Page
One
The Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross
Expresses and Celebrates Christ’s Historic and
Eschatological Victory
The
Cross and I: Who Carries Whom?
Bishop Sarhad Yawsip Jammo
It is a matter of historic fact
that Lord Jesus, though he was helped by Simon the Cyrenian (Luke
23: 26), carried the cross himself to Golgotha (John 19: 17). It is
a matter of fact as well, that Jesus was nailed to that wooden
cross, being therefore carried by it, for several hours until his
death. In both cases, the Lamb of God took our sins upon himself and
fulfilled our redemption by his obedience and passion.
Nevertheless, the necessity for each one of us to carry our own
cross remains paramount for the fruition of our personal salvation.
The Lord said indeed: “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must
deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever
wishes to save his life will loose it, but whoever loses his life
for my sake will save it.” (Luke 9:23-24). The dynamics between the
two crosses (the Lord’s and mine), and between the one who is the
carrier and the one who is carried, express the actors and factors
of the drama of human salvation, as applied to each one of us.
As I Carry My Cross
Being born in this world, each one must confront evil and endure
pain. Physically, our world is an imperfect world; each one will
have to deal with his own body’s handicaps and with the surrounding
imperfections. Morally, human society is a field wherein weeds are
sown and spread throughout the wheat (Mat. 13:25). Sin surely exists
in our world; that is a fact. Suffering exists; that is too a fact.
The question is: is there a cause-effect relationship between the
two, or is our pain, therefore our cross, nothing but a futile
fatality, a blind force, in the course of our life; otherwise, pain
and cross are basic and structural ingredients in the constitution
of our historic human condition. In the Christian theological
analysis, this status of affairs is understood to be the result of
Original Sin, necessitating the intervention of a divine Redeemer,
to whom the faithful must respond in acceptance and participation.
This is how it may be explained:
As the Lord Carried Me on His Cross
By reason and faith, we perceive the universe coming to existence by
an omnipotent divine force, being so wonderfully organized by it;
similarly we perceive human history, which is still developing, as
being foreseen and dealt with by Divine Providence. If disobedience
and rebellion entered our world by the acts of our first parents and
their descendents, so much more the obedience and submission of Lord
Jesus to his Father redeemed the human race from curse and
perdition. The cross is the climax of vicarious ransom, and the most
expressive and efficient act of that redemption culminated in the
Resurrection of the Lord. Indeed, you and I were there on the cross,
in his heart cavity, that which when pierced gave to our doomed
planet earth fresh water and new blood, so that we became a newly
blessed human race.
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Jesus in Disguise
By: Sr. Tarbytha Mariam
When I was sixteen years old, I met Jesus, and I
completely disregarded him. I had spent a very long
day at work and after my twelve hour shift, all I
wanted was to get home and get some sleep. The only
perk about that day was that I got paid and I left
the store in a more optimistic mood than usual. When
I got near home, I noticed that my tank was on empty
and that I needed to fill up, so I pulled into the
nearest gas station. As I was waiting by my car, a
beat up Toyota truck with gardening equipment and a
lawn mower drove in and stopped at the pump right
next to mine. I found this rather strange because
every other pump besides mine was empty, and yet
this random person decided to pull up right next to
me. I automatically became suspicious and when the
Mexican stepped out of the car, I knew where things
were headed. This was one of those poor Mexicans who
made a living mowing other people’s lawns and could
barely speak English. He probably sent most of the
money he made back to Mexico and only kept enough to
eat. On this particular day, it appeared he hadn’t
done so well.
