Our Lord has taught us at this Last Supper:
He is the true bread come down from heaven.
For our salvation he drank from death’s cup,
that we may now drink life everlasting.

Look, O Lord, upon us, your worshipers standing before you, with souls in agony and bodies in affliction. Nothing can help and nothing can save, except your mercy, and no one can heal and no one can give life, except your love.

Since we bore your seal from the waters of baptism, believed in your name, and consumed your body and drank your blood, let your living cross be a rudder for our ship, and guide us through the storms which surround us.

Shine your salvific mercy upon us; and, by your grace, let there be a rest to our affliction. Let your mercy bring comfort to us as we bow before you, forgive our sins and blot out our offences from your book.

From Prayer of Forgiveness (Sedro) for the Rite of the Lamp.

The lenten weekday cycle of the Maronite rite reflects our estrangement from God and our need to coversion. We are called to take courage and to turn back. They Syriac fathers have traditionally spoken of this movement toward God as a nautical journey whose destination is the harbor of life. During the journey of Lent, we pray:

Bless, Lord, our fasing… Make it a journey which leads us to the harbor of salvation.

The Maronite calendar commemorates this feast twice during the year: today and on the Second Sunday of Announcement. Today's feast goes back to the fourth century, when it was decided to celebrate Christmas on December 25th; the Annunciation was naturally celebrated nine months before. This is a great feast in both the East and the West since it recalls the mystery of the incarnation of the Son of God in the womb of the Virgin. May the prayers of the Blessed Virgin protect us. Amen.

March 24, 2024

“Your King shall come to you, humble and riding on a donkey!”

Behold, the King of Sion rides a donkey and enters the city amid the songs of praise of little children and suckling babes. Everyone cries out:

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel.”

Waving olive branches, they praise the King of Israel. Today, the Church gathers her children from all peoples and nations; in the churches and convents they chant hymns of praise. In procession small and great alike go forth, singing in every language.

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord,”

Christ the King.

From the Prayer of the Faithful Morning Prayer for Hosanna Sunday.

Make us worthy, O Lord, to stand before You with pure hearts and to believe in Your birth from a virgin as Joseph, Your chosen one, believed after You revealed Your mystery to him. As You appointed the angel in the garden of Eden to guard the tree of life, so have You chosen Joseph and appointed him guardian of Your virgin mother in whom You dwelt. Grant us, O Lord, to taste the cherished fruit of Your tree, so that we may glorify You, Your Holy Father and Your blessed Spirit, now and forever.

By the road, as Christ walked along, sat a man who could not see.
Bartimaeus began to shout: ”Son of David, pity me! I believe you are the Lord, who can give light to my eyes.
Since you let me hear your voice, let me also see your face. Give me light that I may see.”

Jesus Christ our Lord, you carry the sins of the world and you forgave the sins of the paralytic. You cured him and had him carry his mat in front of the crowd. Make us worthy to meditate on your amazing miracles, and strengthen us with the power of your forgiveness. May we share in the grace of your redemption, to glorify and thank you, your Father, and your living Holy Spirit, now and for ever.

The governor of Sebaste in Armenia wished to force forty soldiers to renouce Christ. First he imprisoned them and then he threw them into a frozen pond. They prayed with one heart.

"We forty have entered the arena, O Lord, grant that we may be able to receive the crown,”

One of them escaped and renounced Christ, but their guard, a pagan, took his place. In the morning the guards broke their legs and burned their bodies. They received the crown of martyrdom around the year 322. May their prayers be with us. Amen.

Holy One, through you, sinners are sanctified and the penitent seek you who desire our salvation and well being.
Do not look on the weakness of our humanity and the insignificance of our deeds. but treat us according to your mercy, for we take refuge in you.
orgive our offenses, for who besides you can pardon?
Full of joy, we shall give you glory, now and for ever.

Jesus Christ our Lord, true High Priest, you called our father, Saint John Maron to the order of holy priesthood, ordained him a bishop, and then chose him as the first Patriarch of Antioch for our Maronite Church. Now make us worthy to remember him and to celebrate his glorious feast with prayers and hymns. With him we raise glory and thanks to you, to your Father, and to your Holy Spirit, now and for ever.

Jesus Christ, O Physician, Lover of all people, we thank you for your compassion, for you have bandaged the wounds of our suffering humanity. Heal the sick and console the sorrowful. Accept our prayers as you accepted the plea of the hemorrhaging woman. Bless our comminity that prays to you. We believe that you are our Savior and Redeemer, and we await the day of your glorious resurrection..

In a pleading voice, the leper said to the Savior of mankind:

“If you desire, Lord, you can make me clean.”

With mercy and kindness our Savior extended his hand and touched him:

“I desire it; be cleansed and be a witness to the truth.”

Lord, you appointed Saint Maron as father and shepherd of a portion of your people. You supported him with your strength and righteousness, gave him victory over your enemies and guided him in your truth. Grant us who celebrate his memory today a constant faith, and we will glorify and praise you, now and for ever.
Amen.

Lord, listen to our voices, hear the prayers we raise and open wide your gates above, we ask of you.
Grant rest to our departed ones who died in hope, our parents, loved ones, and the teachers of true faith.

O God, gladden our hearts with the memory of the just ones who left this passing life after serving you well. and who have entered the eternal dwelling of joy.

May we join them in praising you, for ever.

Blessed are you O priests who left this passing world trusting in God’s mercy. May the body of Christ that you bore, the baptism with which you were clothed and the mysteries that you administrated enable you to escape eternal torments, inherit life and enter in to the kingdom.

Glory to you, Son of God, you have made us rejoice in your manifestation as man, you have filled us with admiration by your wonders, words and deeds. Through your incarnation, you have elevated our nature, and sanctified it by your baptism. You received the witness of the Father:

”This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.”

Today, in faith, the Church proclaims:

”Lord, the nations praise your name. You came as the Light who enlightens all the world and brought back the people who were lost in sin. You revealed the Trinity.”

Blessed are you, Jesus Christ our Lord and God, you chose to go up to the temple with Mary and Joseph to fulfill the law of the Passover, which you had previously established and placed in the hands of your prophets.