Maronite Monks of Adoration

[The_Monk]

All the monks there who came from the Latin Rite were received into the Maronite Church with the Indult of Accomodation from the Apostolic See. The entire liturgical life of the monastery - Divine Praises, Divine Liturgy, Liturgical Calendar is fully Maronite.

 

[smad0142]

Thanks The Monk!!

 

[frmgc]

I visited this monastery a few years ago…but there was nothing really Maronite about the place…everything was geared to Eucharistic adoration a very Latin thing…there were no Maronite members of the community…when I was there most of the community were Filipinos…with a very Western outlook.

What is it to be Maronite? Is it to be Lebanese? What about St. Maron, then? He wasn’t Lebanese. As for Filipinos, we had one Filipino monk here some years ago but he returned to the Philippines.

By God’s providence, as you would know from the video: maronitemonks.org/Mhtm.htm
our founder began in the Archdiocese of Boston and was invited to become Maronite by Archbishop Zayek. As to the riddle of why westerners became Maronite, another Maronite Bishop (Yousef Mahfouz) when asked how to explain this said: “The Spirit blows where he wills.”

So, our history has shown a remarkable providence of God to be Maronite in the West with westerners entering our way of life. I think it’s true for me personally and most of the monks here that we didn’t come to this life in this monastery because it’s Maronite … but because of the vocation. What is Maronite is something beautiful added to our life.

They served the Maronite Liturgy with Latinizations…looked nothing like the Maronite Liturgies I have attended in the Lebanon

This is false. We have never had Latinizations in our liturgy. I’ve been here 22 years, so I can testify to that. If some think of Eucharistic adoration as western or Latin, you could read Servant of God Fr. John Hardon’s work titled: “The History of Eucharistic Adoration” published by the Institute for Religious Life religiouslife.com/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=110&idcategory=2

You can also read our recently retired Patriarch’s Letter for Great Lent 2005 on the Eucharist, in which he has a chapter entitled: “Eucharistic Worship is an Eastern and Western Tradition”, in which he says:

“What is reported of Saint Sharbel Makhlouf is his fervent worship of the Blessed Sacrament. He used to spend long hours preparing for the celebration of the Eucharist, and long hours in thanksgiving to God for this grace. Often he would visit the Blessed Sacrament during the day and also during the night, where the ground was his bed and a piece of wood, his pillow, sharing in the passion of Christ, prisoner of the Host. And the incident of the water turning into oil, to provide light for theTabernacle, is well known as part of his biography.”

From THE MYSTERY OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT
THE HOLY EUCHARIST maronite-heritage.com/The%20Eucharist.php

St. Sharbel learned to adore the Eucharistic Christ during the night from his teacher, St. Nimtallah Hardini, another Maronite monk.

All the monks there who came from the Latin Rite were received into the Maronite Church with the Indult of Accomodation from the Apostolic See. The entire liturgical life of the monastery - Divine Praises, Divine Liturgy, Liturgical Calendar is fully Maronite.

This is correct.

The fact that we were invited to be Maronite by the Maronite bishop, have received approval by the Maronite Church and the Holy See and “live the life” (as we say) is all that is needed. Our previous bishop, Stephen Doueihi wrote in the decree approving our Typicon:

“Remember, also, that your greatest challenge is to be Eastern while having been born Western, that is, to coincide East and West, the Syriac world and the English world, the abandonment of the desert and the mechanism of today’s life. Your calling is to be, indeed, a sign of contradiction. Like the Church, do not cease to be controversial. Do not be afraid. Do not lose hope. Never abandon the “Eastern” aspect of your vocation. Live it totally, and be creative in living it. You will then live in tension, but tension is good; it keeps you focused on the essentials. You are in the hands of God. Remember ultimately that you live in you the resurrection of the freedom of the Children of God, and that the significance of your “written” typicon resides in this.”

So, please pray for us to be faithful to what we’ve been called by God. And we’ll pray for you … that’s our job!

 

[frmgc]

I’ll share a small vignette, which I believe is accurate: in the wake of Summorum Pontificum, a group there apparently petitioned the bishop for permission to use the 1962 Latin books, (I don’t know if that was for the Missal only or if the intent included the Office). The bishop, of course, refused to even entertain the request.

This is not exactly true. It’s complicated but can be explained this way:
At one time (over a decade ago) we filled in on Sunday to celebrate Mass at a local convent for aged nuns who had no chaplain. We had all permissions to do so, including myself.

