Author: J. S. Paluch Co., Inc.

SAINT SHARBEL MAKHLUF (1828-1898)
July 24
	The convenience store owner chatted animatedly in Arabic with coworkers, but hardly at all with his “American” clientele. So soon after 9/11, he probably figured, with my accent, the less said, the better. That changed when an “American” customer recognized Saint Sharbel’s portrait on the wall: “So you’re Lebanese Maronites!” The owner was happily incredulous: “You know our saint?” “Not at first,” the customer admitted. “But we help the Catholic Near East Welfare Association, and their magazine published that picture and called Sharbel the ‘Paradoxical Artisan of Peace.’ ” “Everyone thinks we’re Muslims,” said the owner, “and some of my workers are. Saint Sharbel helps us live together in peace!” A hermit for twenty-three years, little is known of Sharbel’s life. He died after suffering a stroke while celebrating the liturgy. Miracles attributed to his intercession number in the thousands, and in war-torn Lebanon, Catholics, Orthodox, and Muslims pray together where his incorrupt body is entombed. How lovely if after our passing, we too could be remembered for having brought very different people to the one God, together in peace.
—Peter Scagnelli