By: Elias Bejjani*
Fouad Afram Boustani, (1904- 1994), the Lebanese Maronite historian described the Maronite denomination as, a faith of intelligence, an identification of life, a solid belief in Catholicism, a love for others, an ongoing struggle for righteousness, a mentality of openness on the whole world, and on its different civilizations, and a vehicle for martyrdom. The Maronites established the state of Lebanon and made it an oasis for the persecuted in the middle East. They believed and practiced multiculturalism and pluralism. They created with the help of other minorities in the Middle East the unique nation of Lebanon.
The Maronites made Lebanon their homeland since the 4th century after converting its native inhabitants to Christianity. They were identified by it, and it was identified by them, they were and still are one entity. The Maronite people were always hopeful, faithful and strong believers in the Christian Catholic doctrine. They made victories of defeats, joy of sorrow and hope of despair. The Maronites successfully created with hard work and a great deal of faith and sacrifices, the Maronite nation by fulfilling its four basic pillars, a land, a people, a civilization and a politically independent entity. They constantly fight for what was theirs, and never ever surrendered to despair.
On the ninth of February for the past 1600 years, Maronites in Lebanon and all over the world have been celebrating the annual commemoration of St. Maroun, the founder of their Christian Catholic denomination.
Every year, on the ninth of February, more than ten million Maronites from all over the world celebrate St. Maroun’s day. On this day, they pay their respect to the great founder of the Maronite Church, Maroun the priest, the hermit, the father, the leader and the Saint. They remember what they have been exposed to, since the 4th century, both good and bad times. They reminisce through the past, examine the present and contemplate the future. They pray for peace, democracy and freedom in Lebanon, their homeland, and all over the world.
Who was this Saint, how did he establish his church, where did he live, and who are his people, the Maronites?
St. Maroun, according to the late great Lebanese philosopher and historian, Fouad Afram Al-Bustani, was raised in the city of Kouroch. This city is located northeast of Antioch (presently in Turkey), and to the northwest of Herapolos (Manbieg), the capital of the third Syria (Al-Furatia). Kouroch is still presently in existence in Turkey, it is located 15 kilometers to the northwest of Kalas city, and about 70 kilometers to the north of the Syrian city, Aleppo.
As stated by the historians, Father Boutrous Daou and Fouad Fram Bustani, Maroun chose a very high location at the Semaan Mountain (called in the past, Nabo Mountain, after the pagan god, Nabo). Geographically, the Semaan Mountain is located between Antioch and Aleppo. People had abandoned the mountain for years, and the area was completely deserted.
The ruins of a historic pagan temple that existed on the mountain attracted Maroun. Boustan stated that St. Maroun moved to this mountain and decided to follow the life of a hermit. He made the ruined temple his residence after excoriating it from devils, but used it only for masses and offerings of the holy Eucharist. He used to spend all his time in the open air, praying, fasting and depriving his body from all means of comfort. He became very famous in the whole area for his faith, holiness and power of curing. Thousands of believers came to him seeking help and advice.
St. Maroun, was an excellent knowledgeable preacher and a very stubborn believer in Christ and in Christianity. He was a mystic who started a new ascetic-spiritual method that attracted many people from all over the Antiochian Empire. He was a zealous missionary with a passion to spread the message of Christ by preaching it to others. He sought not only to cure the physical ailments that people suffered, but had a great quest for nurturing and healing the "lost souls" of both pagans and Christians of his time. Maroun’s holiness and countless miracles drew attention throughout the Antiochian Empire. St. John of Chrysostom sent him a letter around 405 AD expressing his great love and respect asking St. Maroun to pray for him.
St. Maroun's way was deeply monastic with emphasis on the spiritual and ascetic aspects of living. For him, all was connected to God and God was connected to all. He did not separate the physical and spiritual world and actually used the physical world to deepen his faith and spiritual experience with God. St. Maroun embraced the quiet solitude of the Semaan Mountain life. He lived in the open air exposed to the forces of nature such as sun, rain, hail and snow. His extraordinary desire to come to know God’s presence in all things allowed him to transcend such forces, and discover an intimate union with God. He was able to free himself from the physical world by his passion and eagerness for prayer and enter into a mystical relationship of love with the creator.