Several years after we stopped “filling in” at the convent and several years before Summ. Pont., my own parents (who are Latin) requested of me to use only the 1962 Missal at their funerals. With the presumption that faculties had not been revoked, I learned to use the 1962 Missal in a private chapel here at the monastery for that purpose only: to fulfill the wishes of my parents. No one else here did this but me and only in a private chapel, never for visitors or in the main church. My reason is simple: I didn’t want to be merely an “altar boy” at my parents’ funeral.

Our present bishop told me that since we no longer had a pastoral reason to celebrate Roman rite (as at the convent uptown) I should no longer celebrate Roman rite even in our private chapel. I stopped. Fortunately, though, I was able to learn the 1962 Missal and fulfilled (so far) my father’s wish at his funeral just over 2 years ago. When visiting our families on such occasions, we have permission to use the Roman rite (with all necessary permissions granted by the Latin hierarch).

So, what’s asserted here is not exactly true.

ciero;7847150:

From what I’ve been able to gather…the founder could not find a Latin Rite bishop to allow him to found a monastery within their jurisdiction…the Maronite bishop did…with all the Latinizations is tow!

That’s pretty much correct, at least as far as how it came to be a “Maronite” monastery.

No, this is also false. In our video I explained this clearly. Our founder began with the permission of Cardinal Madeiros of Boston and was invited to join the Maronites. No Latinizations at all.

Who is “malphono”? Is not Christ our one “malphono”? “For one is your teacher, Christ” (Mt. 23:8).

United in adoration of Jesus,

fr. michael gilmary, mma

Maronite Monks of Adoration
Petersham, MA

 

[malphono]

This is not exactly true. It’s complicated but can be explained this way: …
So, what’s asserted here is not exactly true.

And from that, one can gather that it’s “not exactly false” either, is it?

No, this is also false. In our video I explained this clearly. Our founder began with the permission of Cardinal Madeiros of Boston and was invited to join the Maronites. No Latinizations at all.

Again, not “exactly false” either. In any case, you have your position, whereas others (even Maronites) might not quite agree about the “latinizations” in one form or another. There’s no point in going further.

Who is “malphono”? Is not Christ our one “malphono”? “For one is your teacher, Christ” (Mt. 23:8).

Attitude will get you nowhere. Neither will personal insults. If you had something to say, it could have been done in a more charitable way.

My involvement in this thread is ended.

 

[mardukm]

Dearest Father Michael,

WELCOME!!! I feel blessed to have a priest among us. I just have one question:

This is false. We have never had Latinizations in our liturgy. I’ve been here 22 years, so I can testify to that.

To your knowledge, is there anything different about the way you celebrate Mass, and the way Maronites celebrate Mass in the “old country?” I mean, could there be possible differences that brother ciero assumed were Latinizations (merely because there were differences), but actually were not?

Blessings,
Marduk

P.S. I also love Eucharistic adoration.

 

[smad0142]

Father,

Thank you so much for posting here!! Your vocation is truly a sign of contradiction to many EC! It is such a great joy for this EC to see a group of men who are willing to adore Christ in the Eucharist, and place this noble desire above worshipping small t traditions. Your vocation shows us the importance of following Christ before small t traditions. Thank you, and all your brother monks, so very very much. And please keep me and my family in your prayers!! May God continue to bless this wonderful work.

 

[ciero]

Father,

Thank you so much for posting here!! Your vocation is truly a sign of contradiction to many EC! It is such a great joy for this EC to see a group of men who are willing to adore Christ in the Eucharist, and place this noble desire above worshipping small t traditions. Your vocation shows us the importance of following Christ before small t traditions. Thank you, and all your brother monks, so very very much. And please keep me and my family in your prayers!! May God continue to bless this wonderful work.

Why not just join the Latin Rite smad? Then you can have all the Latinizations you like. And who knows if this guy is really a monk-priest of that monastery…do you believe everything you read on the internet?

 

[smad0142]

Because ciero I do not think wanting to worship Christ exposed makes me Latin, I think it makes me Christian. And your need to control every aspect of EC spirituality, to purify it of anything Latin, borders on the obsessive. How many times have I said the Liturgy, Mysteries, and the Office must remain truly Eastern? Yet not only do you want to dictate the Public Prayer of the Church, but the Private and optional prayers as well. Seriously you need to be a little more Christian when it comes to other peoples optional prayer practices.

Furthermore, a good EC, as you undoubtedly are ciero, should know that only a spiritual father should direct an individual’s prayer life. Seems your criticism of my prayer life isn’t very Eastern of you.

