Dec 8, Feast of The Immaculate Conception
“Blessed are you, Virgin and Mother, sanctified from your conception".

"Just as Jesus is described as the New Adam, Mary is the New Eve. Ephrem wrote: “The two women were pure and simple, Mary and Eve. One of them, however, became the cause of our death and the other, the cause of our life. Eve, by hearing the word of the serpent conceived evil and brought death. Mary, by hearing the Word of God, conceived Jesus and brought life”.

More about the Immaculate Conception dogma HERE.

Year of Saint Joseph ends December 8, 2021

"Let us now make our prayer to him:
Hail, Guardian of the Redeemer,
Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
To you God entrusted his only Son;
in you Mary placed her trust;
with you Christ became man.
Blessed Joseph, to us too,
show yourself a father
and guide us in the path of life.
Obtain for us grace, mercy and courage,
and defend us from every evil. Amen." 

Apostolic Letter “Patris corde” (“With a Father’s Heart”), Pope Francis.
The Holy Father has proclaimed a “Year of Saint Joseph” from, 8 December 2020, to 8 December 2021.

​Lord, you gave joy to the mountains of Judea with this marvelous newborn child. Give joy to us also in memory of his birth that we may hear your voice, announce your appearance among us, and fulfill your will. Maronite Liturgy

"Always discern between the opportunity and the temptation." From the Experiences of Raymond Nader with Saint Sharbel.

Read more from this Experience.
Read the story of Raymond Nader’s Experience with Saint Sharbel.

May you who have made us from nothing bless us, so that our hearts may praise you and sing your hymns. Maronite Liturgy

The first and essential weapon against the Satan is truthfulness... The next essential weapon is humility. From the Fourteenth Experience of Raymond Nader with Saint Sharbel.

Read more from the Fourteenth Experience.
Read the story of Raymond Nader’s Experience with Saint Sharbel.

Lord, grant us a rising for the accomplishment of your will, a morning that is a messenger of joy, and a day that find us zealous in good works. Maronite Liturgy

Love is not attachment, because love is freedom and attachment is bondage. God is freedom.
From the Thirteenth Experience of Raymond Nader with Saint Sharbel.

Read more from the Thirteenth Experience.
Read the story of Raymond Nader’s Experience with Saint Sharbel.

O Word of God, through your incarnation in the Virgin you have shown us a marvel: while still in the Virgin’s womb, you visited your Forerunner and filled him with your glory. Maronite Liturgy

Image by Fr Lawrence Lew, O.P. on Flickr

​Let Him smooth and carve you, let Him remove excess from you and complete in you what you lack, let the Lord give you the shape, the size, and place.
From the Twelfth Experience of Raymond Nader with Saint Sharbel.
​
Read more from the Twelfth Experience.
Read the story of Raymond Nader’s Experience with Saint Sharbel.ondNader