@zouxi Praying our Holy Mother will keep our dear friend and his family safe during this horrible time
One good thing about all this is that it reminds me of our mortality. Life is very,very short and uncertain. Dead Russians, Ukrainians, Palestinians, Israeli's and Lebanese could very well be dead us tomorrow...for whatever reason. I hope when that days comes some kind souls, somewhere, will also pray for us.
Who are the good guys? Who are the bad guys? The dividing line between restricted and all-out war crumbles. Death and destruction in the midst of revenge and hate. The devil rejoices. First Ukraine. Now... The second seal continues to unfold! Praying! Rev 6:3 When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” 4 Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make people kill each other. To him was given a large sword.
Poor, poor people: 1Christians make up a significant proportion of Lebanon’s population. Cyprus has the largest proportion of Christians in the Middle East, but Lebanon comes in second. According to a 2020 estimate reported in the CIA World Factbook, Christians are 32.4% of the country’s population, with Maronite Catholics being the largest Christian group, at around 21%. There are smaller groups as well, including Greek, Syriac, and Coptic Orthodox; Latin, Chaldean, Syriac, Coptic, and Melkite Greek Catholics; Protestants, and members of the Assyrian Church of the East. Muslims represent 67.8% of Lebanon’s population, divided into 31.9% Sunni, 31.2% Shia, and smaller percentages of Alawites and Ismailis. Druze make up 4.5% of the population. There are very small numbers of Jews, Baha'is, Buddhists, and Hindus. Hezbollah is a Shia militia. 3Lebanon is part of the Holy Land. Cedars of Lebanon were used in the temple built by King Solomon in Jerusalem, and provided a metaphor in psalms and other poetic scriptural passages. The Old Testament is replete with references to Lebanon. Author Cornelia B. Horn notes that Lebanon is not mentioned by name in the New Testament, but the evangelists Matthew and Mark attest to Christ visiting regions in the far north of Palestine and beyond. Tyre and Sidon, mentioned by Christ, are Lebanese cities still today. 5The Maronite Church has always been in communion with Rome. According to Fr. Roberson, the Maronite Church traces its origin to the late-4th century, when a monastery was founded around the charismatic figure of the monk St. Maron. By the 8th century, the monks “moved with their band of followers into the remote mountains of Lebanon, where they existed in relative isolation for centuries.” Because of the Crusades, the Maronites came into contact with the Latin Church in the 12th century. In 1182 the entire Maronite nation formally confirmed its union with Rome. “There is a strong tradition among the Maronites that their Church never lacked communion with the Holy See,” Fr. Roberson wrote. The Maronite liturgy is of West Syrian origin, but it has been influenced by the East Syrian and Latin traditions, Fr. Roberson explained: “The [liturgy of the] Eucharist is essentially a variation of the Syriac liturgy of St. James. Originally celebrated in Syriac, the liturgy has been for the most part in Arabic since the Arab invasions.” https://aleteia.org/2024/09/25/10-t...ily-&utm_content=Newsletter&utm_term=20240925
Poor, poor people, offering up Mass tonight. I must check if Catholic charities are taking donations.
Thank you. Such sad, sad times Israel says it is going to invade Lebanon. Our poor Catholic people. Our Lady of Harissa, St Charbel pray for us.
I had a friend whose family moved from Zahle, Lebanon, ( it's in the Bekaa valley) all the way to New Zealand, back around the year 1900. When I enquired as to why they had decided to leave Lebanon and travel and resettle so far away, I was told it was because as they were Maronite Christians, they would be walking to Sunday Maronite Liturgy through valleys and hills from the outlying villages, and Muslims would come on horseback and attack them with swords and kill them. So they found it too dangerous to be Christian and they wished for a safe place where they could start a new life.
