Maronite Liturgy – Service of the Word
From Maronite History
Contents |
Introduction
The Maronite Liturgy with a special focus on the power and dignity of the Word of God, Jesus the foundation of our faith and source of our spiritual nourishment. It is worthy to note that our Liturgy partly derives its origins from the Judaic tradition of St James, the Apostle, “brother of the Lord”, and first bishop of Jerusalem, and expresses the spirit of Eastern monasticism. Also, within our celebration of the Divine Liturgy (or the Mass as it is called in the West) there are two distinct but intimately connected services – the Service of the Word and the Service of the Holy Mysteries.
The Word: foundational source of our spiritual nourishment & first focal point of our Liturgy
All the prayers and hymns at the beginning of the Liturgy from the Doxology (“Glory be to the Father…”) until the Creed, form the Service of the Word (“the Service”) and take place from the Bema, a raised platform from which scripture readings are proclaimed. In the Service we begin by glorifying God the Trinity, join our prayers with the angels who announced to the world the Good News of the birth of the Messiah, Jesus the Prince of Peace (“Glory to God in the highest”), implore the Lord for forgiveness by offering incense, and recalling the great mystery of God in the Hoosoyo prayers. We also sing hymns of praise that serve to focus our thoughts and prayers on the specific liturgical season and feast (the Qolo and Mazmooro). The Trisagion (“Qadishat alaho” or the thrice holy hymn of praise) is chanted which is an ancient eastern hymn to God the Trinity. In our Maronite tradition the response to the Trisagion “Have mercy on us” alters according to the liturgical season, for example during the Easter season, the response is “O Christ risen from the dead, have mercy on us!” The first reading then follows which is taken solely from St Paul’s Epistles. At the recent Maronite Patriarchical Synod which took place in Lebanon, it was canvassed by our Church fathers that there maybe added in the future a second reading, to be taken from the Old Testament and other parts of the New Testament, in order to reflect more deeply the richness and power of the Word of God as expressed in Sacred Scripture and also in our lives.
It is interesting to note that our Sacred and Apostolic Maronite heritage, as celebrated in the liturgical life of our Church, is in a process of liturgical renewal. That means a number of changes will take place, and in fact have already taken place, in terms of how we celebrate the Sacred Mysteries together. For example, you would have noticed that the Letter of St Paul is read from the lectern on the left side of the altar, and the Gospel is read from the lectern at the right side of the altar.The return to the separate lectern for the reading of St Paul’s Epistle means a return to our sacred Maronite heritage, a Syriac, Antiochene, and essentially austere and monastic tradition, in the spirit of our patron, St Maroun, which is characterized by a profound reverence for the Word of God and a recognition of its power and foundational source of our spiritual nourishment. For it is at the Table of the Word that we hear, and are admonished by, the words of the greatest apostle of the early Church, St Paul, to continue to live faithfully anew in Christ. We also hear and are nourished by the proclamation of the Gospel, which occurs after the reading of St Paul and is reverenced by the singing of the Alleluia, Gospel procession with candle bearers and incense. After the Gospel is proclaimed we are blessed by the Gospel, for Christ offers us his blessing each time we hear his word and faithfully respond to it. The principal celebrant then kisses the Gospel, as a sign of respect and further honor to the living Word of God. The priest’s homily proclaims to us that God’s word is alive and active in the life of our Risen Lord, and powerfully relevant and operating through the indwelling of the Holy Life-Giving Spirit, in our lives today as Maronite Catholics.
Conclusion
Next time we go to Church to celebrate the Divine Liturgy, let us be attentive, as our Liturgy says, to the Word of God being proclaimed to us. Let us also remember that the Word of God is the foundation of our faith, the first focal point of our Liturgy and source of our power and spiritual nourishment. That Word is alive and active now in our Church, for as St Augustine rightly says, Christ “sits in heaven but does not cease to speak to us on earth,” through the Gospel. Each time we gather as the Church therefore, Christ the Word made flesh continues to nourish, save and strengthen us along our journey towards our Eternal and Hidden Father.
Sources
Marounia,edition 2. esp. Prt II Salim, Anthony J., Captivated by your Teachings (A resource book for adult Maronite Catholics).