St. Maroun attracted hundreds of monks and priests who came to live with him and become his disciples and loyal Christian followers. Maroun’s disciples preached the Bible in the Antiochan Empire (known at the present time as Syria), Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq, Jordan and Israel, They built hundreds of Churches and abbeys as well as schools and were known for their faith, devotion and perseverance.
At the age of seventy, in the year 410 AD, and after completing his holy mission, St. Maroun died peacefully while surrounded by his disciples and followers. His will was to be buried in the same grave with his beloved teacher, the great monk, Zabena, in the town of Kena, next to Kouroch city, where a temple was built in Zabena’s name. St. Maroun’s will was not fulfilled, because the residents of a nearby town were able to take his body and bury him in their town and build a huge church on his grave. This church was a shrine for Christians for hundreds of years, and its ruins are still apparent in that town.
After Maroun’s death, his disciples built a huge monastery in honor of his name, adjacent to the ornate spring, (Naher Al-Assi, located at the Syrian-Lebanese border). The monastery served for hundreds of years as a pillar for faith, education, martyrhood and holiness. It was destroyed at the beginning of the tenth century that witnessed the worst Christian persecution era. During the savage attack on the monastery more than 300 Maronite priests were killed. The surviving priests moved to the mountains of Lebanon where with the Marada people and the native Lebanese were successful in establishing the Maronite nation. They converted the Lebanese mountains to a fortress of faith and a symbol for martyrhood, endurance and perseverance.
Initially the Maronite movement reached Lebanon when St. Maroun's first disciple Abraham of Cyrrhus, who was called the Apostle of Lebanon, realized that paganism was thriving in Lebanon, so he set out to convert the pagans to Christianity by introducing them to the way of St. Maroun. St. Maroun is considered to be the Father of the spiritual and monastic movement now called the Maronite Church. This movement had a profound influence on northern Syria, Lebanon, Cyprus and on many other countries all over the world where the Maronites currently live. The biggest Maronite community at the present time lives in Brazil. More than six million Lebanese descendents made Brazil their home after the massive emigration that took place from Lebanon in the beginning of this century.
God Bless all those who struggle for freedom and liberty all over the world
*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/
Face Book http://www.facebook.com/elias.y.bejjani
Friday, February 8, 2013
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Hezbollah's Inflated Ego And Entity
Hezbollah's Inflated Ego And Entity
By: Elias Bejjani*
The frightening Hezbollah's devastating cancerous ailment is hitting Lebanon hard and mercilessly and the Lebanese people on all levels and in all domains are the victims. Meanwhile, the most dangerous sign of this killing ailment is the inflated ego-entity of Hezbollah's members and supporters. The destructive effects of their inflated ego-entity are not only threatening the Lebanese who oppose Hezbollah's Iranian schemes and occupation, but most severely damaging Hezbollah's own community, supporters and members.
It has become very clear that Hezbollah's milieu, and inner circles on all levels are living a very serious sickening grandiose delusion through which its armed as well its unarmed members and supporters do not respect the rights of all other Lebanese and accordingly deal with them in a sense of superiority. In this situation, the group mostly hit by this false inflation is Hezbollah's own community where not even one day passes without a bloody incident among its supporters or members.
Those hit by this symptom of inflation commit all kinds of horrible mayhem and chaos, they manufacture, grow, distribute and export illicit drugs, launder money, sell weapons, steal, kill, infringe on all the land laws, challenge human rights, invade regions and homes inside Lebanon, and assassinate, intimidate, and humiliate anyone who opposes them, and kidnap and exercise every Mafioso atrocity.
Sadly, the Lebanese state is helpless, the officials are puppets, the army and all other security forces are either terrorized, fully controlled or totally castrated; the politicians and clergy are corrupt and the judiciary is crippled.
By force, terrorism and intimidation, Hezbollah practically occupies Lebanon according to all internationally recognized criteria. Its Iranian affiliated leadership controls the country's decision making process and dominates its governing bodies, including the parliament, cabinet and security institutions.
The Lebanese people alone are unable to free their country from the savage Hezbollah occupation and unless the Free World countries step in and give them a hand, the Hezbollah cancer is going to spread all over the region.
It is worth mentioning that Hezbollah is a mere Iranian army proxy and tool used openly by the Iranian mullahs to carry out their scheme of expansionism in a bid to erect their sectarian empire.
History teaches us that thugs, thieves, and terrorists no matter how mighty they become or how big their weapons caches are, or how many armed men they have, no matter what, they will ultimately be defeated, humiliated and made to pay for all the crimes they committed against others.
