NNA - Maronite Patriarch, Cardinal Bechara Boutros al-Rahi, presided over a Mass service dedicated to the memory of the deceased believers, held at the Maronite Patriarchal Pontifical Institute in Rome on Sunday.

In his homily, al-Rahi said: “The word of God calls us on this blessed Sunday to unite faith with love, and by this we mean translating love and faith to serve the needy and the underprivileged. The main problem in the Gospel of the rich and the poor is not the issue of wealth in itself, because it can be a blessing when we realize how to use it in the service of man and the preservation of human dignity…The main problem is that the rich man today has hardened his heart and closed his hand and door in the face of his fellow human being in need…More importantly, the poor man of today is a vivid image of a large number of our needy children living under all these dire circumstances.”

The Patriarch went on: “I allow myself to address an appeal from here, from Rome, to the officials in Lebanon, in light of today's Gospel, the Gospel of faith and love, to say: We cannot continue in Lebanon the way we are heading…You who are entrusted with the capabilities of the country, public money, ports and utilities, relations with states, and the national value that exists for the service of our people; therefore, you cannot continue to squander and disrupt it, continuing with the collapse of the country and the displacement of the Lebanese people from their land.”

“You cannot continue with the demolition of the country and the impoverishment of the people despite all the calls from the whole world, led by His Holiness Pope Francis, who leaves out no opportunity to appeal to you,” al-Rahi added, addressing Lebanon’s officials.

The Patriarch concluded by praying for the intention of Lebanese officials “who are still ostentatious in their positions as they intentionally or unintentionally destroy the country and disrupt the course of the state and its institutions, so that the Lord may touch their consciences, for He alone is able to do so,” hoping that they would “realize the magnitude of the responsibility that is in their hands and work to end the days of hatred and divisions and move forward in a state of openness, dialogue and beautiful coexistence.”

===========R.Sh.