 

[ciero]

Because ciero I do not think wanting to worship Christ exposed makes me Latin, I think it makes me Christian. And your need to control every aspect of EC spirituality, to purify it of anything Latin, borders on the obsessive. How many times have I said the Liturgy, Mysteries, and the Office must remain truly Eastern? Yet not only do you want to dictate the Public Prayer of the Church, but the Private and optional prayers as well. Seriously you need to be a little more Christian when it comes to other peoples optional prayer practices.

Furthermore, a good EC, as you undoubtedly are ciero, should know that only a spiritual father should direct an individual’s prayer life. Seems your criticism of my prayer life isn’t very Eastern of you.

As I have said over and over Smad…if you want exposition just go down the street to the Latins and have it…why must you have it in an Eastern church? And just to mention…Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament is a PUBLIC practice…unless you have the priest exposing it in you bedroom.

And FYI, my spiritual father has made it an obedience of mine to work for the elimination of Latinizations in the Eastern church.

 

[dzheremi]

Why shouldn’t every Eastern or Oriental Christian work to end Latinizations in their church? It’s not obsessive. It’s what’s right. What’s more, it’s what the Pope of Rome has instructed ECC and OCC churches to do!

 

[frmgc]

And from that, one can gather that it’s “not exactly false” either, is it?

It’s false that:

1. it was not “in the wake of SP”;
2. not a “group”.

It is true that I alone requested the use of the 1962 MR in a private chapel for a single purpose (to be able to fulfill my parents’ funeral wishes) — not to promote “latinizations”.

So, I’ll correct my assessment and say that the statement you made was mostly false.

ciero;7847150:

From what I’ve been able to gather…the founder could not find a Latin Rite bishop to allow him to found a monastery within their jurisdiction…the Maronite bishop did…with all the Latinizations is tow!

Originally Posted by frmgc
No, this is also false. In our video I explained this clearly. Our founder began with the permission of Cardinal Madeiros of Boston and was invited to join the Maronites. No Latinizations at all.

Again, not “exactly false” either. In any case, you have your position, whereas others (even Maronites) might not quite agree about the “latinizations” in one form or another. There’s no point in going further.

No, this is entirely false. Our founder began with the approval and blessing of the Archbishop of Boston in 1978. In 1982, after meeting Archbishop Zayek, he was invited to establish the monastery as Maronite.

This is the “position” of the facts. And, unless you have some evidence to the contrary, we have never indulged “latinizations” here in liturgy.

Attitude will get you nowhere. Neither will personal insults. If you had something to say, it could have been done in a more charitable way.

My involvement in this thread is ended.

I’m sorry to hear that. I was hoping to provoke you to retract your erroneous statements. The great malphono (teacher), St. Augustine published a whole book of retractions. It’s a good example to follow, rather than confirming as true what in fact is merely idle gossip based on false rumors. A malphono (teacher) should follow the example of Christ and the teachers whom the Church holds up for us.

My involvment here was prompted by someone telling me that our video had occasioned some lively discussion on this forum. I was troubled by the cavalier disregard for the facts.

To your knowledge, is there anything different about the way you celebrate Mass, and the way Maronites celebrate Mass in the “old country?” I mean, could there be possible differences that brother ciero assumed were Latinizations (merely because there were differences), but actually were not?

We use the liturgical books approved by the Maronite Synod and the Eparchy of St. Maron, mostly in English with some Aramaic. In Lebanon Arabic is used with some Aramaic. If what we’re using is now called “latinization”, that’s a new twist.

And who knows if this guy is really a monk-priest of that monastery…do you believe everything you read on the internet?

Why not visit our website and email the vocations director? I’d be happy to reply to you to verify my identity.

God bless you all.

United in adoration of Jesus,

fr. michael gilmary, mma

Maronite Monks of Adoration
Most Holy Trinity Monastery
Petersham, MA

 

[The_Monk]

Why not just join the Latin Rite smad? Then you can have all the Latinizations you like. And who knows if this guy is really a monk-priest of that monastery…do you believe everything you read on the internet?

What Latinizations are taking place there? I notice that no answer was made to the fact that St. Sharbel had great devotion to adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Does that mean he was not Maronite? The Holy See approved this monastery. Are they trying to Latinize the Maronites? The recent Patriarch approved the monastery and also visited it. Is he not Maronite? What about the Maronite bishops?

“This guy”? Another posting said something about attitude. You can check the site for the Eparchy of St. Maron to see if “this guy” is a monk-priest. Last I heard, the Eparchy is still Maronite.

