Saturday, December 31, 2011

New Year Wishes: Love, Forgiveness And Wisdom

With the beginning of the new year 2012, let us all ask almighty God genuinely to shower on every one the graces of health, prosperity, peace, faith, and hope

Let us all put our burdens, pain, sickness, deprivation, persecution, separation, broken hearts, disappointments, frustrations, bereavements, injustice, abandonment, and anger in the hands of Almighty God and follow the teachings of His Gospel. God, with his gracious wisdom and abundant generosity, shall definitely see in every way possible that we all safely overcome with faith and hope all kinds of failure temptations, hardships and difficulties. Let us all trust in Him and recognize that we are all His beloved children and that He has created us in his image.

Romans 8:16-19: "The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed in us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God."

We should doubt God's deep love for each and every one of us. How could He not, as He sent his only son, Jesus Christ to defeat death, give us the eternal life, suffer and be crucified so we, His children, can become purified and absolved from the original sin and be helped to walk safely the path of eternal salvation.

John 3:2 : "Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when He appears we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is".

Let us ask Almighty God to help us live in peace and harmony with ourselves and others. Lead our steps into the righteous paths and grant us the strength of endurance and hold us back from the sin of hurting or hating others. Grant us the graces of love, meekness, humbleness, transparency, honesty and forgiveness. Maintain our hearts and minds pure, and free from grudges and selfishness. Help us to remember that vengeance is evil and forgiveness is a Godly grace. Not allow vengeance to take control of our lives.

Being faithful to God's holy teachings, is being loving and forgiving. For when we trust God and believe in His justice, we ought to leave Him punish those who are evil. (Matthew 13:43): "Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear".

God's teachings in regards to vengeance is very clear .

Romans 12:19-21: "Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. To the contrary, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

This verse frees us from the burden of taking justice into our own hands. It tells us "Never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’ God will repay those who are righteous"..

Since God is going to take up our cause and see to it that justice is done, we should lay it down, work hard not to succumb to our human destructive and evil instincts.

We don’t have to carry anger, bitterness, resentment or revenge no matter what is our burden because refusal to forgive will make it impossible for us to understand and experience the forgiveness of God for us. Jesus taught his disciples to pray, "Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors" (Matthew 6:12). Then commenting on that prayer, Jesus said, "For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins" (Matthew 6:14-15).

Saint Paul says leave it to the wrath of God. ”Then the wrath of God is defined further as God’s vengeance, “Vengeance is mine.” So wrath is connected with God’s response to something that deserves vengeance. And then it says, “I will repay.”

So God’s wrath is treated as a repayment to man for something man has done. This simply means that the wrath of God is God’s settled anger toward sin expressed in the repayment of suitable vengeance on the guilty sinner.

God will and shall see that justice is done on the Day of Judgment. So let us be forgiving and avoid any sort of vengeance.

Daniel 12:2-3: "And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever".

With the 2012 new year, let us pray from the depth of our hearts for all those who hate and hold grudges against us. Let us ask almighty God to cure them from these evil ailments and grant us the grace of forgiveness and the strength of faith to keep loving them.

No one should forget that our live on this earth is too short, and that we must be righteous to deserve the eternal one in Heaven where there will be no pain or fights, but happiness and peace.

Corinthians 2:2-10: "But, as it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him"--these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the spirit searches everything, even the depths of God".

O Lord may your peace, your true love, your eternal and divine graces be with us and among us all the days of the 2012 new year and we will offer glory and thanksgiving to you, now and forever.

Happy New Year


*Elias Bejjani
*Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
*Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
*Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com

*Mailing phoenicia group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Phoenicia/.

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Is The Maronite Patriarch Al Raei a committed and loyal Baathist!!

Is The Maronite Patriarch Al Raei a committed and loyal Baathist!!
By: Elias Bejjani*

December 28/11

As a Maronite Canadian Lebanese human Rights activist, I am seriously wondering if the derailed Maronite Patriarch Bchara Al Raei is a committed member in the cadets of Syrian Baathists Party?

The question becomes so legitimate and so urgent when I hear his on going bizarre rhetoric and watch his deceiving stances.

He is boldly, openly and shamelessly calling the Syrians and Lebanese "One people in two countries". An obsolete slogan the Assad Baathists adopted since the early sixties as a media ideological camouflaging tool in bid to justify the occupation of neighboring Lebanon, annihilate its unique deeply rooted identity, uproot its rich history, displace its peace loving people, and distort its cultural and co-existence role.

