GENEALOGY SUNDAY
SIXTH SUNDAY OF ANNOUNCEMENT
We find that there are two versions of the genealogy of Jesus in the New Testament. One is in Matthew (1:1-17) and another is in Luke (3:23-38). The basic aim of any such list of descendants in the scriptures, is the connection of each era to God’s progressive plan of salvation which reaches its fulfillment in Christ.
The genealogy of Matthew emphasizes that Jesus is the fulfillment of all the promises God made to Abraham and David. One notes that there are four women, perhaps gentiles, in the list. The inclusion of these women may serve to indicate that Jesus came to save all mankind and not just the Jews (Mt. 28:19). David, a sinner guilty of adultery and murder (2 Samuel 11:6), is also included in the list, thus indicating that Jesus, who was without sin, was fully immersed in the sinfulness of humanity.
The genealogy of Luke’s gospel is even more obvious in indicating the universal mission of Jesus. He goes back from Jesus, to Abraham, and all the way back to Adam, the Son of God; thus he shows Jesus as the New Adam, who begets a new humanity.
The two genealogies are quite diverse in the personages included. In fact, they agree only on two names from David to Joseph. Matthew’s royal lineage supports his concept of messianic fulfillment while Luke may have been more authentic in tracing the line through Nathan. In any case, one finds that the theological purpose of the genealogies supercedes any consideration for factual accuracy. The intention of the lists is to demonstrate that Jesus is the fulfillment of all that had been prophecied in the Old Testament. The covenant that the Lord established with David will stand forever: “ The Lord says that his covenant with David stands firm and he will make his posterity endure forever and his throne as the days of heaven” (Ps.89:29-30).
The genealogies call us to trust in the salvific plan of God: all will be brought to fulfillment by the Lord in his own time and in his own way. In spite of difficulties, we are called to trust in the promises of the Lord. Jesus himself, the Son of the Father promised, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not” (Luke21:33).
Sacrament of Reconciliation
The best spiritual way to prepare ourselves to receive the Light of Our Savior on Christmas Day and make of our hearts a new manger for Jesus to come and dwell is the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) prior to Christmas.
Confessions will be available here at St. Raymond’s
Thursday December 24: 3:00pm-4:30pm and 8:30pm-9:30pm
Friday December 25: 8:30am-9:30am
Please make an effort to be ready for Christmas Spiritually!
Open House at the Residence of Bishop Shaheen
3900 Blow Street
Sunday January 3, 2016
2:00 P.M.-5:00 P.M.
This is an opportunity to visit the home of our Retired Bishop and enjoy some Holiday Cheer
LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU!!
Kitchen’s Weekly Scoop
The kitchen will be closed the week of December 20th and the week of December 27th. The kitchen will re-open Monday January 4th and will be serving lunch Wednesday January 6th. Special thanks to all the dedicated kitchen volunteers who come each week throughout the year!
Christmas Novena
On Saturday December 19th , the Novena will be celebrated after 5:00 P.M. liturgy
On Sunday December 20th, the Novena will be celebrated after 10:00 A.M. liturgy
Monday December 21st- Wednesday December 23rd the Novena will be celebrated at 7:00 P.M.
Christmas Liturgies Schedule
On Thursday December 24th, liturgies for Christmas will be celebrated at 5:00 P.M. and
10:00 P.M.
Following the 10:00 P.M. liturgy all are invited to the Cedars Hall for coffee, refreshments,
and greetings.
On Friday December 25th, liturgy will be celebrated at 10:00 A.M. and the Hall will be closed
on Christmas Day
Membership Team Meeting
The next meeting via Skype or Conference Call will be Tuesday December 22nd at 5pm.
All our welcome and encouraged to participate!