Incidentally, how do you define “orthodox in communion with Rome”?

 

[smad0142]

Ciero,

The theology behind Public Prayer is quite different than the simple statement that it is prayer done in public. When a Priest says his Office in private, as even EC Priests do, it is still public prayer. The public prayer of the Church is when the baptized faithful take part in any of the Mysteries or the Office. Absolutely any other devotion, even if said in front of the entire world would be a private devotion, even when done by the Pope himself.

And I think it is great that your spiritual father wants to see you rid the world of latinizations, but can you show me anywhere where the Orthodox forbid their people from praying the Rosary or adoring the Eucharist, or from any other spiritual practice that is privately done and not spiritually harmful? And if there is no place where they forbid it, then what is the standard for a latinization? Merely that the Latins do it? Because then we would also have to stop doing things like the whole Holy Water thing, or that whole idea about recieveing Holy Communion.

“And there a woman named Martha invited him into her house. Now Martha had a sister called Mary, and all Mary wanted to do was to sit at the feet of the Lord Jesus hear his teachings.But Martha was very troubled because there was much serving to do, and so she came to the Lord Jesus and said “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to serve all alone? tell her that she should come and help me.” Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But there is only one thing that is needed, and Mary has chosen that good thing, which shall not be taken away from her.” Luke 10: 38-42

Now I admit I am young, so also probably very foolish compared to my elders on this forum. So I need someone to explain to me how Mary was not simply adoring Christ and listening to Him speak in her heart. And how Christ really did not mean leave her alone, or do not take this away from her.

 

[smad0142]

What Latinizations are taking place there? I notice that no answer was made to the fact that St. Sharbel had great devotion to adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Does that mean he was not Maronite? The Holy See approved this monastery. Are they trying to Latinize the Maronites? The recent Patriarch approved the monastery and also visited it. Is he not Maronite? What about the Maronite bishops?

“This guy”? Another posting said something about attitude. You can check the site for the Eparchy of St. Maron to see if “this guy” is a monk-priest. Last I heard, the Eparchy is still Maronite.

Incidentally, how do you define “orthodox in communion with Rome”?

Some EC do not care about the practice itself, they care that Latins came up with it. It is like the guy in the office who refuses to recognize someone else had a good idea. Any people who are so theologically, liturgically, or small t traditionally rigid, not dogmatically or doctrinally rigid but theologically rigid, that they can not even accept the practice of letting other people have the option of adoring Christ just blows my mind.

 

[The_Monk]

A number of posts concerning the Maronite Monks of Adoration seem to suggest that the monastery is a Latin subterfuge seeking to Latinize the Christian East by introducing “Latinizations” such as the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.While they use the term “Latinizations”, which is plural, they only cite Eucharistic adoration and nothing else. So again, what other “Latinizations” are taking place there?

If Eucharistic adoration is indeed a “Latinization” that has no place in the Christian East, then the following need to be answered.

St. Nimtallah Hardini and St. Sharbel, both of whom were Maronites and monks, had great devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. Were they undermining the Christian East by bringing in Latinizations? How do you explain their devotion? This fact was seemingly ignored by the objectors.

The recent Patriarch wrote his Letter for Great Lent 2005 in which he clearly stated that eucharistic adoration was BOTH a Western and Eastern tradition. How do you explain this letter? Was an Eastern Patriarch undermining Eastern tradition by encouraging “Latinizations”?

You also have to explain the establishment of the monastery. It was the Maronite archbishop Zayek who TOOK THE INITIATIVE to invite the founder to become Maronite and establish this monastery as part of the Maronite Church. Was a Maronite (Eastern) archbishop undermining the traditions of the Christian East by inviting the founder to become Maronite and establish a monastery with Eucharistic Adoration as its charism?
A previous post had the letter from a former Maronite Bishop praising them and encouraging them to live fully Eastern. Did he get something wrong? The Holy See approved the monastery. A previous post mentions the popes encouraging the Eastern Catholics to remain faithful to the traditions of the East and resist Latinization. So why would the Holy See approve a Eastern monastery that was doing all these “Latinizations”?

