The Maronite Patriarch, Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi, received, this morning, at the Patriarchal Monument in Bkerke, the Armed Forces Commander General Joseph Aoun on a congratulatory visit on the holidays.

Al-Rahi stressed “the Lebanese people’s confidence in the military institution, the wisdom of its commander, and the dedication of its officers and personnel in defending and defending Lebanon’s sovereignty and freedom.”

He stressed, “It is necessary to support this national institution, which has faced and continues to face, with great sacrifice, any scheme to destabilize Lebanon, and today, despite the compelling and harsh conditions under which it operates, it has not faltered in carrying out its duty towards the state and citizens,” noting “all the qualitative tasks that it performs.” In cooperation with other security agencies to control borders, prevent smuggling and combat crime of any kind.

Then the patron met with French Ambassador Anne Greu, who congratulated him on Christmas and New Year, wishing that “the coming days will bring solutions to the Lebanese crisis at all levels,” stressing “France’s permanent support for Lebanon and its people.”

During the meeting, Al-Rahi stressed, “The Lebanese parliamentary and presidential elections must be held on their constitutionally set dates,” stressing that “Lebanon cannot tolerate more political tremors, but rather needs a pause of conscience by all concerned to save it from this ordeal it is going through and help its people to Restoring confidence in the concept of the state.

He considered that “the failure to implement the constitution and laws, and ignoring the judiciary in national issues around which there is a dispute, will only contribute to drowning the country in more collapse and the lack of confidence of states in it and eliminating any hope of returning to the normal, dignified life that every Lebanese dreams of.”

He spoke about the “necessity for the government to return to its work normally,” and said: “It is unacceptable to put obstacles in front of it and to involve it in matters that have nothing to do with it, such as the issue of Judge Tariq Bitar, which is a purely judicial affair.”

And he considered that “any obstruction that affects the work of constitutional institutions and public affairs by any party would harm the national partnership.”

The sponsor also received the Financial Prosecutor, Judge Ali Ibrahim, the Secretary-General of the Maronite International Union in America, Tom Harb, then the President of the Institute for Peace in the Middle East – Washington Saeed Bilani, and the Institute’s advisor, Dr. Khaled Jarrah, who briefed him on the “Project of the Institute, in cooperation with the American Charitable Association.” The Hope Coalition aims to help the Lebanese people face the crisis they are going through.

In the evening, the sponsor met the delegation of the International Lions Club Association, District 351 – Lebanon – Jordan – Palestine, headed by Governor Aida Kawar, who delivered a speech in the name of the delegation in which she said: “On the occasion of the birth of the Savior Jesus Christ, the beginning of a new year, and on the occasion of the blessed Eid al-Adha, we came to your building to extend our congratulations from Your Beatitude, and we ask God that Lebanon remains the homeland of the message and peace, and the pearl of the Middle East.”

She added: “We serve, that is our message and that is our conviction, and our standing by our people in Lebanon after the tragedy of the Beirut Port explosion was only to achieve the message of service. Today, we are working to complete the repairs promised by the association through the new financial grant that we are seeking.”

Kawar presented to “the association’s activities in Lebanon,” stressing, “We stand by His Beatitude because we, like you, believe in the resurrection of Lebanon.”

In the end, Kawar presented the shepherd with a gift of olive wood carved from Palestine representing the Holy Family.

For his part, the sponsor responded with a word of welcome and thanks in which he wished “that the year 2022 will be a year of peace, stability and goodness, starting with the Holy Land, Palestine and Jordan, which were trampled by the feet of Jesus Christ and on which the secret of God appeared, and Lebanon, which is part of this Holy Land.” And our permanent prayers that we also pray with you: O Lord, you cannot allow and accept this holy land, which you chose from all the globe and transfigured with it, to become the land of iron and fire, and you wanted it to become the land of love and peace and the land of brotherhood among all people.

He added: “The Lord Jesus says: I came to serve, not to be served. It is a sacred motto that calls out to each one of us. Every human being is a gift from God to society and not to himself or his family. Therefore, serving this human being, especially the needy, is our duty, and this is a starting point for people to meet each other. This is what you are doing, based on your motto: We serve.

Al-Rahi concluded: “Service is a basic need today in a world that threatens to kill selfishness and pride, and faces the danger of people’s indifference to each other and the needs of the people of their societies, and thus getting used to indifference and indifference, as His Holiness Pope Francis says.”