Happy Easter!

Wishing everyone a Happy Easter. Let us remember and celebrate the living-giving passion and glorious resurrection of our Lord all the moments of our lives.

Expansion of Qolo

Different versions of the Shhimtho add and subtract to various parts. The 1890 Shhimtho had an extended part of the very well known L'Maryam Yoldat Aloho, whose fourth verse is used in Maronite liturgy 'til today.

Last Ninth Hour Posted!

The last Ninth Hour office has been posted (viewable here). I hope to start now on completing the 6 sootore that are yet to be done.


Our Lord, accept our service, our prayers, come to our aid and have mercy on us!

Reflection on 9th Hour of Friday

This is the second to last of the 9th Hour offices. I have yet another short reflection in mind for this office, but brevity will not impede the magnitude of the item. I'm speaking of the "Tree."

Reflection on 9th Hour of Thursday

While my previous reflections have been lengthy, I think this one can be tackled in a briefer post. Thursday's Ninth Hour, while comparatively shorter than even some of the short offices, it is full of prayers indicative of a healthy Syriac spirituality. As previously mentioned, primary amongst these are our inherent unworthiness and God's limitless and uncompelled mercy.

Reflection on 9th Hour of Wednesday

An inherent aspect of Syriac theology is the great caution in avoiding [what I assume the Syriac Fathers would think of as] overreaching speculation. There is a great deal of meditation upon mystery, and, again, any mystery revealed is considered a voluntary act of mercy by the hand of God. There also develops a certain, almost esoteric language through which thinks are referred to and I will point to several items I think are indicative of this mystique.

Reflection on 9th Hour of Tuesday

The 9th Hour of Tuesday is indicative of what I like to call the paradoxical nature of Syriac theology. And, might I add, I think the paradoxes that we use to express our prayers are appropriate because Christianity in itself is centered around the greatest paradox: the highest Being (i.e. God) lowering Himself to be a meek human so that humanity may be elevated to be on High with God. He is the God that has become manifest through the Son, but remains Hidden in the Father; we are started from Him by sin yet through His Spirit we are made temples.