He came up to me, smiling, and I smiled back, but
tried to ignore him. In his broken English, he asked
me if I had any spare change, he needed to put gas
in his car and he didn’t have any money to do it, he
was wondering if I could help him out. Politely, I
touched my pockets that were full of cash and yes,
even some change and shook my head, “No,” I said,
“I’m sorry, I don’t have any money.” Disappointed,
he said thank you, got back into his truck and drove
away. If there was ever a day where I was tempted to
run after a car, it was that day. I knew,
immediately, that I had done something so wrong. I
kept asking myself, “Why did I say no? Why didn’t I
give him some of my money, at least a dollar or
something? What if his car stops and there’s no one
to help him? What if I was his last resort?” I could
have shared some of the money I made that day at the
store, in fact, I could have given him everything in
my pockets because I didn’t really need it anyway;
it’s not like I had bills to pay or anything. I also
didn’t have the luxury of telling myself that he
would buy booze with it because I would have watched
him put the gas in his car. That day, whatever my
reasoning was, I let Christ ask me for help, and I
refused to help him. I let him pass me by.
I often think back to that day, and every time I do,
a sweeping feeling of guilt overwhelms me. I
promised myself that day, that I would never let
Christ pass me by again. There is nothing I can do
to get that day back; there is no rewind button I
can press to replay those moments and change my
actions. The only thing I can do is take advantage
of every situation I have to help another human
being, because as Mother Teresa says it so
perfectly: each one of them is Jesus in disguise. I
had allowed myself to be fooled by his disguise, I
didn’t see Jesus in that nameless Mexican because I
had trained myself to see someone less important,
and that is the true tragedy of what the world can
do to us if we let it. The choice is in our hands,
we can choose to see a nameless face in people
asking for our help because it’s easier for us to
say no, or we can choose to see Christ in every
person we come in contact with and do everything in
our power to help them. The only difference is,
we’ll never regret doing the latter, no matter how
much it costs us.
I joined the Chaldean Catholic Seminary of Mar Abba the Great about
a month ago. I moved here from Sacramento and it has been a great
experience. I thought that it would be hard moving from so far away
from home, but I have been welcomed by the guys very much. I was
very close to joining the Jesuit Seminary because I went to a Jesuit
high school and have been very involved with them for some time. I
thank God every day that I talked to Bishop Sarhad and Fr. Andrew,
and that I joined the Chaldean Seminary.
I could not ask for anything better. I am so happy that I made the
decision to move here and to pursue my calling to the priesthood. I
have been thinking about the priesthood since the eighth grade. From
that time, I always have known that I would join a seminary.
The first month has been great, and I am looking forward to the rest
of my time here. Our schedule consists of waking up at 8:30 am and
saying Morning Prayer, which is followed by mass. We also do Evening
Prayer and Night Prayer, daily, as a community along with an hour of
adoration every Thursday. We also take our time to pray in the
chapel before the Eucharist daily, because we need our strength to
continue with our discernment, and the Eucharist is our main source
of strength. We have Aramaic Language class with Fr. Andrew two days
a week, along with Theology with Mar Bawai once a week. We are also
starting a new program with John Paul the Great Catholic University.
All the first year seminarians will be taking classes there,
concurrently with the two classes at the seminary.
I know it’s going to be a lot of work, but we are ready for the
challenge. I know we will help each other with everything, and we
will work together in pursuing our mission to become priests. They
have become my brothers, and we have a strong bond now that will
help us discern our calling from God.
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"خطيئة الأنتقاص وتشويه السمعة"
الشماس كامل سالم
إن
الخطيئة المَقيتة بسبب تشويه سمعة الآخرين منتشرة الى
درجة في عصرنا الحاضر بحيث يندر مجتمع أو عائلة او فرد
برئ منها. هناك اشخاص فاسدون منحرفون الى درجة انهم لا
يتحملون سماع شيئ جيد عن شخص آخر ولكنهم دائماً على
استعداد ومتحمسون لسماع أي كلام عن اخطاء الآخرين
والمشاركة في تمزيق شخصيتهم إرباً إرباً.
لكي تُنمي في قلبك كرهاً لهذه الرذيلة البغيضة والخطرة
تأمل في الشرور الثلاثة المرتبطة بها:
الشر الأول:
إن هذه الرذيلة تدفع صاحبها للسير على حافة الخطيئة
المميتة حتى وأن لم تكن كذلك في الواقع. فمن النقد
واللوم اللذين يبدآن بهما عادة الناس بسهولة ينجرفون
الى تشويه السمعة والإفتراء . إن ذنب تشويه السمعة
يرتكب عندما نتكلم عن العيوب والأخطاء الحقيقية
للآخرين.
