Bishop Wester joins Maronites marking leader's feast day

Intermountain Catholic

+ Enlarge

Msgr. William ?Bill? Boncezwski and Bishop John C. Wester prepare to distribute Communion at the Mass in honor of St. Maron Feb. 8 at St. Jude Maronite Church in Murray. The Maronites receive Communion by intinction, when a piece of the consecrated bread is dipped in the consecrated wine. They receive Communion on the tongue. The Mass and the liturgical music were celebrated and sung in Syriac, Arabic, and English. IC photo by Barbara S. Lee

MURRAY — Known as the father of the Maronite Catholic Church, St. Maron was born in the middle of the fourth century in Syria. He was a monk who later became a hermit, retiring to the mountain of Taurus near Antioch.

St. Maron’s work, prayer, a mystical relationship with God, and miracle cures, flourished when he was able to construct a Christian temple in the mountains of Syria. This would be the foundation of Christianity in Syria and would help influence the surrounding area, including Lebanon.

After his death in 410 A.D., his spirit and teachings lived on in his devoted followers and disciples.

The Catholic Church, is comprised of 21 Eastern Churches (including the Maronite Church) and one Western Church, is a communion of churches with the Pope as the visible head, "gathered in the one spirit, breathing as though with two lungs – of the east and the west – and burning with the love of Christ in one heart – having two ventricles."

The Most Reverend John C. Wester, Bishop of the Diocese of Salt Lake City, joined the Maronite community in Murray Feb. 8 to celebrate the Feast of St. Maron. In a Mass celebrated in Syriac, Arabic, and English, Pastor Msgr. William "Bill" Bonczewski welcomed Bishop Wester at the front door of the church with prayer and incense.

Msgr. Bonczweski celebrated the Mass with the bishop sitting off to the side in the bishop’s chair, and sometimes concelebrating during specific times of the Mass.

The Maronite liturgy has much in common with the Roman rite, with its opening prayer, the Creed, and the acceptance of offerings. The Maronites also offer commemorations, as the Roman rite offers the Prayers of the Faithful and the Prayers of Consecration. Their liturgical music is sung in Syriac, Arabic, and English.

Communion is received by intinction, the dipping part of the consecrate bread into the consecrated wine, and Communion received on the tongue.

The Maronite Church is part of the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon.

There was much gift giving as the Maronite community welcomed Bishop Wester, including a colorful book on the Maronite Church and financial gifts offered for Bishop Wester’s work with the poor of the city.

In his homily Bishop Wester spoke of the importance of letting go; of giving everything over to God. He told the story of how monkeys are trapped. A board is set up with a whole in it just the size of a monkey’s hand. A fig or other fruit is placed on the opposite side of the board. When the monkey approaches, he puts his hand through the hole to get the fruit. Even as he becomes aware that he is being captured, the monkey will not let go of the fruit, holding it in a tight fist that is too large to pull back through the hole.

"It’s not easy to let go and surrender," the bishop said. "Jesus Christ did this. He surrendered his glory and became a teacher and preacher, giving the glory over to others.

"Jesus was tempted by the devil, and even by his followers, to be made a king, the bishop said, "but he gave that over too."

The bishop used the image of a seed, which, once planted, is no longer a seed.

"The image of the seed being lifted up represents the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus."

As disciples of Christ, he said, "it is hard to let go, but in letting go, we are coming to a new life.

"In this economic down-turn, people are being forced to let go of jobs, even of their homes. They are called not to cling to the material things, but to have the attitude of St. Maron, who, as a hermit, had to surrender and let go. God chooses the weak and makes them strong in this way."

Bishop Wester related the surrender to God to the surrender couples make when they marry.

"They surrender for the good of the marriage. They let go of their single lives so their marriage will be right. It deepens their love, their dreams, their aspirations, and their goals as they consider their future together."

Total surrender, he said, is asking God, as St. Maron asked God, "What does God want me to do? St. Maron learned through prayer that God wanted him to serve others."

In reality, the bishop said, time is the only thing that really belongs to us, the only thing we can give away, and you can’t get it back. It is a gift freely given.

"But if you take the word time in modern language, and substitute the word ‘life,’ it means something very different. Killing time becomes killing life."

We are called to decrease so God can increase, he said. "But we cannot do it alone. We can with God and good, faithful service."