The anger that seems to be directed at Eucharistic adoration by these objectors seems to indicate that another agenda is at play and not simply a desire to preserve the traditions of the East against “Latinizations.” I suspect it is the Orthodox aversion for the doctrine of Transubstantiation. In the Orthodox Study Bible one reads the following: “The Roman Church…was pressed by the rationalists to define HOW (emphasis mine) the transformation occurs. They answered with the word Transubstantiation, meaning a change of substance.” The author obviously didn’t read the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Transubstantiation doesn’t describe the HOW but the WHAT. That the bread and wine are no longer bread and wine but the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ. It is rationalism that REJECTS this doctrine. The Orthodox teaching seems to be more like that of Consubstantiation - the bread and wine exist side by side with the Body and Blood of Christ - which is similar to Luther’s position. Using the term Transubstantiation is no different than using the term “Homoousios” to describe the relationship between God the Father and God the Son.

So if it going to be stated that this monastery is not really Maronite, then one must answer the above. If it’s not then one must explain the practice of Eucharistic adoration by Maronite saints and approval of the competent Church Authority, both the Maronite Church and the Apostolic See.

 

[Alexander_Roman]

Dear Smad,

The adoration of Christ in the Eucharist via the blessing with the Chalice is right there in the Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom - so the idea of blessing the people with the Eucharist is Eastern.

Blessed Leonid Fyodorov, the Russian Catholic who zealously guarded Eastern traditions, didn’t mind saying that “when it comes to Eucharistic Adoration, we Easterners are the Latins’ pupils.” Our Ukrainian Greek-Catholic martyr-bishops all practiced such Adoration to give them strength to suffer to the end for Christ. May God forbid me from trying to tell them, if I could, that they were either wrong or “Latin-minded.”

I’ve seen the benefits of entire UGCC villages and towns engaging in 24 hour Eucharistic Adoration in Ukraine and western Canada in particular. The fact that people are there in Church is a plus and it is always possible to pray using Eastern liturgical texts, as my parish does for May (i.e. the “May devotion” with Molebens every night and Akathists on the weekend).

Again, I would hope that none of us are in the business of dissuading people from prayer - and I’m not suggesting you are!

St Charbel was a GREAT Eastern Saint whose very being proclaimed the Presence of Christ in the Eucharist!! The ongoing miracles re: his relics after his death likewise do this.

He truly experienced Theosis to the nth degree and was/is a true Pneumatophore. To even gaze upon his icon/photo is to be filled with compunction and the desire to pray.

Greetings to Fr. Michael here!

My parish doesn’t have Eucharistic Adoration, but that doesn’t prevent individual parishioners from doing this in Church before the Altar.

Such Adoration should always find its source in a proper preparation for Mass and Communion with a sober/devotional participation in the Divine Liturgy and proper Thanksgiving afterwards.

The Orthodox have the beautiful tradition of kissing the edge of the Chalice to honour the wounded Side of Christ from which we are nourished in Holy Communion and the practice of touching the Chalice to the heads of those who have communed, as they line up towards the side altar/proskomide.

Alex

 

[Alexander_Roman]

A number of posts concerning the Maronite Monks of Adoration seem to suggest that the monastery is a Latin subterfuge seeking to Latinize the Christian East by introducing “Latinizations” such as the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.While they use the term “Latinizations”, which is plural, they only cite Eucharistic adoration and nothing else. So again, what other “Latinizations” are taking place there?

If Eucharistic adoration is indeed a “Latinization” that has no place in the Christian East, then the following need to be answered.

St. Nimtallah Hardini and St. Sharbel, both of whom were Maronites and monks, had great devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. Were they undermining the Christian East by bringing in Latinizations? How do you explain their devotion? This fact was seemingly ignored by the objectors.

The recent Patriarch wrote his Letter for Great Lent 2005 in which he clearly stated that eucharistic adoration was BOTH a Western and Eastern tradition. How do you explain this letter? Was an Eastern Patriarch undermining Eastern tradition by encouraging “Latinizations”?

You also have to explain the establishment of the monastery. It was the Maronite archbishop Zayek who TOOK THE INITIATIVE to invite the founder to become Maronite and establish this monastery as part of the Maronite Church. Was a Maronite (Eastern) archbishop undermining the traditions of the Christian East by inviting the founder to become Maronite and establish a monastery with Eucharistic Adoration as its charism?
A previous post had the letter from a former Maronite Bishop praising them and encouraging them to live fully Eastern. Did he get something wrong? The Holy See approved the monastery. A previous post mentions the popes encouraging the Eastern Catholics to remain faithful to the traditions of the East and resist Latinization. So why would the Holy See approve a Eastern monastery that was doing all these “Latinizations”?