أما ذنب الأفتراء فنرتكبه عندما تكون العيوب التي
نكشفها غير حقيقية ومن إختراع أكاذيبنا الخبيثة.
لكون الخطأ الذي أفشي به هو حقيقة، هذا لا يُنقذ أبداً
من أفشى به من ذنب الخطيئة المميتة. إن الوقوع في هكذا
جريمة سهل لأن اللسان عندما يبدأ بالكلام وتتملكه
الرغبة في تزيين قصته يصعب السيطرة عليه كصعوبة ايقاف
حصان هائج أو إطفاء نار تغذيها رياح شديدة. إن الخوف
من هذا الشر هو الذي دفع كاتب سفر الحكمة الى القول :
(سفر الحكمة 33-22) "من يجعل حارساً لفمي وخاتماً
وثيقاً على شفتي لئلا أسقط بسببهما ويهلكني لساني".
الشر الثاني:
ثلاثي الأبعاد لما يسببه من الأذى للذي يتكلم وللذي
يسمع موافقاً وللشخص الضحية الذي يهاجم غيابياًً.
إن مروّج الإشاعات والمنافق ملعون. فقد قيل لنا في
الكتاب المقدس (سفر الحكمة 15-28) "النمام وذو
اللسانين أهل اللعنة لأهلاكهما كثيرين من أهل
المسالمة"، وفي ( سفر الحكمة 21-28) "ضربة السوط تبقي
حبطاً وضربة اللسان تحطم العظام"
الشر الثالث:
لهذا الأثم هو الرعب الذي يحدثه فينا والعار الذي
يجلبه علينا.
إن الرجال يهربون من المفتري كهروبهم الطبيعي من
الأفعى السامة، قيل في (سفر الحكمة 9:25)" الفتيق
اللسان يخاف منه في مدينته والهاذر في كلامه يمقت".
ألا تكفي هذه الشرور لتجعلك تكره هكذا رذيلة مؤذية
جداً ولا تفيد بشيء؟ لماذا تجعل نفسك بغيضاً أمام
اللـه والناس بخطيئة لا تستطيع أن تجني منها فائدة؟
تذكر أنه بسهولة ممكن أن تتحول هذه الرذيلة الى عادة،
فكلما تكلمنا مع الآخرين نعرض أنفسنا لخطر الأنحدار
والسقوط في نفس الخطأ. لهذا إعتبر سمعة جارك شجرة
محرمة لا يمكن لمسها ولا تكن أبطأ في مدح نفسك من لوم
الآخرين لأن مدح نفسك هو زهو وغرور، أما لوم الآخرين
فهو دليل لفقدان المحبة. تكلم عن فضائل جارك فقط وألزم
الصمت عن أخطائه وبهذا تتفادى كثيراً من الذنوب وتأنيب
الضمير وستكون مرضياً للـه والناس وتكون محترماً من
قبل الآخرين لأنك إحترمت الآخرين.
لا يكفي أن نمتنع عن تشويه سمعة الآخرين فقط ولكن يجب
أن نتجنب سماعها.
حاول بحكمة تغيير موضوع النقاش مع المنتقص وأجعله يدرك
أن هذا الحديث غير مرغوب فيه، إحترس من الإستماع الى
المنتقص بإنتباه وابتسامة لأنك بهذا تشجعه وهكذا تشارك
بخطيئته.
كما تتجنب تدنيس المقدسات، تجنب كل كلام تشهيري أو
فاضح عن الأشخاص الذين كرسوا أنفسهم وحياتهم للـه. فإن
ظننت أن بعضاً من تصرفاتهم تثير علامة استفهام، لكن مع
هذا داوم على احترام درجة رسامتهم الكهنوتية لأنه عنهم
قال مخلصنا في (نبؤة زكريا 2:8 ) "إن من يمسكم يمس
حدقة عيني". وفي سفر الأحبار (16-19) حذرنا اللـه ضد
النميمة فقال: "لا تسعَ بالنميمة بين شعبك ولا تقف ضد
دم صاحبك أنا الرب".
