July 24th - Charbel Makhlouf

Sometimes in the noise and clutter we Romans forget our Eastern brothers and sisters. But we occasionally remind ourselves of our modern connection through such shared saints as Charbel. Charbel was a Maronite, a Lebanese Catholic rite and a Church that is aligned with Rome. But Charbel was not Roman. He adhered to Eastern monasticism and asceticism
We have a tradition of recording saints lives that at some times can seem fantastical. Early martyrologies speak of miracles and feats that can raise a person far beyond our own lives. In the West we have focused more on a practical, lived experience, social justice kind of lives of the saints, where miracles come after death to show the presence of the person in Heaven. In the East it is almost expected that the holy live miraculous lives, as Jesus predicted, and then they seem to live contented in Heaven.
Who is to say that one is better than the other? Either way, the Communion of Saints is a powerful teaching and lends itself to both.
So I must say, that the focus on the mundane practices of holy people has its appeal AND the focus on the power of God within the world as seen in the miracles practiced by holy people also has its appeal. Take a moment and think about that. Now we must ask ourselves, do I live Christ in the quiet moments? Do I live Christ as alive and powerful in this world?

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Father of Truth, behold Your Son a sacrifice pleasing to You, accept the offering of Him who died for me…

-- His prayer before the Tabernacle