The Lebanese proverb: “If it had remained for others it would not have come to you”, envisages the definite end of all those that are evil. Hezbollah's leadership, as well those in control of the Axis of Evil in both Iran and Syria, must be very cautious and re-evaluate their bloody and expansionist scheme because in Lebanon there is no one that is bigger or mightier than the Lebanese holy cause that encompasses freedom, equality, independence, sovereignty peace and coexistence.
The ultimate fate of all those who at the present time occupy and terrorize the Lebanese people is not going in any way to be different from the fate of all those evil powers all though history that invaded and occupied other countries or committed crimes against others. They will face the same fate that they inflicted on others as the prophet Isaiah states (Isaiah 33/01 and 02): “Our enemies are doomed! They have robbed and betrayed, although no one has robbed them or betrayed them. But their time to rob and betray will end, and they themselves will become victims of robbery and treachery”.
Reality and history prove with no doubt and on daily basis that no one, no one human being has left this earthly world and was able to carry with him to the grave or to the other world be it heaven or hell any of his riches, power or status because all that is earthly remains on the earth while people vanish and return to ashes, from which God made them. When Almighty God decides to take back his gift, the soul, the human body dies instantly, loses all its vitality, becomes cold, motionless, breathless and within less than two weeks its own dormant worms turn it back to ashes.
The righteous return happily and joyfully to their Father’s heavenly domain, while the evil ones are pushed away and thrown in Hell, "where the worm does not die and the fire is not quenched." (Mark 9:48).
Those righteous and faithful who obey God's commandments in both faith and acts will never ever be left alone. God and His angels always safeguard them. Prophet Isaiah stresses on the fact that God always affirms His endless love: "Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand". (41:10-13)
We call on all those who are inflicting pain on our peace-loving people in Lebanon to put an immediate end to all their atrocities, ask God for forgiveness and repent before it is too late. God is a merciful and always willing to forgive those who ask for forgiveness.
*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#!/
By: Elias Bejjani*
The frightening Hezbollah's devastating cancerous ailment is hitting Lebanon hard and mercilessly and the Lebanese people on all levels and in all domains are the victims. Meanwhile, the most dangerous sign of this killing ailment is the inflated ego-entity of Hezbollah's members and supporters. The destructive effects of their inflated ego-entity are not only threatening the Lebanese who oppose Hezbollah's Iranian schemes and occupation, but most severely damaging Hezbollah's own community, supporters and members.
It has become very clear that Hezbollah's milieu, and inner circles on all levels are living a very serious sickening grandiose delusion through which its armed as well its unarmed members and supporters do not respect the rights of all other Lebanese and accordingly deal with them in a sense of superiority. In this situation, the group mostly hit by this false inflation is Hezbollah's own community where not even one day passes without a bloody incident among its supporters or members.
Those hit by this symptom of inflation commit all kinds of horrible mayhem and chaos, they manufacture, grow, distribute and export illicit drugs, launder money, sell weapons, steal, kill, infringe on all the land laws, challenge human rights, invade regions and homes inside Lebanon, and assassinate, intimidate, and humiliate anyone who opposes them, and kidnap and exercise every Mafioso atrocity.
Sadly, the Lebanese state is helpless, the officials are puppets, the army and all other security forces are either terrorized, fully controlled or totally castrated; the politicians and clergy are corrupt and the judiciary is crippled.
By force, terrorism and intimidation, Hezbollah practically occupies Lebanon according to all internationally recognized criteria. Its Iranian affiliated leadership controls the country's decision making process and dominates its governing bodies, including the parliament, cabinet and security institutions.
The Lebanese people alone are unable to free their country from the savage Hezbollah occupation and unless the Free World countries step in and give them a hand, the Hezbollah cancer is going to spread all over the region.
It is worth mentioning that Hezbollah is a mere Iranian army proxy and tool used openly by the Iranian mullahs to carry out their scheme of expansionism in a bid to erect their sectarian empire.
History teaches us that thugs, thieves, and terrorists no matter how mighty they become or how big their weapons caches are, or how many armed men they have, no matter what, they will ultimately be defeated, humiliated and made to pay for all the crimes they committed against others.
