SUNDAY OF THE PRARLYTIC
On this Sunday, the Maronite Church commemorates the miracle of Jesus’ healing the paralytic.
Many times Jesus comes to us, visits us. He comes to us with an idea, a word we hear, a person who is suffering or joyful. Jesus is present. However, many times we neglect to notice him. We do not take advantage of his presence and we simply let the moment pass. We fail to be like the disciples on the road to Emmaus who invited Jesus to stay with them and eventually recognize him in the breaking of the bread.
One of the people who had heard about Jesus’ presence in Capernaum was a paralytic. Since he was unable to go on his own, he sought the assistance of four friends who would carry him. The crowds were surrounding the house, so the men were forced to go on the roof and lower the paralytic through a hole. Such actions were proof of the faith of the paralytic and his friends.
Jesus looked at the man and said, “Child, your sins are forgiven.” This was not a cure, but a promise of a cure. For the Jews believed that the sickness of the man was caused by his sins. In the Jewish mind, there is a very strong connection between sin and suffering (see Job 4:7). However, the forgiveness of sins was the prerogative of God alone. For any man to claim to do that was an insult to God and blasphemy, punishable by death.
Like the paralytic, we must expend all of our efforts to take advantage of the healing presence of the Lord. Let us seek the Lord with faith and humility, asking him to cleanse us.
PALM SUNDAY LUNCH & BAKE SALE
Sunday March 20th there will only be one liturgy at 10am followed by a procession with the children and the rest of the community.
Lebanese food will be served from 11:30 am—3 pm to the public in the Cedars Hall
Please bring your family and friends to join us!
The Ladies Society will be hosting a bake sale for Palm Sunday. Please bring your baked items to the Cedars Saturday March 19th between 4pm and 6 pm.
Benediction of the Cross
The Benediction of the Cross will take place every Friday evening during Lent at 7pm. Following the Benediction there will be a potluck supper in the Lebanon Room. During Lent, please remember to abstain from meat on all Fridays and to fast and abstain on Great Friday.
Benediction of the Cross Speakers:
Friday March 11: Deacon Louis Peters
Friday March 18: Chorbishop Moussa Joseph
Schedule of Friday Lenten Meals:
March 11: Kitchen Volunteers and March 18: Parish Council
ANNUAL BISHOP’S APPEAL
Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles
Chorbishop Moussa Joseph
EASTER TRIDUUM
PRAYER AND REFLECTION DURING HOLY WEEK
Tuesday, March 22nd, Wednesday March 23rd, and Friday March 25th during Great Friday Service Reverend Monsignor Michael Witt, Ph.D. (Professor at Kenrick Glennon Seminary & noted Church Historian) will be speaking at all the liturgies.
Please plan to join us during Holy Week for
Spiritual Enrichment in preparation for
Easter.
The First Five Saturdays of Devotion
Our Lady of Fatima Promises all the Graces Necessary for Heaven if a Catholic Finishes the Five First Saturdays of Devotion. “...Tell them that I promise to assist at the hour of death with the graces necessary for salvation all those who, in order to make reparation to me, on the First Saturday of five successive months, go to confession, receive Holy Communion, say five decades of the Rosary and keep me company for a quarter of an hour, meditating on the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary.”
Year of Mercy
calls us to
Acts of Mercy
In this Year of Mercy we are called to offer forgiveness, mercy and compassion. Saint Raymond Cathedral Parish wishes to assist the poor and needy of our area by collecting canned and boxed goods. During Benediction of the Cross on the Fridays of Lent and at Masses on the weekends, we invite all parishioners to bring food for the needy as an Act of Mercy. Boxes will be available in the back of the Cathedral to collect your generous offerings for the poor and marginalized of our area. Please join this parish program by participating with your usual generosity on the Fridays and Weekends of Lent. May God Bless you.
Maronite Mercy Pilgrimage
Reserve on Your Calendar: May 25-June 4, 2016
Join Bishop Elias Zaidan on a special Maronite Pilgrimage to Italy in honor of the Year of Mercy. The price for the pilgrimage is $2,000 (Airline not included). The price includes 9 overnights at 4 star hotel, breakfast and dinners, all admittance fees, English speaking guide, and private deluxe air conditioned coach.
Highlights of the trip: Papal audience with Pope Francis and Liturgy at St. Peter’s Basilica
For more information please email us at MaroniteMercyPilgrimage@gmail.com or call Chorbishop Sharbel Maroun at (612) 379-2758. Seats will be limited.
MYO Easter Lily Spring Fundraiser
The MYO will be selling Easter Lilies beginning Friday February 26th until March 13th. The Lilies are sold in one gallon pots for $12. Pick up for the Lilies will be the weekend of March 18th-20th. Order forms will be available in the vestibule. Please contact Karen Crenshaw (crenshawkfc@att.net) or the rectory 314-621-0056 if you have any questions.
Weekly Finances for February 28th-March 6th-This does not include Wednesday lunch
Income:$3,411.00
Expenses:$7,348.51
St. Steven’s Church
St. Steven’s Church will be hosting a St. Patrick’s Day Dinner on Sunday March 13, 2016 from 11am-3pm. They are located at 11514 Highway A Richwoods, MO. 63071. Adults are $9 and Children are $4. Corned Beef and Cabbage or Ham dinners will be served.
