A Maronite parable for the young and the young at heart

Bishop Gregory John Mansour

There was once a man who spent his entire life working on one masterpiece. He wanted to place in it everything that was important. He found it hard to express in reality what was in his heart, and to incorporate everything into one work, but he persevered. He was sure of himself, yet he heard the all too familiar comments: “stop shooting for the stars”, “stop dreaming”, “be practical”. These remarks caused him some pain and uncertainty, and at times his work suffered. Nonetheless, he persevered.

The city where he lived was satisfied with “average” art and criticized innovation. After a while, he realized that for the sake of his art he had to leave the city. He set out, not quite sure where he would go, yet knowing in his heart that his “masterpiece” could still become a reality. He settled in a barren place, on a river’s edge, and there continued his work, spending hours, day and night, hammering out every detail, always careful, always faithful.

At first those who looked at him thought he was strange. He was questioned and criticized. But later these same people came to know and love him, and to see beauty and wisdom in his work. Toward the end of his life, many people had acquired a great love for him. They were not only interested, but actively involved in helping him create a larger and more beautiful masterpiece, more than he had ever imagined. However, the Lord, the Divine Artist, called him to the next life, and entrusted his unfinished work into the hands of his friends.

For the specifics of the parable we go to the city of Antioch, in ancient Syria, between the years 350 and 410, to the “artist”, Saint Maron, and to his unfinished “masterpiece”, the Maronite Church. Little did Saint Maron know or imagine that his profound love for Jesus, his “masterpiece”, would ever become an actual way of life for so many, in fact, for each of us today who bear the name Maronite.

He left Antioch, a city where Christianity was becoming a popular religion, perhaps taken for granted by some. He went to the shores of the Orontes River to dwell alone with God. People, however, kept coming to him. He was a priest and he found himself in the service of so many, counseling, offering the Church’s remedies and healing. He was known as an “open air hermit”. This form of asceticism was unique to him, it meant that he remained completely open and available to God, and open and available to others. By the time of his death, 800 monks gathered in his name to form the Monastery of Saint Maron. They became known as Maronites, and after a while, their Monastery became the center of life and a powerhouse of missionary activities for the surrounding areas.

Many sought Saint Maron and his followers for healing and prayer, and they called themselves “Beit Maroun” or House of Maron. Today Maronites continue to embrace a life of prayer, simple living, and hospitality. Typical of true monks and nuns, the followers of Saint Maron sought perfection in the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity, and obedience, like their Master, Jesus Christ. They not only handed on, but enhanced the “masterpiece” of Saint Maron, calling on ascetics, wise counselors, elders and youth to add their own unique contribution, their piece, to this yet unfinished mosaic.

And so, a new way of life was forged. The followers of Saint Maron had no idea that their way of life would have such an impact. Maronites were to make their presence a positive one wherever they lived. They stood against what was shallow and artificial. They left the busyness of a self-seeking world in order to start a new way, not to escape from the world, but rather to be a bold defiance, as if to say, “Come to see how Christianity can truly be lived”. They attempted to be the “salt of the earth and light of the world”, as Jesus said his followers should be. They sold what they had to follow Christ.

Maronites left homes, churches and monasteries in Syria to seek protection in the mountains and valleys of Lebanon. They sought God in the land of the cedars and in the eyes of their neighbor. They became good at finding God in daily life, concerned with the lives of others, the world of creation, and the profound truth of the Gospel. They developed liturgy, art, hymns and a way of life imbued with gospel truth.

Maronite Liturgy is a unique blend of West and East Syriac Liturgical Tradition. To the monks, prayer, which places God on a pedestal and speaks flowery about his greatness, yet does not engage one in a change of heart, is not prayer at all, but empty chatter. In the Syriac tradition, God is the God of silence, beyond comprehension, yet he is very near to us in Christ Jesus. In the Maronite Eucharistic Anaphora we pray: “You have united, O Lord, your divinity with our humanity, and our humanity with your divinity”. God so loved us that He became man so that we could live in Him; God is not only “Almighty Creator”, but also “Lover of Mankind”.

