I lived an ecumenical experience worth a tremendous reflection. It was full and complete. Each of us got to know the other as he is. We were brought together young men and women from 7 different Arab countries. We were gathered as strangers to become friends and close family members. We shared food, sleep, laughter, tours and study! We visited the various churches to find out one fundamental truth that is Jesus the Lord, glory for His name, wanted us to be one parish for one shepherd!
Each of us travelled to each other's country during the cultural evening! We laughed, played, learned and even wept. The last day was the most difficult day, the day of separation. We have made a promise that our relationship will always remain strong... and that we will plant the seeds of ecumenism in the country of each and every one of us, and in the church of each one of us. Ecclesiastical unity is already in our hearts and our minds, so that we may know it on the ground in our churches; to please the heart of the Lord!
This journey did not end with the end of the ecumenical training in Lebanon, but shall continue through our interaction and study on the Internet... all this owing to the efforts of the instructors of the Institute and the efforts of the regional secretary Miss Wakil, and the director of the Institute Dr. Azar! All so that ecumenism becomes the oxygen of our souls and life cannot be without it! May the Lord always lead us, let us become the salt of the earth by renouncing fanaticism and extremism.
-Mary Khamis - Egypt
When you indulge in the ecumenical work, you find yourself re-reading the written scenes in a different way. Your fingers sense new places in the heart of the texts that were not in fact latent from your vision before. The Bible reveals the bigger and the more supreme side of faith and grace.
It reveals a Messiah sitting with a Samaritan talking to her about the future of the real salvation, revealing the essence of prostrating in spirit. A Messiah who embraces the publicans and the sinners and recommends to take care of strangers, prevents his disciples from absolute sentencing on who we judge by doom and disbelief, and surprises his followers with different standards of disposal and love.
We also see a novelist who strings his stories and quotes to accept the last ones and hosting a midnight friend, awaiting a rebellious and retarded son, healing the debtors and simpletons, finding Alternative and different solutions for the agent of injustice. It is the momentum, expense and enrichment in the faith of the person of Jesus Christ.
Jesus manifests himself to us as a savior, a true King in his pompous image, crowned and sitting on the throne of the cross, submitting his force from the greatness of his unique love that included a thief who didn’t care about the faith functions and does not morally fulfill the terms of salvation. A soldier with a stone heart and feelings, a crowd yelling to kill him despite all what they have witnessed of grace, delivering himself physically accepting unconditionally opening his arms accepting all humanity. “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it,the world, and all who live in it; emphasizing on the message of love and peace.”
In fact, it is a re-capture of the scattered scraps from the full evangelical image and a continuous try to discover the faces of the truth faith between the lines, words, and a life reading of the Bible of Jesus Christ and his superior love. “So filled with all the fullness of God”
Even though I have been living ecumenically since a long time as I have been working as an office secretary in the Egyptian Council Office and as a member of its women’s committee, but my study in the Ecumenical Institute and living three consecutive weeks with youth from different countries as well as diverse religious backgrounds and churches have made me live the real ecumenical life practically and not theoretically.
This is what pushed me to organize a mothers’ gathering in the churches that I serve, following my return to Lebanon. In this gathering, we discussed a number of issues and their possible solutions with respect to proper ecumenical education domestically. I see that a mother’s role as one of the most effective in the proper ecumenical formation. One of the most important points that have been discussed is the opening to one another without melting in each other. Thus, we are flowers with different colors and scents, but we all have one body which is Jesus Christ. Our differences are unique and do not represent antagonism.
Another experience I would like to talk about is the two following meetings: the Summer University and the Women Programs. We, as students of the Ecumenical Institute in Egypt, were working as one team and we organized and presented the results of our working groups. This was our first experience in working together in one ecumenical team.
The inauguration of the ecumenical formation group was held in Egypt, and I was honored to be a member of it. This group is specialized in teaching ecumenical formation and how to truly live ecumenically with youth.
Our second trip was to Broumana where we met with Bishop George Khodr at the Greek Orthodox Archbishopric where he talked about the history of the Orthodox people and how they were able to prove themselves as true Christians towards the others. It was really a great lesson for us.
Afterwards we went to Bikfaya to meet with the Armenian Catholicos Aram I. His speech taught us to confess always when we are wrong and apologize.
Then we went to the holy place of Prophet Elias monastery. It is a spectacular spiritual place full of miracles and saints in spite of its marvelous view and historical stories. We found peace in that place, enough peace to meet God and have a chat with him.
Afterwards we went to Aiin Alqasees where we learnt about the Anglican Church and how it was spread in the Middle East and how it faced the challenges. We learned there how you became brave and clever enough to face all the challenges you get in life, and to start always doing good to people and not to expect anything in return.
-Saturday, 25/07/2015
We rushed ourselves early that day so we can visit as many places as we could so we started with a long hike at the Holy Qanoubin Valley with the sound of nature , there we went to see first al-mahbasa where there is a Hermit from Columbia. Meeting him, listening to his words and seeing him smiling was just enough proof for the presence of God in this Holy Valley. We continued to saint Marina church where we heard about her painful life story yet so spiritual.
The only thing you must do there is to hear God whispering into your ears. Afterwards we went to the place where the old Maronites Patriarchate was. In addition to the old churches there was an old body (still as it was) of one of the previous patriarch this is was a lesson for me to know what my faith can lead me to. Later we left the Holy Valley to go to Jubran Khalil Jubran Museum were you find all his drawings , writings ,stuffs and tomb. Afterwards we went to the cedar forest that was really nice to see one of the main symbols of Lebanon and also an important tree for the Bible.
Last but not least, we went to the Patriarchate of the Maronites to meet his Holiness Al Raii, the Maronite Patriarche, as well as the former Patriarche Sfeir, and Pope Tawadros who happened to be there. We attended a speech by Pope Tawadros that was both unique and motivating, straight to the heart of the Ecumenical work. We ended our visit by taking their blessings.
-Saturday 18/7/2015