He is portraying the horrible, savage and barbaric crimes the Syrian President Al Assad and his militias and army are committing as a kind of political reforms.

He is denying that there is actually a public uprising and revolution in Syria. He calls all this as "Internal disturbances"

He is calling on the Lebanese people to adopt neutral stances and accordingly allow Iran, Syria and their military tools and mercenaries to freely and without any kind of resistance devour Lebanon and every thing that is Lebanese.

He is evilly using his tongue to advocate fore the Axis of evil schemes.

He is cajoling and appeasing the rulers of Syria and the Hezbollah leadership.

He is supporting Hezbollah's weaponry and ministate.

In my new Lebanese Audio commentary of today, I am comparing Al Raei stances, tactics, alliances and Rhetoric to the spirit, essence and core of the below verses from the letter of Saint James to show and prove biblically that he is derailed from his clergy role and Maronite holy mission

The link for my Lebanese Audio commentary
http://216.18.20.116/lccc/news28.12.11.wma

Ů€James 02/01-03: "My friends, as believers in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, you must never treat people in different ways according to their outward appearance. Suppose a rich man wearing a gold ring and fine clothes comes to your meeting, and a poor man in ragged clothes also comes. If you show more respect to the well-dressed man and say to him"

James 02/08-12: "You will be doing the right thing if you obey the law of the Kingdom, which is found in the scripture, Love your neighbor as you love yourself. But if you treat people according to their outward appearance, you are guilty of sin, and the Law condemns you as a lawbreaker. Whoever breaks one commandment is guilty of breaking them all. For the same one who said, Do not commit adultery, also said, Do not commit murder. Even if you do not commit adultery, you have become a lawbreaker if you commit murder. Speak and act as people who will be judged by the law that sets us free. For God will not show mercy when he judges the person who has not been merciful; but mercy triumphs over judgment."

James 04/17: "So then, if we do not do the good we know we should do, we are guilty of sin"

James 03/ 06-12: "Just think how large a forest can be set on fire by a tiny flame! And the tongue is like a fire. It is a world of wrong, occupying its place in our bodies and spreading evil through our whole being. It sets on fire the entire course of our existence with the fire that comes to it from hell itself. We humans are able to tame and have tamed all other creatures—wild animals and birds, reptiles and fish. But no one has ever been able to tame the tongue. It is evil and uncontrollable, full of deadly poison. We use it to give thanks to our Lord and Father and also to curse other people, who are created in the likeness of God. Words of thanksgiving and cursing pour out from the same mouth. My friends, this should not happen! No spring of water pours out sweet water and bitter water from the same opening. A fig tree, my friends, cannot bear olives; a grapevine cannot bear figs, nor can a salty spring produce sweet water".

*Elias Bejjani
*Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
*Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
*Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com
*Mailing phoenicia group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Phoenicia/.

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Christmas and Prayers for the Wicked

By: Elias Bejjani*

The most effective, productive and everlasting participation that we can offer on this Holy Christmas Day is our authentic and honest prayers for the repentance and salvation of evildoers. We must pray for those evil and wicked world leaders, rulers, politicians, fundamentalists and outlawed militants whose devastating culture of greed and vicious acts of terrorism are threatening peace and tranquility over four continents.

Apostle Paul in his Letter to the Romans speaks about these evil people and describes thoroughly their thinking and conduct 03/10-18: "As it is written, ‘There is no one righteous; no, not one. There is no one who understands. There is no one who seeks after God. They have all turned aside. They have together become unprofitable. There is no one who does good, no, not, so much as one.’ 3:13 Their throat is an open tomb. With their tongues they have used deceit. The poison of vipers is under their lips; “whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood. Destruction and misery are in their ways. The way of peace, they haven’t known. There is no fear of God before their eyes."

One might wonder why we should pray and particularly on the Christmas Day for those that are creating world-wide havoc, advocate grudges and hatred, classify us as infidels, allege we are their worst enemies, call openly for our death, and proudly legitimize our slaughter?

The answer is very simple. We should pray for them because they are lost, evil, morally sick and need our help. Jesus has already answered this question in Matthew 9/12 & 13: "Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick do. But you go and learn what this means: I desire mercy, and not sacrifice, for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.".

The faithful and righteous man has an obligation to love his enemies and forgive them as well as to bless those who hate, persecute and curse him. Luke 6:28: "bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you."

