fr. malek lenten lecture

2012 Lenten Lecture series-St. Mary 1 of 32

“From Doubt to Sainthood”A Lenten Journey

Fr. Malek RihaniSt. Mary Orthodox Church – Alsip, IL


Prayer before a gospel reading or bible study

Illumine our hearts, O Master who loves mankind, with the pure light of Your divine knowledge, and open the eyes of our mind to the understanding of Your Gospel teachings; implant in us also the fear of Your blessed commandments, that trampling down all carnal desires we may enter upon a spiritual manner of living both thinking and doing such things as are well-pleasing unto You; for You are the illumination of our souls and bodies, O Christ our God, and unto You we send up glory, together with Your Father who is from everlasting, and Your all-holy, good, and life-creating Spirit: now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.


“Sing to the LORD, you saints of his; praise his holy name.” Psalm 30:4

“When you sing, you pray twice.” St. Augustine


“From Doubt to Sainthood”A Lenten Journey


• The greatest of Saints have at one time doubted Christ and/or His mission.

• Many doubters have become great preachers and advocates of Christianity

• Even the most extreme doubters have some degree of faith.

• Doubters are in our life to help us, and in turn for us to help them.

Doubting is not only normal, but it’s the driving force behind our faith


• “To be human is to go in search.

• All human searching is in the end a search for God:

• …and God has placed in the human heart a desire to know the truth - in a word, to know himself –

• …so that, by knowing and loving God, men and women may come to know the truth of themselves“

Pope John Paul II, May 16, 1999

Doubting is what fuels our ‘Search Engines.’

Constantly searching for the Truth


• Since God created us in His own image and likeness (Genesis 1:27), we can find God, once we discover God’s likeness in us.

• “God became man, so man might become God”

St. Athanasios

Doubting is what fuels our ‘Search Engines.’ …Constantly searching for the Truth


How do you explain Christ’s Resurrection?

Christianity being a Divine Faith…

defies human logic!!!


How about Christ’s miracles???

Christianity cannot submit to human Logic


How about Holy Communion….Bread and Wine becoming Body and Blood of Christ

Christianity cannot submit to human Logic


• “Faith and Reason are like two wings upon which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth” Pope John Paul II

We need both Faith and Reason to understand God – and ourselves


“The intuitive mind is a sacred gift. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.”

Albert Einstein

"God does not play dice"

"Science without religion is lame; religion without science is blind."

The greatest of minds gave credit to God


"The most beautiful system of the sun, planets, and comets, could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent and powerful Being."

For Isaac Newton, God was essential to the nature and absoluteness of space

Isaac Newton (1642-1727)


“Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in.

Aim at earth and you get neither.”

The best advocates of Christianity are former Atheists.

C.S. Lewis 1898 - 1963

“I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.


If you’re still doubting… It’s Ok.Greatest Saints before you have

doubted

“…My Lord, and My God”Thomas the disciple (John 20:28)

Then Jesus saith unto him:

“Thomas, because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” John 20:29


• I call, I cling, I want ... and there is no One to answer ... I’m alone ...

• Where is my Faith ... even deep down… there is nothing, but emptiness & darkness

• I have no Faith!

Who do you think said the following:???


“My God, My God, Why have you

forsaken me?” Mark 15:34

Even in His final prayer, Jesus felt the loneliness and the abandonment.


• Jesus said. “Everything is possible for the one who believes.”

• Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed: “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” Mark 9:24

In the story of the boy possessed by the demon.

The father asked Jesus to heal his son who’s been possessed since birth.

What does our

Bible tell us???About believing


• Jesus said. “This kind can come out only by prayer and fasting” Mark 9:29

When the disciples asked Jesus why they could not remove the demons.


And Much More!And Much More!

Charity

Discipline

Sacrifice

Be merciful

Forgiveness

Celebrate others’ success –

Do not envy

Kindness

Our ability to be like God and to perform miracles, requires Prayer and Fasting…

Simplicity

Devotion

Quietness Compassion

Obedience Repentance

Loyalty


What the Saints tell us about Fasting

"Do you fast? Give me proof of it by your works.