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ܐܘܪܚܐ ܕܬܝܒܘܬܐ
ܒܝܲܕ ܟܘܼܪܐܲܦܸܣܩܘܿܦܵܐ؛ ܦ̮ܝܼܠܝܼܟܣ ܒܲܪ ܫܵܐܒܝܼ
ܟܩܵܪܲܟܼ
ܒܐܹܘܲܢܓܵܠܝܼܘܿܢ
ܩܲܕܝܼܫܵܐ
ܥܲܠ
ܡܵܪܲܢ
ܘܐܵܗܘܼ
ܒܐܘܼܪܚܵܐ
ܒܸܚܕܵܪܵܐ
ܒܲܝܢܲܬ
ܡܕܼܝܼܢ̈ܵܬܵܐ
ܘܡܲܬܘ̈ܵܬܵܐ
ܒܸܦܪܵܣܵܐ
ܬܲܢܲܝܬܵܐ
ܕܐܲܠܵܗܵܐ.
ܗܵܘ
ܡܸܕܸܡ
ܩܲܕܡܵܝܵܐ
ܕܡܵܪܲܢ
ܒܒܲܫܵܪܸܬܹܗ
ܕܡܘܼܠܸܦܠܹܗ
ܛܵܠܲܢ
ܐܝܼܬܗ̄ܘܵܐ؛
ܬܝܵܒܘܼܬܼܵܐ،
ܟܲܕ
ܐܵܡܲܪ
ܗ̄ܘܵܐ؛
ܬܝܼܒܼܘܼܢ
ܗܘܿܠܵܐ
ܩܪܸܒܵܠܐ
ܡܲܠܟܘܼܬܼܵܐ
ܕܐܲܠܵܗܵܐ.
ܗܵܕܝܘܿܡ
ܝܵܘܡܵܐ
ܐܲܚܢܲܢ
ܐܝܼܘܲܟ
ܬܲܠܡܝܼܕܹ̈ܐ
ܚܲܕ̈ܬܹܐ،
ܘܵܠܝܼܬܵܝܠܵܐ
ܥܸܠܲܢ
ܬܵܐ
ܕܦܲܠܚܲܟ
ܒܡܸܕܸܡ
ܕܡܵܪܲܢ
ܡܘܼܠܸܦܠܹܗ.
ܕܟܠ
ܒܲܪܐ̄ܢܵܫܵܐ
ܕܠܵܐ
ܦܵܠܲܚ
ܛܲܒܬܵܐ
ܒܚܲܝܝܹܗ
ܩܸܪܝܵܐ
ܐܝܼܠܹܗ
ܠܸܕܥܵܪܵܐ
ܠܗܲܘܢܹܝܗ
ܘܠܸܦܠܵܚܵܐ
ܬܲܢܲܝ̈ܵܬܼܵܐ
ܕܡܵܪܲܢ
ܒܚܲܝܝܹܗ.
ܒܲܕܲܡ
ܐܲܚܲܝ̈،
ܐܸܢ
ܐ̄ܢܵܫܵܐ
ܡܸܢܲܢ
ܠܵܐ
ܪܵܚܹܫ
ܒܚܲܝ̈ܝܹܐ
ܕܩܲܕܝܼܫܘܼܬܼܵܐ
ܘܫܵܡܲܥ
ܠܦܘܼܩܕܵܢܹ̈ܐ
ܐܲܠܵܗܵܝܹ̈ܐ،
ܘܵܠܝܼܬܼܵܐ
ܐܝܼܠܵܗ
ܥܸܠܹܗ
ܬܵܐ
ܕܕܵܥܸܪ
ܠܸܓܝܵܢܹܗ،
ܘܫܵܐܹܠ
ܥܘܿܢ
ܘܚܲܝܠܵܐ
ܡܸܢ
ܡܵܪܲܢ
ܬܵܐ
ܕܥܵܝܸܢ
ܠܹܗ
ܕܬܵܝܒܘܼ
ܘܕܵܥܸܪ
ܠܩܲܦܠܵܐ
ܕܒܵܒܵܐ
ܫܡܲܝܵܢܵܐ.