The secret and magic formula word in all this holy cycle of forgiveness, meekness, patience, endurance and acceptance of others is LOVE, and as the bible teaches us LOVE is GOD. Proverbs 19:11: "A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense".

Apostle Paul in his First Letter to the Corinthians explains what love is and what it encompasses: 13/4-13: "Love is patient and is kind; love doesn’t envy. Love doesn’t brag, is not proud, doesn’t behave itself inappropriately, doesn’t seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil; doesn’t rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 1 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will be done away with. Where there are various languages, they will cease. Where there is knowledge, it will be done away with. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; but when that which is complete has come, then that which is partial will be done away with. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child. Now that I have become a man, I have put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, even as I was also fully known. But now faith, hope, and love remain—these three. The greatest of these is love."

If we love those who love us, help those who do not need help, pray for those who are righteous, and feed those who are not hungry, we do nothing different from anybody else including the sinners and wicked. But when we can tame ourselves to love those who hate us and help those who need help, than we are making something different. 1 Samuel 24:17: "You are more righteous than I, he said. You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly."

Almighty God loves us, we His children, and wants us to return back to His heavenly mansions that have been prepared for us. Therefore, He has sent His begotten son to be humiliated, tortured, persecuted and crucified in a bid absolve our original sin and be a role model in love and sacrifice. John15/12 & 13: “This is my commandment, that you love one another, even as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends"

With the Christmas Spirit let all genuinely pray for those of us who are hurt, lonely, feel betrayed and deserted by their beloved ones. Those who are enduring in silence pain, anguish, and are deprived of happiness, warmth and joy on this holy and adorned day.

Let us all take Jesus a role model in our lives. Let us learn from Him the graces of forgiveness, sacrifice, love and the obligation for helping those who need our help and even those who hate and hurt us. Romans 12:20: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."

May God Bless you all and shower upon you, your families, friends, and beloved ones all graces of joy, health, love, forgiveness, meekness and hope. 1 Thessalonians 5:15: "Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else".

I call on you all to pray for the salvation of our beloved country of Lebanon and ask Almighty God to lead and bless the peace endeavors of righteous politicians and leaders all over the world.

On this Christmas Day may Jesus Christ, God of love, justice and mercy, dwell in your hearts, minds, souls and conscience to purify you and lead your steps into righteousness.

Merry Christmas


*Elias Bejjani
*Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
*Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
*Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com
*Mailing phoenicia group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Phoenicia/.

Monday, December 19, 2011

A Big No For Hypocrisy And Hypocrites

By: Elias Bejjani*

Jesus Condemns Hypocrisy and hypocrites: Matthew 23/13-15: "How terrible for you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees! You hypocrites! You lock the door to the Kingdom of heaven in people's faces, but you yourselves don't go in, nor do you allow in those who are trying to enter! How terrible for you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees! You hypocrites! You sail the seas and cross whole countries to win one convert; and when you succeed, you make him twice as deserving of going to hell as you yourselves are

Hypocrisy, cowardice, selfishness, hatred and deceit are the main evil manifestations of our evil instincts. These instincts are constantly Endeavoring to distance us away from the spiritual Godly gifts, especially the great gift of love, in a bid to lead our steps into temptation and to make us easy indefensible and helpless preys for the devil and his venomous works.

In fact the actual devil is inside us. He is deeply root in our instincts of hatred, malice, revenge, greed, sex, vice, jealousy, war, selfishness and the list goes on and. It is up to us to either be Godly and hail the Godly spiritual gifts, or to become blind heart and soul, fully surrender to lust and accept the slavery of our evil instincts.

The choice is ours, no body's else. This big choice decides the path that we shall walk on the Day of Judgment. Either back to our Godly mansions in heaven, or to Hell where there will be no end for pain, and grinding of teeth

Our hardest on going struggle and challenge is not with any body, but with ourselves. We are fully and solely accountable for all our deeds. Accordingly if we have faith and believe in God we are ought to be fully aware of the Day of Judgment no matter what.

If we keep in mind this inevitable accountability day and remember that we come from dust; and to dust we shall return, then we could tame our instincts, follow the ten Commandments and abide by them in all that we say, think and do.