The anger that seems to be directed at Eucharistic adoration by these objectors seems to indicate that another agenda is at play and not simply a desire to preserve the traditions of the East against “Latinizations.” I suspect it is the Orthodox aversion for the doctrine of Transubstantiation. In the Orthodox Study Bible one reads the following: “The Roman Church…was pressed by the rationalists to define HOW (emphasis mine) the transformation occurs. They answered with the word Transubstantiation, meaning a change of substance.” The author obviously didn’t read the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Transubstantiation doesn’t describe the HOW but the WHAT. That the bread and wine are no longer bread and wine but the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ. It is rationalism that REJECTS this doctrine. The Orthodox teaching seems to be more like that of Consubstantiation - the bread and wine exist side by side with the Body and Blood of Christ - which is similar to Luther’s position. Using the term Transubstantiation is no different than using the term “Homoousios” to describe the relationship between God the Father and God the Son.

So if it going to be stated that this monastery is not really Maronite, then one must answer the above. If it’s not then one must explain the practice of Eucharistic adoration by Maronite saints and approval of the competent Church Authority, both the Maronite Church and the Apostolic See.

And our Ukrainian Catholic bishop-martyrs loved Eucharistic Adoration as well! Our sainted Patriarch Joseph the Hieroconfessor did at least an hour of Adoration daily at St Neilos’ Church in Rome.

I think you have a very wise Patriarch as well!

Alex

 

[smad0142]

Dear Smad,

The adoration of Christ in the Eucharist via the blessing with the Chalice is right there in the Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom - so the idea of blessing the people with the Eucharist is Eastern.

Blessed Leonid Fyodorov, the Russian Catholic who zealously guarded Eastern traditions, didn’t mind saying that “when it comes to Eucharistic Adoration, we Easterners are the Latins’ pupils.” Our Ukrainian Greek-Catholic martyr-bishops all practiced such Adoration to give them strength to suffer to the end for Christ. May God forbid me from trying to tell them, if I could, that they were either wrong or “Latin-minded.”

I’ve seen the benefits of entire UGCC villages and towns engaging in 24 hour Eucharistic Adoration in Ukraine and western Canada in particular. The fact that people are there in Church is a plus and it is always possible to pray using Eastern liturgical texts, as my parish does for May (i.e. the “May devotion” with Molebens every night and Akathists on the weekend).

Again, I would hope that none of us are in the business of dissuading people from prayer - and I’m not suggesting you are!

St Charbel was a GREAT Eastern Saint whose very being proclaimed the Presence of Christ in the Eucharist!! The ongoing miracles re: his relics after his death likewise do this.

He truly experienced Theosis to the nth degree and was/is a true Pneumatophore. To even gaze upon his icon/photo is to be filled with compunction and the desire to pray.

Greetings to Fr. Michael here!

My parish doesn’t have Eucharistic Adoration, but that doesn’t prevent individual parishioners from doing this in Church before the Altar.

Such Adoration should always find its source in a proper preparation for Mass and Communion with a sober/devotional participation in the Divine Liturgy and proper Thanksgiving afterwards.

The Orthodox have the beautiful tradition of kissing the edge of the Chalice to honour the wounded Side of Christ from which we are nourished in Holy Communion and the practice of touching the Chalice to the heads of those who have communed, as they line up towards the side altar/proskomide.

Alex

Alex,

That is my point. The Divine Liturgy contains Eucharistic Benediction. That book that the priest-monk pointed out shows the Eastern roots of Adoration. Many EC Saints, Mary the sister of Lazurus, and martyrs loved Adoration. It is ciero, and many EC like him, who are not canonized saints and most likely have never lived under great persecution who detest Adoration. Any person who wishes to rationalize away time with Christ, has forgot the chief meaning of the Church, East and West. The WHOLE purpose of Christ and the Church’s life is to bring people to Christ and into Paradise. Adoration is when man physically approaches Our King and Great Savior Jesus Christ, yet some EC abhor this. Honestly Adoration helped Saints to be holy, is found in the Scriptures, and gave strength to martyrs. Adoration is witnessed to by the blood of EC martyrs, and I should ignore that because some people don’t think it is genuine?

 

[Joel_PF]

What a beautiful spiritual life!

My city (São Paulo, Brazil), has a very large Lebanese community, but I’m yet to go to a Maronite Divine Liturgy. Glad to see Eucharistic Adoration exists in the East as well.

Whether it began in the East or West, why does that matter, as long as both sides agree that it is an extremely good practice? Can’t East and West (and others who don’t fit perfectly in either), retaining their distinctive identities, learn from each other in what each does best?

Thank you so much, Father Michael, for taking your time to explain your devotions and their truly Maronite character!