Kitchen Scoop
Rolling Cabbage Rolls Mondays at 8:30am
Rolling Grape Leaves Tuesday March 8th at 4:30 pm
Making Tabouli Friday March 18th at 8:00 am
Making Kibbi Aras Tuesdays at 8:30 am
Preparing Wednesday Lunch 8 am-11 am
Serving Wednesday Lunch 11 am-2 pm
The Kitchen continues to need help in preparation for Palm Sunday. On Friday March 18th, the kitchen will be preparing for Palm Sunday. Tabouli for the month of March will be done on this day (March 18th).
Palm Sunday is a parish event that is open to the public and we are in need of more parish volunteers to help in the kitchen. For example, help make meat pies and spinach pies, work the line, work the stove, fry kibbi aras, keeping the hall clean, and carry out. If any of the youth of our parish are interested in service hours Palm Sunday would be a great day to volunteer. On Palm Sunday kitchen preparation begins at 8 am until we open at 11:30 am and then serving lunch until 3pm.
If you are interested in volunteering please contact Denise Baker, Kathleen Wahby, or Gina Fanetti
St. Raymond’s Holy Week Schedule
PALM SUNDAY, MARCH 20
10 a.m. Solemn Liturgy with procession and distribution of palms.
4 p.m. Liturgy & distribution of palms.
PALM SUNDAY DINNER
11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Lebanese food will be served for the public in the Cedars Hall.
MONDAY, TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21, 22 & 23
Mon, 12 Noon Liturgy
7 p.m. Liturgy of the Blessing of Holy Oils
Tues, 12 Noon Liturgy
7 p.m. Liturgy & Benediction of the Cross
Wed, 12 Noon Liturgy
7 p.m. Rite of the Lamp and Liturgy
THURSDAY, MARCH 24 (HOLY THURSDAY)
12 Noon Liturgy
7 p.m. Liturgy and Washing of the Feet; Procession with Blessed Sacrament and Adoration till 11 p.m.
FRIDAY, MARCH 25 (GOOD FRIDAY)
11 a.m. Pre-Sanctified Liturgy
7 p.m. Burial of the Lord
SATURDAY, MARCH 26(GREAT SATURDAY OF THE LIGHT)
10 a.m. Confessions
11 a.m. Prayer of Forgiveness
NO 5 PM LITURGY
10 p.m. Opening of Tomb and Solemn Liturgy of Resurrection
(Everyone is welcome to the Cedars Hall for refreshments following the 10 pm
Liturgy)
SUNDAY, MARCH 27 (EASTER SUNDAY)
9 a.m. Liturgy of Easter (No coffee hour on Easter Sunday.)
11 a.m. Liturgy of Easter
DURING HOLY WEEK, CONFESSIONS WILL BE AVAILABLE BEFORE ALL LITURGIES
Subdeacon Candidate’s Corner
As part of our formation, one of the goals of our ministry is to help parishioners develop a greater understanding of our rich Maronite Catholic History and Heritage. In furtherance of that goal we will be adding a short explanation to each bulletin about some aspect of our faith. This continues the discussion about our Maronite Liturgy.
Institution Narrative: The service of the Eucharist is a re-enactment of the Last Supper. It was Christ himself who called upon His disciples to "Do this in My memory until I return". At the Last Supper Christ had shown His total self-giving to the will of the Father by declaring that the bread and wine were indeed His Body being broken and His Blood shed for our redemption. Fulfilling the divine mandate to remember and to witness, we gather about the altar as the celebrant repeats the Last Supper narrative. Just as Christ was willing to lay down His life for others, we are called to dedicate ourselves to that same ideal. In imitation of the Sacrifice of Christ, we commit ourselves to unconditional discipleship, and the willingness to pay its price, even to the point of suffering and death.
Memorial of the Plan of the Son (Anamnesis): As disciples of Christ, we not only witness to the events of the Last Supper, but also to the death and resurrection of Christ. Christ's offering of Himself in the bread and wine was confirmed in His death on the Cross. His sacrificial death brought about Resurrection and Life. We are called to witness to the mighty deeds achieved by God in the death and resurrection of Christ. However, Christ also promised that He would come again. Therefore, we, the Church on earth, await Him in hopeful expectation. We realize that our lives and deeds will face a future reckoning. Thus the second prayer in this series describes the final judgment before the tribunal of Christ, and petitions that He be merciful.
Invocation of the Spirit (Epiclesis): The Holy Scriptures and our own tradition ascribe works of power and creativity to the Holy Spirit. The Book of Genesis describes the Spirit of God on the primordial waters bringing about creation. The Spirit of God descended on the prophets and revealed the Word of God. The Spirit of God overshadowed Mary and she conceived Our Lord. The Spirit of God descended upon Christ in the Jordan River and sanctified the waters of creation. The Spirit of God was breathed by Christ on the disciples, empowering them to forgive sins. The Spirit of God descended upon the disciples at Pentecost and formed the Church. Here in the Liturgy, the celebrant calls on the Spirit to make the gifts the life-giving Body and Blood of Christ. As the separated bread and wine at the Institution Narrative represented the death of Christ, so the power of the Spirit at the Invocation represents the Rising of Christ from the dead in the newness of life
Taken from A Commentary on the Holy Mysteries: The Holy Mystery of Offering (Qorbono)
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.
Altar Servers
As we have announced in the past, we are still in great need of altar servers at ALL MASSES. We are looking for all interested BOYS AND GIRLS that would like to serve at mass to send an email to Tony or David. We would love to have more servers and can teach you everything you need to know. NO PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE NECESSARY
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