Please follow the links below:
Via Phone 314-994-1870 or 888-320-3585
Conference ID: 28928762
New Year’s Liturgies
Thursday December 31st: 7pm
Friday January 1st: 10am
There will be no classes on Sunday December 20th, December 27th, and January 3rd. Classes will resume on Sunday January 10th
Bishop Elias Zaidan issues new
Regulations for Christmas Gifts for Priests in the Eparchy of Our Lady of
Lebanon of Los Angeles
Lebanon of Los Angeles
Effective immediately, Bishop Elias Zaidan has issued new regulations regarding Christmas Gifts for Priests. In the packet of envelopes issued to each parishioner/family, there is a green envelope denoting a special Christmas Gift for the Parish Priest. At the Christmas Liturgies, a second collection –announced in advance- will be taken for the special green envelopes or cash gifts. The first collection has always been for the benefit of the Parish. Bishop Zaidan wishes to thank the priests for their service to the Church, and the parishioners for their appreciation of the value of the priests who serve them.
Rite of Preparation: While the Divine Liturgy consists of two parts, the service of the Word and the service of the Eucharist, each part can be further subdivided. The service of the Word begins with a period of preparation, purification and catechizing as a fitting introduction to the reading of Scripture.
Opening Hymn and Prayer: The opening hymn is usually a psalm of praise or a hymn commemorating the feast. While being an act of worship, this recitation helps lift our minds and hearts to the contemplation of holy things. The celebrant and servers enter the Sanctuary further symbolizing the presence of Christ in the midst of His community. The celebrant proclaims his unworthiness and asks for prayers that he might obtain forgiveness. The first prayer of the Liturgy is intended to announce the feast being celebrated or to cite the theme of the day.
The Celebrant's Greeting and the Hymn of the Angels: The celebrant greets the church community with a salutation of peace, to which the congregation responds with the angelic hymn of peace. We are reminded that the life of Christ begins with the angel's announcement of peace, and that Christ's appearances after His resurrection always opened with a greeting of peace. Isaiah has prophesied a prince of peace. The angels at the birth of Christ proclaimed a new world order of peace between the heavens and the earth. Christ announces the giving of a peace that is not of this world. The Resurrected Christ offers both peace and the forgiveness of sins. The commitment to peace is reaffirmed later in the liturgy when the gesture of peace is offered to each member of the worshiping community.
It is fitting that the Liturgy begins with the angelic hymn, for in our faith we believe that whenever the Divine Liturgy is celebrated on earth, the boundaries between heaven and earth are removed and earthy worshipers join in the eternal Heavenly Liturgy chanted by the angels. During these moments of earthly adoration, we have the opportunity of being mystically transported to the threshold of Heaven. Being in a holy place and about to participate in holy things, we are aware of our finitude and sinfulness. In this service of the Holy Mysteries, we are about to hear the Sacred Word of God and our bodies and souls await the reception of the Body and Blood of Christ. Therefore, it is necessary to prepare and purify ourselves. Part of our preparation consists in being catechized regarding God's plan of salvation and about the event in the Liturgical Year that we are celebrating. We also seek the words to express sorrow for our sins and to solicit God's mercy. And, at this point near the beginning of the Divine Service, we take the occasion to petition God for our needs.
The Prayer of Forgiveness (Hoosoyo): It is to all these aspects that the "Prayer of Forgiveness" or Hoosoyo seeks to respond. The term Hoosoyo in Syriac has the meaning of atonement or pardon and can also refer to God's mercy seat. Syriac Christians applied the term to Christ Himself. The Hoosoyo begins with a preamble or proemion which is addressed to God in the person of Christ. The purpose of the proemion is to offer worship by uttering the glorious names of God. In fact, this prayer is reminiscent of the prayer known as the "eighteen benedictions" offered by the Jews in their synagogues service. Such a practice of proclaiming the beautiful names of God as an act of adoration is found in many religions. What is particular to the Maronite tradition is that all names and titles that Scripture applies to God are directed to Christ. For example, in the proemion of the Sunday of the Announcement to the Virgin Mary, we pray: "may we be worthy to praise and confess the God of earth and sky, the Creator, the Sustainer, the Life-Giver. In His love and foreknowledge He decided to return to the heirs of Adam and pitch His tent in their midst. . . . " In the proemion of the Sunday of the Visitation to Elizabeth, we proclaim: "may we be worthy to praise, confess and glorify the Lord of all eternity, who hid himself in the womb of the Virgin; the Ancient of Days, who was concealed in the Virgin's temple...."
