Happy Feast of St Charbel!

 

Image Credit: Unknown (Old Photo), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Happy Feast of St Charbel!

Saint Charbel, also known as Charbel Maklouf, was a Lebanbese monk who lived in the 1800's. His life and teachings continue to inspire believers around the world. Born Youssef Antoun Makhlouf in 1828 (and venerated as Saint Charbel) in a small village called Bekaa Kafra. Charbel grew up in a humble family and was deeply devoted to his faith from a young age. He later entered the Lebanese Maronite Order, where he dedicated his life to prayer, asceticism, and the pursuit of spiritual perfection. Saint Charbel became renowned for his holiness and his mastery of the contemplative life. His disciplined lifestyle and profound humility became a model for other monks and clergy seeking to deepen their spiritual journey.

One of the most remarkable aspects of Saint Charbel's life was his commitment to silence and solitude. He spent several years living as a hermit in a small room adjacent to the monastery, devoting his time to prayer and meditation. This strict discipline allowed him to cultivate a profound union with God. Despite his isolation, many people sought his counsel, and his intercessory powers were legendary. It is said that he performed numerous miracles, about more than 33,000 healing miracle — including healing the sick, restoring sight to the blind, and even raising the dead. Charbel's powerful intercession draws believers to this day, with pilgrims visiting his tomb seeking spiritual guidance and healing. Saint Charbel's life and teachings continue to resonate in the hearts of the faithful, serving as a compelling example of devotion and holiness in the pursuit of God.

Powerful Novena to St. Charbel: A Prayer Book for Intercession and Healing

One of his quotes that struck me was about family. Similar to Sister Lucia's prophetic message about the final battle between Our Lord and satan — over marriage and family. Let's keep praying for our families. Stay salty my friends!

"The family is the basis of the Lord’s plan; and all forces of evil are focusing all their evil on destroying the family because they know that by destroying the family, the foundations of the plan of God will be shaken. The war of the Evil One against the Lord is his war against the family, and the war of the Evil One against the family is the core of his war against the Lord. Because the family is the image of God, from the beginning of the creation of this universe, The Evil one is focusing on destroying the family, the foundation of God’s plan."

—Saint Charbel

Lamp of Eternal Lights: The Biography of Saint Charbel Makhlouf (1828-1898)

St. Charbel gave some advice to families how they can protect themselves from the attacks of the enemy:

"Guard your families and keep them from the schemes of the evil one through the presence of God in them. Protect and keep them through prayer and dialog, through mutual understanding and forgiveness, through honesty and faithfulness, and most importantly, through listening. Listen to one another with your ears, eyes, hearts, mouths and the palms of your hands, and keep the roaring of the noise of the world away from your homes because it is like raging storms and violent waves; once it enters the home, it will sweep away everything and disperse everyone. Preserve the warmth of the family, because the warmth of the whole world cannot make up for it."

St Charbel, pray for us!