If you see a poor man, take pity on him.

If you see a friend being honored, do not envy him.

Do not let only your mouth fast, but also the eye and the ear and the feet and the hands and all the members of our bodies.

St. John Chrysostom



•Let the hands fast, by being free of lust and greed.

•Let the feet fast, by ceasing to run after sin.

•Let the eyes fast, by disciplining them not to glare at that which is sinful

•Let the ear fast, by not listening to evil talk and gossip.

•Let the mouth fast from foul words and unjust criticism.

•For what good is it if we abstain from birds and fishes, but bite and devour our brothers and sisters?

St. John Chrysostom


• 'Read good and useful books, and abstain from reading those that only gratify curiosity.' St. Vincent de Paul

• 'To abstain from sinful actions is not sufficient for the fulfillment of God's law. The very desire of what is forbidden is evil.‘ St. John Baptiste de la Salle

• 'We ought to abstain from all extravagance and excess.’ St. Francis of Assisi



Because Heaven is made possible

only through the Cross

Even with Prayer, Fasting and Sacrificing, God will still allow misfortune and suffering

in our life.


Jesus would not ask us to do anything,

unless he’s done it himself

"And he said to all: If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me" -

Luke 9:23.


One thing Jesus did often…

…is to pray.

And to pray alone


“But Lord, a few minutes from now, I'm getting out of

bed...

From then on I'm going to need a lot MORE of

Your help.....

Dear Heavenly Father,

I think you'd be proud of me! So far today I've done all right.

I haven't gossiped, lusted, lost my temper, haven't been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish, or overindulgent.

Praise Your Name! I'm grateful for Your grace...

Let us Pray…


Viewing yourself in relation to othersViewing yourself in relation to others

Begin by understanding your own strengths and weaknesses

Ensure a purpose-driven life

You’re a Role Model to many. Act accordingly

Never measure your success by material possessions

Be loyal to those entrusted in your care

Love sacrificially. Forgive continuously.


We cannot travel the journey to Heaven alone!

We need God, His Church, and Each OtherTo help us and to hold us accountable


Before you leave, please remember to take with you…

A one-page summary entitled:

“How Can I Know?”By Fr. Thomas Hopko

Priest for nearly 50 years

Former Dean of St. Vladimir’s Theological Seminary

Our thanks to Fr. Fouad and the Parishioners of

St. John the Baptist Melkite Church


For Next Week: Thursday March 1st:

Date / TimeChurch / Presenter Topic / Language Location

Thursday,February 23rd

6:30 – 8:00 PM

Saint Mary –Fr. Malek Rihani708-239-0004

English“From Doubt to Sainthood: A Lenten Journey”.

Saint John200 East North Ave.Northlake, IL

Thursday,March 1st

6:30 – 8:00 PM

Our Lady of LebanonFr. Charles Khachan630-932-9640

English“Toward the cross, the empty tomb, and beyond.”

Saint John250 South Villa Ave.Villa Park, IL

Thursday,March 8th

6:30 – 8:00 PM

Saint John, NorthlakeFr. Fouad Sayegh708-562-7050

English and Arabic“Anger in the Holy Bible: How can we deal with it”

Saint Mary12147 S. Cicero Ave.Alsip, IL

Thursday,March 156:30 – 8:00 PM

Saint John, Villa ParkFr. Yacoub Youhanoun847-533-6003

Arabic"The Liturgical Year,

Celebrating Christ and Journeying towards God."

احتفال " الليترجية، السنةالله نحو ومسيرة "بالمسيح

Our Lady of Lebanon950 N. GraceLombard, IL

Please see your church’s bulletin for the latest update


Thank you for the privilege of speaking to you. شكرا

May the Almighty God bless you: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Amen.

In Christ’s love,

Fr. Malek

fr. malek lenten lecture

Spiritual

god thomas

loving god

albert einstein god

human logic

human searching

human spirit

divine faith

human heart