Catholic Maronite Readings

Predestined from eternity by that decree of divine providence which determined the incarnation of the Word to be the Mother of God, the Blessed Virgin was in this earth the virgin Mother of the Redeemer, and above all others and in a singular way the generous associate and humble handmaid of the Lord. She conceived, brought forth and nourished Christ. she presented Him to the Father in the temple, and was united with Him by compassion as He died on the Cross. In this singular way she cooperated by her obedience, faith, hope and burning charity in the work of the Saviour in giving back supernatural life to souls. Wherefore she is our mother in the order of grace. This maternity of Mary in the order of grace… lasts until the eternal fulfillment of all the elect. Taken up to heaven she did not lay aside this salvific duty, but by her constant intercession continued to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation. By her maternal charity, she cares for the brethren of her Son, who still journey on earth surrounded by dangers and cultics, until they are led into the happiness of their true home. Therefore the Blessed Virgin is invoked by the Church under the titles of Advocate, Auxiliatrix, Adjutrix, and Mediatrix… For no creature could ever be counted as equal with the Incarnate Word and Redeemer. Just as the priesthood of Christ is shared in various ways both by the ministers and by the faithful, and as the one goodness of God is really communicated in different ways to His creatures, so also the unique mediation of the Redeemer does not exclude but rather gives rise to a manifold cooperation which is but a sharing in this one source.
maronite readings – rosary,team

Having joined in collusion with her, the prophet Nathan, together with Bathsheba, petitioned for their plan before the old man, the wise king David, now close to death (1Kgs 1). Then it was that Solomon, whose name means “Lord of peace”, received the royal anointing. Then all the people went up after him; the crowds played on trumpets and gave themselves up to such great rejoicing that the noise of it caused the earth to shake, for the king had declared: “Solomon is the one whom I designate as ruler over Israel and Judah” (vv. 35.40). Now, without question, this enthronement prefigured the mystery of which Daniel speaks: “While the court was convened and the books were opened… I saw one like a son of man coming on the clouds of heaven. When he reached the Ancient One and was presented before him, he received dominion, glory and kingship” (Dn 7:10.13-14). Thus it was at a prophet’s initiative that Solomon was made king, just as it was in fulfilling the prophecies according to their spiritual sense that Christ, the Son of God, was acknowledged King of Peace, King of the Father’s glory, drawing all things to himself. Solomon became king while his father was still alive just as Christ was inaugurated king by God the Father, who cannot die. Indeed, there is no doubt that he made him king and “heir of all things” (Heb 1:2) who does not die and will not die for ever, and – marvellous and unprecedented event – Christ, who is heir of a Father who lives for ever and can never die and who himself died once for all, came back to life and will no longer know death for ever. Then Solomon “mounted the king’s mule” (1Kgs 1:38). But better still, it is on his Father’s throne, that is to say the whole Church…, “far above every principality, authority, power and dominion” (Eph 1:21) that Christ now sits “at the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Heb 1:3). This is why the great multitude of people goes up after him with songs and rejoicing and earth trembles at their shouts. And we, too, have heard the great joy of those who made this glory known, that is to say the gladness of the apostles as they spoke in the languages of people everywhere (Acts 2), for “their words have gone out through all the earth and their message to the ends of the world” (Ps 19[18]:5).

maronite readings – rosary,team

      Try to gather together more frequently to give thanks to God and to praise him. For when you come together frequently, Satan’s powers are undermined, and the destruction he threatens is done away with in the unanimity of your faith. Nothing is better than peace, in which all warfare between heaven and earth is brought to an end.       None of this will escape you if you have perfect faith and love toward Jesus Christ. These are the beginning and the end of life: faith the beginning, love the end. When these two are found together, there is God, and everything else concerning right living follows from them. No one professing faith sins; no one possessing love hates. “A tree is known by its fruit”. So those who profess to belong to Christ will be known by what they do. For the work we are about is not a matter of words here and now, but depends on the power of faith and on being found faithful to the end.       It is better to remain silent and to be than to talk and not be. Teaching is good if the teacher also acts. Now there was one teacher who “spoke, and it was made” (Ps 33:9), and even what he did in silence is worthy of the Father. He who has the word of Jesus can truly listen also to his silence, in order to be perfect, that he may act through his speech and be known by his silence. Nothing is hidden from the Lord, but even our secrets are close to him. Let us then do everything in the knowledge that he is dwelling within us so that we may be his temples and he may be God within us.
maronite readings – rosary,team

«It is by Beelzebul, the prince of devils, that he casts out devils»… It is the characteristic of evildoers, stirred by envy, to shut their eyes as much as they can to other people’s merits and when, overcome by the evidence, they cannot do so any longer, to depreciate or undervalue it. Thus, when the crowd rejoiced in devotion and marvelled at the sight of Christ’s works, the scribes and Pharisees either closed their eyes to what they knew to be true, or brought down what is great, or undervalued what is good. Once, for example, feigning ignorance, they said to him who had worked so many wonderful signs: «What sign can you do that we may believe in you?» (Jn 6,30). In this case, unable to blatantly deny the facts, they wickedly depreciate them…, and they devalue them by saying: «It is by Beelzebul, the prince of devils, that he casts out devils». Now this, dear brethren, is the blasphemy against the Spirit that binds all those he has seized with the bonds of an eternal sin. This is not to say that it would be impossible for the repentant to gain forgiveness for it all if he «produces fruit as evidence of his repentance» (Lk 3,8). The only thing is that, crushed beneath such a weight of malice, he lacks the strength to reach out to that honorable repentance that isworthy of forgiveness… He who, perceiving the proofs of grace and the Holy Spirit’s working in his brother…, is not afraid to undermine and calumniate and brashly ascribe to the evil spirit what he clearly knows to be of the Holy Spirit: such a one has been so forsaken by this Spirit of grace that he no longer desires the repentance that would obtain his pardon. He is completely in the dark, blinded by his own malice. Indeed, what could be more serious than to dare, out of envy for the brother one had been commanded to love as oneself (Mt 19,19), to blaspheme God’s goodness… and insult his majesty by wanting to discredit a man?

maronite readings – rosary,team

Let us cry out with David; let us hear him weep and let us shed tears with him. Let us see how he rises up again and let us rejoice with him: “Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness.” (Ps 51:3) Let us place before the eyes of our soul a man who is seriously injured, almost on the point of breathing his last breath, and who is lying naked in the dust. In his desire to see a doctor arrive, he is moaning and begging the person who understands his condition to have pity. Now sin is a wound to the soul. You who are this wounded person, learn that your doctor is within you, and show him the wounds of your sins. May he to whom every secret thought is known hear the moaning of your heart. May your tears move him, and if you have to seek him with some insistence, let deep sighs rise up to him from the bottom of your heart. May your pain come to him and may you also be told, like David: “The Lord… has forgiven your sin.” (2 Sam 12:13)… “Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness.” The people who belittle their fault because they do not know this great tenderness, only draw a little tenderness to themselves. As for me, I fell far, I sinned with full knowledge. But you, almighty doctor, correct those who scorn you; you teach those who do not know their fault, and you forgive those who admit it to you.

maronite readings – rosary,team