When St. Paul was converted on the road to Damascus, Jesus was already known in Syria; and it was there, in Antioch, in Syria, that Jesus’ disciples were first called “Christians”. We celebrate every year the feast of St. Ignatius of Antioch, who in a sense inaugurated an era of martyrs in the early Church.
Yet, even under threat of continuous persecution, a school of theology developed in Antioch, one of whose most prestigious disciples was John Chrysostom. Monasticism flourished as well: St. Simeon the Stylite and St. Maron lived not far from Aleppo.
So when we hear about Christians being driven out from Syria, we are talking about an attack on the deepest roots of Christianity.
St. Ephrem defended the faith against the Arian Heresy in his day. In the 4th century, the denial of the divinity of Christ was spreading throughout the world. One of the reasons Arianism was adopted by so many people, nobility and common folk alike, was propaganda: really catchy hymns containing heresy carried this error. The theology was false, but the tunes were memorable.
To combat error, Ephrem wrote beautiful hymns containing faithful doctrine, in order to catechize the people. For this he was called “the harp of the Holy Spirit.” In icons and religious art, he is often depicted holding a harp and the opening prayer referred to St. Ephrem as “exulted in singing God’s mysteries.”
The Church certainly faces physical threats of violence in places like Syria, Christians are being driven out wholesale. In 2011, Christians in Syria numbered 1.25 Million; in 2016, we were less than 500,000. But, we also face theological threats, there and everywhere: cultural propaganda which denies the existence of God, the divinity of Christ, the natural moral law—cultural propaganda which normalizes serious sin, perversion, adultery, and violence.
In many places, Christians, even Bishops, accommodate these errors, rather than holding firm. Heretical hymns, like those in Ephrem’s time, crept into our Masses. Many of the hymns that came after the Second Vatican Council were theologically lacking at best, downright heretical at worst, some of them are simply ugly music, unbefitting the sacred mysteries. These heretical hymns and poor catechesis in many places has, at least partially, contributed to the erosion of the practice of the true Faith.
So we certainly seek the help of God and the help of the Saints in refortifying the Church from error, re-evangelizing those who have drifted away, convicting the hearts and minds of our young people. May St. Ephrem help us to sing the true praises of Christ, free from error, free from sin, for the building up of the Church, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
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For the holy Church of God, that the Lord may graciously
watch over her, preserving her from error, helping her to rejoice in the Truth
of the Gospel.
For the peoples of all the world, that the Lord may
graciously preserve harmony among them, and deepen in them the virtues of
justice and religion.
That the Christians of Syria and our brothers and sisters
persecuted throughout the world may be delivered by the hand of God from all danger.
For all who are oppressed by any kind of need, that the Lord
may graciously grant them relief, especially for the sick and victims of war
and terror and natural disaster.
For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, For the
deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, for the deceased priests
and religious of the diocese of Cleveland, for the poor souls in purgatory, and
for those who have fought and died for our freedom.
O God, our refuge and our strength, hear the prayers of your
Church, for you yourself are the source of all devotion, and grant, we pray,
that what we ask in faith we may truly obtain. Through Christ our Lord.
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