ܕܐܲܝܟܼ
ܒܸܕ
ܕܲܥܪܲܟܼ
ܠܒܲܝܬܵܐ
ܕܒܵܒܵܐ
ܘܡܵܢ
ܒܡܘܿܠܸܦܠܲܢ
ܐܘܼܪܚܵܐ؟
ܡܵܪܲܢ
ܝܑܼܫܘܿܥ
ܒܸܓܝܵܢܹܗ
ܐܸܡܲܪ؛
ܐܵܗܘܠܐ
ܐܘܼܪܚܵܐ.
ܘܐܵܗܘܼ
ܗܒܸܠܹܗ
ܬܵܐ
ܥܹܕܬܹܗ
ܩܲܕܝܼܫܬܵܐ
ܫܘܼܠܛܵܢܵܐ
ܠܫܒܘܼܩܵܢܵܐ
ܕܲܚܛܵܝ̈ܵܬܵܐ.
ܘܫܘܼܠܛܵܢܵܐ
ܗܵܢܵܐ
ܢܛܝܼܪܲܝܠܹܗ
ܒܐܝܼܕܵܐ
ܕܒܵܒܵܘ̈ܵܬܵܐ
ܕܥܹܕܬܵܐ؛
ܩܲܕܡܵܝܑܼܬ
ܐܲܦܸܣܩܘܿܦܹܐ
ܘܒܵܬܪܲܗܹܝܢ
ܟܵܗܢܹܐ.
ܥܹܕܬܵܐ
ܩܲܕܝܼܫܬܵܐ
ܟܩܵܪܝܵܐ
ܠܲܡܗܲܝܡܢܹ̈ܐ
ܕܩܵܪܒܝܼܢ
ܒܟܠ
ܙܲܒܢܵܐ
ܘܥܸܕܵܢܵܐ
ܠܟܘܼܪܣܝܵܐ
ܕܡܵܘܕܝܵܢܘܼܬܼܵܐ
ܘܕܲܬܝܵܒܘܼܬܼܵܐ
ܒܝܲܕ
ܬܝܵܒܘܼܬܼܵܐ
ܗܵܝ
ܟܡܵܩܸܪܒܵܠܲܢ
ܒܕܲܟܝܘܼܬܼܵܐ
ܡܸܢ
ܐܲܠܵܗܵܐ
New
Officers installed for Mar Toma Council
On Thursday night 08/13/09 The Knights of
Columbus Council at St. Peter Chaldean
Catholic Cathedral, Mar Toma Council 10981 installed
their new officers Conducting the installation was
the District Deputy of East County for the Knights
of Columbus Mr. Dan Plein and the District Warden
Mr. Skip Chilton. The installation ceremony was very
touching since it was based on the tradition of the
Knights of Columbus as
instituted by their founder Father Michael J.
McGiveney. The new officers have to line up in the
shape of a cross symbolizing a living cross.
Following are their names:
The Knights of Columbus is the world's
largest Catholic fraternal
service organization. Founded in the United States
in 1882, it is named in honor of Christopher
Columbus,
the Catholic founder of America.
There are more than 1.7 million members in 14,000
councils, with nearly 200 councils on college
campuses.
Membership is limited to "practicing Catholic" men
aged 18 or older. Pope John Paul II called the
Knights of
Columbus, the right hand of the church.
We are very proud to have a very active
council at St. Peter Chaldean Cathedral serving the
whole diocese of Chaldeans and Assyrians in the
western United States. Knights of Columbus members
are dedicated to the service of the church and do
whatever our priests ask them to do in full
obedience to the
Magisterium
of the Catholic Church. For more information visit
www.kofc.org
And our own website
www.martomacouncil.org
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