Did Maronites speak the same Aramaic they use in mass today?

[Phillip_Rolfes]

Thanks, Salibi.

Thank God, I’ve never been made to feel unwelcome in my own Maronite parish… although I did get a few surprised looks when I told some folks that neither myself nor my bride are of Lebanese descent (although my wife looks like she could be).

I guess the thing I’m really struggling with is, how can we begin the task of serious evangelization outside of Lebanon? But perhaps that is a discussion for another thread…?

 

[Salibi]

I would love to discuss this, but I really need to log out now! I have some things I need to get done. Do forgive me! Looking forward for discussing this later …someone remind me if I forget!

 

[Sarcelle]

Yes

 

[LebaneseCatbolic]

Wow this blew up, All of your opinions are appreciated, but I think this thread has served its purpose, the variety of Syriac to learn for Maronites. Of course while I treasure Lebanon’s Christian ancestry and roots (and its Mostly Christian diaspora) I know Druze and Lebanese Muslims are Lebanese too. But at the same time we should preach the Gospel to all nations as someone earlier said, and the rest of Lebanon is a nation too. The Catholic Church ordered that the Eastern Catholic Churches return to their roots, and the Maronites are Syriac rooted, and we should rediscover our heritage. Thanks all of you for your help!

 

[Salibi]

how can we begin the task of serious evangelization outside of Lebanon? But perhaps that is a discussion for another thread…?

I think that a certain balance needs to be found, between Maronites as a nation and Maronites as a faith tradition. While I think that it’s important to avoid being overly ethnic in our Maronite-ness, in order not to make convert Maronites feel out of place, I do also believe that it’s important to maintain and preserve Maronite culture and identity…and this culture and identity is Syriac and Lebanese. A balance should most definitely be struck between the two. All are welcome to convert and be Maronites, but (and I think you’ve noticed this) there is a sort of cultural component to being Maronite (just like there’s an ethnic/cultural component to being Jewish or Druze) that a convert really needs to negotiate. You’re already doing that, I believe, and thinking about it, given your concerns about being a Maronite while not being Lebanese. My advice is quite simply not to overthink it. You are Maronite by faith (and thus fully Maronite) but it’s also important to make peace with the fact that there is a Maronite people characterized by common origins in Lebanon…just as a German-Irish convert Jew would have to make peace with the fact that there is a Jewish people who trace their collective origins to Palestine. It’s really up to you whether you want to grow closer to Lebanese culture in general or Maronite culture in particular but whatever you chose, you are Maronite- just laugh in the face of people who say otherwise!

So to conclude, for serious evangelisation the most necessary part is to maintain some cultural aspects of the tradition (Syriac, hummus, tabbouli ) so that it stays authentically Maronite while welcoming converts regardless of ethnicity. It’s wrong for Christians to be exclusive anyways. If anything, the faith should be as inclusive as possible, as per Jesus’ exhortation to preach to all the nations.

All of this is just my opinion, my two cents, so to speak. Please feel free to disagree! I wonder what the thoughts of @LebaneseCatbolic are on this. Would love to hear them!

 

[LebaneseCatbolic]

Heres How I believe. I believe that conserving Syriac is very important. How can a group who loses their identity influence others. Its a shame to me that most Maronites don’t know Syriac (me included for now). I don’t hate arabs of course, but I feel the Maronites must return to their old traditions as Rome has ordered. While I wish Lebanon was a Christian (Maronite) Country, I would never expel or kill Muslims, they are Lebanese too and they are the same people as us still, they just converted while we stayed Christian. Instead, I believe we should preach the Gospel to them (as we should for everyone) ad they already have a respect for the Saints, however, I have heard Maronites began to speak arabic to preach the gospel, and while I agree with preaching the gospel, we can not lose our own traditions and identity doing so, or we eventually lose who we are and by extension our own literature, liturgy, and ultimately Faith. Instead We should bring the rest of Lebanon to the light of Maronite (and the other Christians too) Tradition and show what we truly have. Concerning non Lebanese Maronites, Don’t worry, you are just as Maronite as us. While Maronites are an ethnoreligious group, we (most of us at least) accept anyone who is willing to join, and we are happy that you joined us. In my parish, some of our members are European. They are mostly welcome and not barred from anything, and they participate in the church. So don’t worry and if they don’t accept you, then ignore them, because if you officially became Maronite (I don’t know the process to switch Churches) then you are just as Maronite as us. Of course we would love you to see and enjoy our predominantly Lebanese culture, but it’s your choice.

We are an ethnic group yes, but we are still Christian and called to convert others. I would suggest the Maronites put most conversion efforts in Lebanon and around because that’s where they are most familiar. Each Churches culture is best suited to convert those who are most similar. That’s kind of the reason why most eastern Catholic Churches exist, to preserve their unique, yet Christian culture. but all people are welcome. While we must preserve our deposit of culture and traditions, We are Christians and the Catholic Church is universal. The end goal is everyone in Earth converted to Christianity, because Jesus transcends all cultures. Of course we must preserve the 22 I think different Catholic Churches and their uniqueness, anyone who truly wants to be a Maronite and join us is free to do so.