Maronite prayer is poetic, because poetry and paradox stretch words to say what is deep in the heart. The ascetical and mystical lifestyle of the monks and nuns taught that love of God and love of neighbor is essential, and prayer helps express deep feelings in a profound way, and to use one’s God given talents.

Maronite art is likewise true to this way of life. The eastern art of mosaics, wall paintings, and colorfully illustrated Gospel and Liturgical books, uses the two-dimensional art which leaves something to Mystery, since one cannot see the other side of a flat surface. Thus, the Mystery of God is not a reality to be solved, but rather a Mystery that acknowledge with awe and wonder that God is hidden, yet very near to us.

Compared to the Eastern art of the Byzantine tradition, which depicts the saints by showing their elongated bodies to be almost heavenly, Maronite art remained realistic and common place. Scenes were painted with full color, faces remained natural, and the saints looked as if they were common people.

Maronite hymns make this even more clear. The Latin Tradition has gentle and solemn Gregorian chant; the Byzantine Tradition has majestic polyphonic hymns. The Maronite Tradition used the music of the people, an agricultural music, sometimes festive, sometimes solemn, always earthly, touching one’s sensibility and intellect. Saint Ephrem, Doctor of the Church, helped the Syriac speaking world to create music for the Divine Liturgy from common everyday experiences, and by comparing Old Testament figures of Christ. In this way our liturgy was a Christian version of the Synagogue tradition of the first centuries of Christianity.

Since it was the work of the monks to discern what was good for prayer and pastoral practice, prayer must be based on ancient tradition: honest, simple, and able to open the heart and mind to God. By the 7th and 8th centuries, after Maronites fled Syria to seek the protective mountains and valleys of Lebanon, they continued their simple ascetical and prayerful way of life. In Lebanon, they even helped create a modern state, now 100 years old. Today Maronites are living proof to an even greater migration from Lebanon through the centuries to the four corners of the earth.

Maronites are poetic, prayerful, engaged in society, down to earth, lovers of Scripture and nature, and good pilgrims and pioneers. Maronites are part of a tradition that dates back to the fifth century, a team of artists, specializing in the art of living. Today we now add our own contribution to the “Maron Mosaic”, not just for our sakes, but to honor the “blood, sweat and tears” of those who went before us, and for the good of those who will come after us.

Young people, and young at heart, there is no time in history more important than now! Without your help, Maron’s “masterpiece” could easily be set aside. The Maronite Church, one of 23 Eastern Catholic Churches, is the only one never divided, never separated from Rome, and the only Church named after someone, Saint Maron!

We now embrace almost every nation of the world: we are Canadians, Mexicans, Australians, Lebanese, Brazilians, Syrians, Cyprians, Americans, French, South Americans, and more. Saint Maron, who now abides in the eternal presence of God the Father in heaven must be amazed. Little did he suspect that God would call him to establish an international way of being a follower of Christ.

I believe that Saint Maron would address you, the young and the young at heart, this way:

“Beloved brother and sister, thank you for your interest in my way of life. I merely tried to live out my love for Jesus and my dream of what life could be like with him as Savior and Lord. Today I celebrate your presence. You are the apple of my eye and the song of my heart. Do not forget that I was once young like you. I know you dream big dreams, yet I also know you have the energy to accomplish them.

Today the “masterpiece” over which my friends and I labored is not yet complete. We are now international, and our needs have multiplied. We need priests, consecrated men and women, faithful married couples, and generous single people. Our world today has great need of you. Likewise, our beloved Lebanon is in great need. We have worked so hard over the years to make her a refuge and a beacon of light for all. Likewise, our Christian presence in the Middle East is threatened every day. Our challenge is thus greater than ever before. I need your help!

You are young, you see the mistakes of the past and are willing to improve on what came before you. You are called the “future” of the Church, yet you cannot be the future unless you are the present. You are the new team of artists in this yet unfinished “masterpiece”. For the good of your Church, be involved! Commit yourself for the next generation. I trust you, and adults need you! Dream your dream and give your lives generously to the Maronite Church.

You are my hope. Open the eyes of your hearts and let Jesus be Savior and Lord in your lives. In his holy name, I his humble artist, bless and love you. – Saint Maron