The Vine الكرمة

1. The Vine الكرمة Sunday of the Consecration of the Church The Consecration of the Church OUR LADY OF PEACE - CALGARY OUR LADY OF GOOD HELP - EDMONTON NOVEMBER 2008 Day 2: Faithful departed & Aknidios & his companions, martyrs. Day 3: Eksima the bishop, Joseph the priest & Itala the deacon, martyrs & St. Bsimas the Hermit, Day 4: Vitaly & Agricolas, martyrs & Borphorios, martyr, Day 5: St. Assia the miraculous. Day 6: Paul the Archbishop of Constantinople, Day 7: Yaroon (it could be Aaron?) & his companions, martyrs & Saint Leonardos (Our Lady of Peace – Calgary Mass at 6:00pm – Our Lady of Good Help Edmonton -Mass at 11:00am (English) 12:00pm (Arabic) Rev. Fr. Esper Antoun – Pastor Deacon Michel Kassas – Assistant 504, 30th Ave. N.W 9809-76th Ave. N.W Calgary, AB T2M 2N6 Edmonton, AB T2E 1K6 Tel: (403) 289-8954 Tel: (780) 433-8571

2. Sunday of the Consecration of the Church. A Reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Hebrews: (Hebrews 9: 1 – 12) Bless me Father. Brothers and Sisters, Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lampstand, the table and the consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place. Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered Ark of the Covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron's staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now.  When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still standing. This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper. They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings—external regulations applying until the time of the new order. When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. Praise be to God always. Our Lady of Good Help – Edmonton Our Lady of Peace – Calgary www.mcparish.orgwww.mcparishcalgary.org

3. Sunday of the Consecration of the Church • A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, • (Matthew 16: 13 – 20) • When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" • They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets."  "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" • Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." • Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." • Then he warned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ. • This is the Truth, Peace be with you. • INTENTIONS PRAYER • Lord, we ask you to send your Spirit to the hearts of those whom you appointed to serve your flock, especially our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI (Sixteenth), Mar Nasrallah Boutros our Patriarch of Antioch, mar Joseph our Bishop, so they are renewed in hope, faith and love. We pray to the Lord. • 1- With the Holy Father’s prayer and that of the Church in the world, we implore you Father to put an end to all the terror and wars in the world. We pray to the Lord. • 2- Create pure hearts in the midst of your faithful community, so our parish will be renewed through your Spirit. May we all become one parish that follows one shepherd. We pray to the Lord. • 3- Lord, give us the spirit of obedience to live according to the decisions of the Maronite Synod, to renew our Church. We pray to the Lord. • Lord, have mercy on the faithfully departed who have gone before us to the New Jerusalem, especially (…). Accept our offerings on their behalf and give them eternal rest in your kingdom. Forgive their sins and ours. We pray to the Lord.

4. Sunday of the Consecration of the Church SAINT ASSIA This righteous man was from Nicomedia City, a child of a noble pagan man. His Christian mother had died while the boy was still little. Panteleon studied medicine and exceeded in it. He then got to know Armolaoos, a holy priest, who told him that his mother was a Christian and that he is a pagan after his father. Armolaoos taught Asia about the Christian faith, showing him how the followers of Christ become physicians of souls, guiding them to know the truth, something that the physical physicians cannot do. This deeply touched Panteleon’s heart, who got baptized and got his father to belief in Christ as well, as he healed a blind man in his presence. His father then destroyed his idols, and died, leaving behind everything he owned to his son. Our saint though, set his slaves free, and sold all his properties and distributed its money to the poor. He treated the poor people for free, and converted sinners to Christ through his prayers, consequently, people came to him in crowds; which made other physicians envy him, and they accused him before king Maximilian; who sent after him to come to Nicomedia, and there as Panteleon stood firm in his faith in Christ, the king ordered him to be hanged and burned with torches. Jesus appeared to him, and put down the fire, encouraging him. The king then asked him: “in what power you perform miracles?” and the saint answered: “in the power of Jesus Christ the true God.Finally the king ordered his beheading, and thus saint Panteleon (Assia) received the crown of glorious martyrdom in the year 303. May his prayers be with us. Amen. The Liturgical Year During the year, the different seasons celebrate the moments of the saving plan of Christ, following every aspect of His life and ministry. The Liturgical Year begins the first Sunday of November with a consecration and rededication of the Church. The Seasons are: Glorious Birth Epiphany Lent Holy Week Resurrection Pentecost Holy Cross Special rituals accompany each of the feasts. The faithful are invited during each liturgical celebration to conform their lives to that of Christ and His Church.