The Lebanese proverb: “If it had remained for others it would not have come to you”, envisages the definite end of all those that are evil. Hezbollah's leadership, as well those in control of the Axis of Evil in both Iran and Syria, must be very cautious and re-evaluate their bloody and expansionist scheme because in Lebanon there is no one that is bigger or mightier than the Lebanese holy cause that encompasses freedom, equality, independence, sovereignty peace and coexistence.
The ultimate fate of all those who at the present time occupy and terrorize the Lebanese people is not going in any way to be different from the fate of all those evil powers all though history that invaded and occupied other countries or committed crimes against others. They will face the same fate that they inflicted on others as the prophet Isaiah states (Isaiah 33/01 and 02): “Our enemies are doomed! They have robbed and betrayed, although no one has robbed them or betrayed them. But their time to rob and betray will end, and they themselves will become victims of robbery and treachery”.
Reality and history prove with no doubt and on daily basis that no one, no one human being has left this earthly world and was able to carry with him to the grave or to the other world be it heaven or hell any of his riches, power or status because all that is earthly remains on the earth while people vanish and return to ashes, from which God made them. When Almighty God decides to take back his gift, the soul, the human body dies instantly, loses all its vitality, becomes cold, motionless, breathless and within less than two weeks its own dormant worms turn it back to ashes.
The righteous return happily and joyfully to their Father’s heavenly domain, while the evil ones are pushed away and thrown in Hell, "where the worm does not die and the fire is not quenched." (Mark 9:48).
Those righteous and faithful who obey God's commandments in both faith and acts will never ever be left alone. God and His angels always safeguard them. Prophet Isaiah stresses on the fact that God always affirms His endless love: "Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand". (41:10-13)
We call on all those who are inflicting pain on our peace-loving people in Lebanon to put an immediate end to all their atrocities, ask God for forgiveness and repent before it is too late. God is a merciful and always willing to forgive those who ask for forgiveness.
*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#!/
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Modesty is a Priceless and Everlasting Fortune
By: Elias Bejjani
"He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has put down princes from their thrones. And has exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things. He has sent the rich away empty". (Luke 01/51-54)
Those who falsely delude themselves into thinking they are superior to others, super wise and can do everything and any thing, fall into the evil trap of arrogance. By doing so they badly detach themselves from the reality of God's love. They build delusional castles in their minds, imprison themselves inside its imaginary gates and ultimately become completely blind in both heart and soul .
Arrogant individuals inevitably become hostile, angry, childish, selfish, antisocial and narcissists who are not welcomed anywhere. People avoid those who brag and exalt themselves. Arrogance is a very serious social problem caused by lack of faith that needs to be fixed before it gets worse. God does not bless those who are arrogant.
Almighty God has made it very clear in His Holy Book that He does not like those who are pompous, proud, and conceited because He Himself is a caring, humble, and meek Father. "Come to me, all you who labour and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart; and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30)
Meanwhile, we cannot solve any problem unless we admit that it actually exists, and at the same time become fully aware of its causing factors. We cannot defeat the evil of arrogance and the destructive self-exaltation that results unless we know our own capabilities, means and resources. And most importantly, recognize that all people are brothers and sisters to one Father, the Almighty God.
One might wonder why some people tend to behave in such a way that they end being socially hated and isolated. Mainly because of their ignorance, distorted self-image, and most importantly because they have very little or no faith at all. They fail to gain genuine friends and have no room for intimate and long lasting relationships. Even their close family members avoid them and do not feel comfortable in their presence. They cannot love others because of their narcissism.
These disturbed individuals need to be humble, loving, and honest to overcome their arrogant behaviour. They need to call on Almighty God for the grace of humility. God always responds to our calls and prayers when we put our full trust in Him, recognize His love, and lay our lives in His generous hands. "Most certainly I tell you, if you have faith, and don’t doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you told this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ it would be done. All things, whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive." (Matthew 21/21-22)
Humility is the magic curing medicine for arrogance. This heavenly grace is always there for us if and when we pursue it with faith and unquestionable trust in God. Knowing what humility means to our lives and for our salvation is critically important.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow His precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise. (Psalm 111:10)
There is humility that comes from the fear of God, and there is humility that comes from God Himself. Some are modest because they fear God, and some are modest because they know how to live with all the heavenly endowments that banishes all doubts, fears, selfishness, hatred, covetousness and grudges from our earthly nature.