When we fear God and succeed in taming and reining our instincts we become Godly and good people, love others and work for the welfare of our countries and people. The greatest wisdom lies in the constant remembering of the Judgment Day when we will face God to pay for our deeds. No one can carry with him from this mortal earthly world but his deeds. These deeds are the only and only assets that matter on the Judgment Day

When we get confused, worship money and all the other perishable world riches, forget all about the Judgment Day and its inevitable accountability, fail to control the evil desires of our instincts and succumb to their lust and insatiable tendencies, we become mere tools for these instincts and abandon every thing that is Godly and human.

Our beloved countries, as well as our families and people depend on us to be righteous and to adhere to the values ​​of love, forgiveness, tolerance, acceptance of others and to fear Almighty God in every word we utter and with each act that we do.

While we are approaching Christmas, we need to fill ourselves with its spirit and act accordingly. The spirit of love, modesty, forgiveness and holiness.

Let us pray, that we and every body else shall wake up from the coma of selfishness and remember the true meaning of love as Jesus taught us.

"My commandment is this: love one another, just as I love you. The greatest love you can have for your friends is to give your life for them". (John 15/12-13)


Elias Bejjani*
Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com
Elias Bejjani's Face Book site http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=602442765#!/

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Faith, Love, Commandments And Works

By: Elias Bejjani*

John 15/10: " If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love".

Do not ever be ashamed or feel guilty for having a good, loving, caring and forgiving heart. There is nothing wrong when we adopt an on going extended hand attitude with a positive approach in face of setbacks, betrayals, hardships, disappointments, enmities and all sorts of difficulties. It is extremely righteous for each one of us to genuinely turn off any page that has been dark, painful and non functional to go on with life journey looking for what is like ourselves and not like any body else.

Righteous virtues are not the out come of weakness but of strength, not of naivety, but of nobility, not of cowardice, but of great courage. Only people with strong faith can cherish and hold to such life qualities and practice what they preach.

We all ought to continuously remember that flowers are not ashamed from the intensity of their fragrant and beauty, nor the sun is shy of its light. The sun shines on all people, bad and good, poor and rich, sick and healthy. We have to be so generous with every body else and non judgmental like the water spring that provides water to who ever comes to drink without asking questions. It abundantly gives to who ever is thirsty

Our Life is always what we want it to be. When we pursue misery, miserable it will become. When we look for happiness, happiness shall prevail. Faith in God is a cornerstone in our lives provided we complete it with works.

With faith we get hope and respect for life itself. We know who we are, who created us and why on His image. We come to fully recognize where we are, what is right and what is wrong and to understand that all people, no matter what the color of their skin is are our bothers and sisters and that Almighty God is our Loving Father.

Faith opens both minds and hearts on the Judgment Day when either we go back to our God's mansions or be thrown in Hell.

Faith equips us with a clear criteria for what is right and wrong, righteous and evil, acceptable and unacceptable.
Faith helps us to enjoy self respect, dignity and actual internal peace.
Faith makes us believe in equality and in practicing it to its full in our lives.
Faith teaches us to accept ourselves and others for who we are.
Faith makes us recognize that each person is a unique entity.
Faith makes us understand without any doubts that by the end, no matter what, the devil and the evil people will never be victorious. Why? because God, Our Father does not allow that to happen.

Faithful people know for sure that evil may prevail for some time, but the last word is for Almighty God and for every thing that is Godly.
Faithful people know for sure that injustice may prevail for some time, but the last word is always for God's Justice.
Faithful people know for sure that hatred may win for some time, but the last word is for love

Why by the end evil never wins and is always defeated and downtrodden?
Simply because the Lord is stronger than all evil, all injustice, all grudges and all sorts of hatred, and most importantly because He is the God of peace, forgiveness, Justice and love.

God Himself is love, Yes, God is love and the Bible tells us clearly that the act of loving is the cornerstone of all commandments.
Matthew 22/37-40: "Jesus said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."

Saint Peter's description of love is so powerful: "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. (1 Corinthians 13/4-8)

Can any one love and hate at the same time? No not the righteous ones who know that hatred and love can not live together. Only hypocrites can do that. And yes they might succeed in fooling and tricking others for a while, but never they can fool or trick Almighty God.

In conclusion: Love Does Not Seek its own and does not rejoice in unrighteousness. Love rejoices with the truth. "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ" (Romans 10/17)., But at the same time "Faith Without Works Is Dead" as Saint James ( 2/14-20) explains: What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead".

Let us pray for the God of Love to fill our hearts and minds with the gifts of love, modesty, forgiveness and not to subject us to the final test.

Elias Bejjani*
Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com
Elias Bejjani's Face Book site http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=602442765#!/