Homily of Patriarch Bechara Peter Cardinal Rai at the Dedication of the Chapel of Saint Sharbel

Homily of Patriarch Bechara Peter Cardinal Rai at the
Dedication of the Chapel of Saint Sharbel at
Saint Patrick’s Cathedral
New York, NY
October 28, 2017
 
Cardinal Dolan
Bishops, Priests
Ambassadors, Consul General
Antoun Sehnaoui and Family
Brothers and Sisters in Christ
 
“God is gloriful in his saints!”
 
From the mountain hermitage of Annaya where Saint Sharbel, the Lebanese Maronite Monk lived far away from everyone, forgotten by everyone, we are now transported from that mountain hermitage to the “Cathedral of America”, Saint Patrick, here in New York.
 
Saint Sharbel shines as a bright (Maronite Catholic) star in this fresco, which we will consecrate today, along with this entire assembly praying together.
 
Saint Sharbel brings with him the beauty of Eastern Christianity. He also carries with him the suffering of the Middle Eastern people, in particular the people of the Holy Land, Iraq, Egypt, Syria, Turkey and Lebanon. He also carries with him the hopes and aspirations of the peoples of those countries.
 
Suffering, death and resurrection: this is the mystery of Christianity in the world. It is also the mystery of Christ the Redeemer, and the mystery of the Church. Saint Sharbel lived that mystery in its fullness: he suffered, made sacrifices, died to himself in his hermitage, and God raised him up in glory. He is a saint across countries, across continents and across religions, distributing the graces of God generously. Sharbel is a sign of hope for Christians, and for all the people of the Middle East, suffering under very difficult circumstances.
 
I make a word of thanks to God, and glorify him, who gave Saint Sharbel to his Church, and who shows through him the face of his love and mercy. A word of thanks also to Saint Sharbel, who shines like a pearl on the face of the Church.
 
We thank you, Your Eminence, Cardinal Dolan, for having made even more beautiful the Cathedral of Saint Patrick by the face of Saint Sharbel. We also thank our dear Antoun Sehnaoui for helping make this possible.
 
We pray to God, through the intercession of Saint Sharbel, that he may shower his love, mercy and peace upon the whole world, and we raise glory to God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.