Echoing the Council of Nicea that affirmed that the Word of God is of one being with the Father, our Maronite tradition therefore, prays that the Word of God incarnate in Christ is "the Creator, Sustainer, Life-Giver, and Ancient of Days," titles that we often attribute to God the Father. Perhaps, we have here an example of an ancient Christian principle that the "law of faith becomes the law of prayer". We also have examples in church history where the reverse is also true: "the law of prayer becomes the law of faith."
The body of the Hoosoyo or Sedro is divided into two sections. The first section is a prayer of praise of the works of God and His plan of salvation, or an exposition of the meaning of the feast being celebrated. This section often serves a catechetical function. Often in our Maronite tradition the Liturgy was the great teacher of people. It was their theological handbook. By meditating on the whole range of prayers in the Liturgy, the laity were educated in the faith. In fact, our prime source of Maronite theology today remains the prayers of the Holy Mysteries and the Divine Office. For example, a concise presentation of the Maronite understanding of God's revelation is found in the Hoosoyo of the Sunday of the Announcement to Zechariah. It teaches: "O Lord of heaven and earth, in times past you spoke to your chosen ones through messengers and angels. Adam heard you walking through the garden, and Your voice led Abraham to a strange and new land. Moses saw You in a cloud and in a pillar of fire. Your mysterious words appearedon the wall, traced by an unknown hand. Through these means you have prepared a straight and level path for the final revealer of Your mystery. You have spoken, yet You have no mouth. You have no feet, yet you led. You have never known sin, but You are infinite in Your mercy toward sinners."
The last section of the Hoosoyo consists of a series of litany of petitions. In fact, the term Sedro in Syriac means: rank, series, order or phalanx. Since God has accorded to his people graces in the past, we implore Him to continue His generosity. An example of this litany of petitions is found in the Hoosoyo of the Wednesday Memorial of the Virgin Mary. It prays: "O Lord, through the prayers of Your Mother, keep away from the earth and its people the scourge of wrath; eliminate dangers and disturbances; remove war, captivity, hunger and plaque from us. Have compassion on us, we are weak, comfort us, we are sick; assist us, we are in need; deliver us, we are oppressed; grant rest to the faithful departed and enable us to reach a happy death. ... "
During the praying of the Hoosoyo, incense is burned. The celebrant or deacon incenses the people and the interior of the church so that all may be purified in preparation for the reading of the Word of God. The burning of incense is a powerful symbol. Incense represents something precious and sweet smelling that is burnt and therefore consumed. It therefore, represents sacrifice, the act of surrender for the sake of a higher purpose. Thus, Christ, the martyrs and all who lay down their life for another are living incense. The burning of incense at the Hoosoyo sets the tone for our Liturgy. It symbolizes the sacrifice of Christ that liberates us from our sins. In participating in the burning of incense, we seek first of all purification and forgiveness. We also pledge that our lives will be consumed in good works so that we may also become an offering pleasing to God.
The congregation responds to the Hoosoyo by chanting a hymn or psalm (Qolo) appropriate to the theme of the feast being celebrated. The celebrant then summarizes the Hoosoyo by chanting a concluding prayer of incense (Etro).
Taken from A Commentary on the Holy Mysteries: The Holy Mystery of Offering (Qorbono)
By Chorbishop Seely Beggiani (https://www.stmaron.org/divliturgy.html)
By Chorbishop Seely Beggiani (https://www.stmaron.org/divliturgy.html)
If you have questions about Catholic teaching or our Maronite tradition, or would like to suggest a topic, please email us or tell us the next time we see you. Thank you and God Bless.
David Wahby (wahby@sbcglobal.net) and Tony Simon (asimon@simonlawpc.com)
David Wahby (wahby@sbcglobal.net) and Tony Simon (asimon@simonlawpc.com)
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