س م ع ه م ي ت ك ل م ون ب أ ل س ن ت ن ا ع ن أ ع م ال ٱهلل ٱلع ظ يم ة.«وك ان وا ك ل ه م م د ه وش ين ح ائ رين ي ق ول ب ع ض ه م ل ب ع ض:»م ا م ع ن ى هذ ا.«لك ن آخ ر ين ك ان وا ج م يع ق د ٱم ت أل وا س الف ة.«! ف و ق ف ب ط ر س م ع ٱأل ح د ع ش ر ور ف ع صو ت ه وخ اط ب ه م ق ائ ال :»أ ي ه ا ٱلر ج ال ٱلي ه ود وي ا ي ق ول ون س اخ رين:»إ ن ه م وأ ص غ وا إ لى ك الم ي. ٱلت اس ع ة ص ب اح ا. ب ل ال ل ي س هؤ الء ب س ار ى ك م ا ت ظ ن ون. ف ٱلس اع ة ه ي في أ ور ش ل يم ل ي ك ن هذ ا م ع ل وم ا ع ن د ك م ٱلم ق يم ين ه و م ا ق يل ب ي وئ يل ٱلن ب ي : وي ك ون في ٱأل ي ام ٱأل خ ير ة ي ق ول ٱهلل أ ن ي أ ف يض م ن ر وح ي ع لى ك ل ب ش ر ف ي ت ن ب أ ب ن وك م وب ن ات كم وي ر ى ش ب ان ك م هذ ا ر ؤ ى وي ح ل م ش ي وخ ك م أ ح الم ا. وع لى ع ب يدي وإ م ائ ي أ ي ض ا أ ف يض م ن ر وح ي في ت ل ك ٱأل ي ام في ت نب أ ون. وأ ع م ل ع ج ائ ب في ٱلس م اء م ن ف وق ٱلي و م ٱل ع ظ يم ٱلم ج يد. ي و م ٱلر وآي ات ع لى ٱأل ر ض م ن أ س ف ل د م ا ون ار ا وأ ع م د ة م ن د خ ان. وت ن ق ل ب ٱلش م س ظ الم ا وٱلق م ر د م ا ق ب ل أ ن ي أ ت ي ب ٱس م ٱلر ي خ ل ص. ف ي ك ون أ ن ك ل م ن ي د ع و والتسبيح هلل دائما.
Gospel Reading Saint John 14:15-20 The Apostle Writes: If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you. I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. This is the truth. Peace be with you. يوحن ا الق د يس إنجيل من أ س أ ل اآل ف ي ع ط ي م ب ر قل يط ا آخ ر م ؤ ي د ا قال الر ي سوع ل ت الميذ ه : «إ ن ت ح ب ون ي ت ح ف ظ وا و ص اي اي. وأ ن ا ي ك ون م ع ك م إ لى األ ب د. ه و ر وح ٱلح ق ال ذي ال ي ق د ر الع ال م أ ن ي ق ب ل ه أل ن ه ال ي ر اه وال ي ع ر فه. أ م ا أ ن ت م ف ت ع ر ف ون ه أل ن ه م قيم ع ن د ك م وه و ف ي م. ل ن أ ت ر ك ك م ي ت ام ى. إ ن ي آت ي إ ل ي ك م. الع ال م أ م ا ع م ا ق ل يل ل ن ي ارن ي أ ن ت م ف ت ر ون ن ي أل ن ي أ ن ا ح ي حق ا واألمان لجميعكم. وأ ن ت م س ت ح ي ون. في ذل ك الي وم ت ع ر ف ون أ ن ي أ ن ا في أ ب ي وأ ن ت م ف ي وأ ن ا في م.