Those who fear God are humble because they enjoy peace within themselves. Those who fear God watch what they say and do, find sweetness in their bodies which are God's temples, and experience the priceless grace of balance in their senses, granting them full control over their instincts and a forgiving heart at all times.
Those who are humble because they know and experience genuine happiness with purity, enjoy great simplicity all the time with a cheerful and transparent heart. God loves the humble and always comes to their rescue so that no hardships or evil things can weaken their faith, entrap them into the temptations of the wicked and unrighteous, or makes them slaves to sin. Jesus Christ Himself has set the rules in regards to humility: "But he who is greatest among you will be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." (Matthew 23/11-12)
The Bible (Malachi 4/1-6), Tells us exactly what the proud and wicked will be facing on the Day of Judgment. Let us never forget this or keep a blind eye on it:
“For, behold, the day comes, it burns as a furnace; and all the proud, and all who work wickedness, will be stubble; and the day that comes will burn them up,” says Yahweh of Armies, “that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But to you who fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in its wings. You will go out, and leap like calves of the stall. You shall tread down the wicked; for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I make,” says Yahweh of Armies. “Remember the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded to him in Horeb for all Israel, even statutes and ordinances. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of Yahweh comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse."
In conclusion, humbleness is a blessed grace that we need to pursue via faith, love and fear of God. To be really God's children we must dearly hold on to this grace and integrate it into our every day life, heart, mind and practise. We are all equal and have one Father who created us on his image. We are all one family, brothers and sisters no matter who we are. That we are all children of God the Father is true no matter where we live, what our racial identity is, the language we speak, the social status that we enjoy, the wealth that we have, the strength that we possess, and even whether we are good or sinful. Almighty God is our loving Father and accordingly we must learn to be humble before Him and love each other more intimately as members of His one family.
*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#!/
"He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has put down princes from their thrones. And has exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things. He has sent the rich away empty". (Luke 01/51-54)
Those who falsely delude themselves into thinking they are superior to others, super wise and can do everything and any thing, fall into the evil trap of arrogance. By doing so they badly detach themselves from the reality of God's love. They build delusional castles in their minds, imprison themselves inside its imaginary gates and ultimately become completely blind in both heart and soul .
Arrogant individuals inevitably become hostile, angry, childish, selfish, antisocial and narcissists who are not welcomed anywhere. People avoid those who brag and exalt themselves. Arrogance is a very serious social problem caused by lack of faith that needs to be fixed before it gets worse. God does not bless those who are arrogant.
Almighty God has made it very clear in His Holy Book that He does not like those who are pompous, proud, and conceited because He Himself is a caring, humble, and meek Father. "Come to me, all you who labour and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart; and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30)
Meanwhile, we cannot solve any problem unless we admit that it actually exists, and at the same time become fully aware of its causing factors. We cannot defeat the evil of arrogance and the destructive self-exaltation that results unless we know our own capabilities, means and resources. And most importantly, recognize that all people are brothers and sisters to one Father, the Almighty God.
One might wonder why some people tend to behave in such a way that they end being socially hated and isolated. Mainly because of their ignorance, distorted self-image, and most importantly because they have very little or no faith at all. They fail to gain genuine friends and have no room for intimate and long lasting relationships. Even their close family members avoid them and do not feel comfortable in their presence. They cannot love others because of their narcissism.
These disturbed individuals need to be humble, loving, and honest to overcome their arrogant behaviour. They need to call on Almighty God for the grace of humility. God always responds to our calls and prayers when we put our full trust in Him, recognize His love, and lay our lives in His generous hands. "Most certainly I tell you, if you have faith, and don’t doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you told this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ it would be done. All things, whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive." (Matthew 21/21-22)
Humility is the magic curing medicine for arrogance. This heavenly grace is always there for us if and when we pursue it with faith and unquestionable trust in God. Knowing what humility means to our lives and for our salvation is critically important.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow His precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise. (Psalm 111:10)
There is humility that comes from the fear of God, and there is humility that comes from God Himself. Some are modest because they fear God, and some are modest because they know how to live with all the heavenly endowments that banishes all doubts, fears, selfishness, hatred, covetousness and grudges from our earthly nature.
Those who fear God are humble because they enjoy peace within themselves. Those who fear God watch what they say and do, find sweetness in their bodies which are God's temples, and experience the priceless grace of balance in their senses, granting them full control over their instincts and a forgiving heart at all times.
Those who are humble because they know and experience genuine happiness with purity, enjoy great simplicity all the time with a cheerful and transparent heart. God loves the humble and always comes to their rescue so that no hardships or evil things can weaken their faith, entrap them into the temptations of the wicked and unrighteous, or makes them slaves to sin. Jesus Christ Himself has set the rules in regards to humility: "But he who is greatest among you will be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." (Matthew 23/11-12)
The Bible (Malachi 4/1-6), Tells us exactly what the proud and wicked will be facing on the Day of Judgment. Let us never forget this or keep a blind eye on it:
“For, behold, the day comes, it burns as a furnace; and all the proud, and all who work wickedness, will be stubble; and the day that comes will burn them up,” says Yahweh of Armies, “that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But to you who fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in its wings. You will go out, and leap like calves of the stall. You shall tread down the wicked; for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I make,” says Yahweh of Armies. “Remember the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded to him in Horeb for all Israel, even statutes and ordinances. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of Yahweh comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse."
In conclusion, humbleness is a blessed grace that we need to pursue via faith, love and fear of God. To be really God's children we must dearly hold on to this grace and integrate it into our every day life, heart, mind and practise. We are all equal and have one Father who created us on his image. We are all one family, brothers and sisters no matter who we are. That we are all children of God the Father is true no matter where we live, what our racial identity is, the language we speak, the social status that we enjoy, the wealth that we have, the strength that we possess, and even whether we are good or sinful. Almighty God is our loving Father and accordingly we must learn to be humble before Him and love each other more intimately as members of His one family.
*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#!/
Monday, December 31, 2012
A New Year Of Hope, Faith and Peace
By: Elias Bejjani*
I wish that all those who read or follow my work in both Arabic and English will share with me a Biblical new year resolution that is derived from context of below Biblical Verse. A resolution and a vow to fight all through this new year the evil inside our minds and to tame all our instincts' of destructive lust and desires.
"What I say is this: let the Spirit direct your lives, and you will not satisfy the desires of the human nature. For what our human nature wants is opposed to what the Spirit wants, and what the Spirit wants is opposed to what our human nature wants. These two are enemies, and this means that you cannot do what you want to do. If the Spirit leads you, then you are not subject to the Law. What human nature does is quite plain. It shows itself in immoral, filthy, and indecent actions; in worship of idols and witchcraft. People become enemies and they fight; they become jealous, angry, and ambitious. They separate into parties and groups; they are envious, get drunk, have orgies, and do other things like these. I warn you now as I have before: those who do these things will not possess the Kingdom of God. But the Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, and self-control. There is no law against such things as these. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have put to death their human nature with all its passions and desires. The Spirit has given us life; he must also control our lives. We must not be proud or irritate one another or be jealous of one another. (Galatians 05/16-26)
Definitely it is very difficult to abide by this Godly resolution, BUT if we belief in ourselves and trust in Almighty God, Our loving Father, we shall make the resolution a reality and an achievement.
With a spirit of faith and self-trust, let us all welcome the new year, with an open hearts and extended hands to all others, especially to those family members, relatives, friends and acquaintances with whom we were not in good terms during the last year.
Let us on day one of this new year close the last year's messy page and open a new and totally blank one with full readiness for forgiveness, and a genuine willingness for recognizing our wrongdoings in a bid to come with a practical plan for repentance.
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.
"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." (Romans 08:16-19)
We should never ever doubt God's deep love for each and every one of us. How could He not love us when we are His children. How could He abandon us when He has 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.
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.
In this new year, Our Father, Almighty God, 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. We ask you not to allow vengeance 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.
"Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear". (Matthew 13:43)
God's teachings in regards to vengeance is very clear: "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." ( Romans 12:19-21)
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.
Let us pray that during this new year, 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.
With the 2013 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.
With the beginning of the new year, let us all ask almighty God to shower on every one the graces of health, prosperity, peace, faith, and hope. Let us pray for peace and tranquility in all countries, especially where devastating wars, conflicts, and discrimination are going on.
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/.
Monday, December 24, 2012
I Asked God For Christmas Gifts, He Said: No !!
By: Elias Bejjani*
What does Christmas mean to believers? Simply it means love, because Almighty God, Our Beloved Father wanted to save us, we, His children, from the slavery of the original sin. For this fundamental fatherhood reason: "He was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead." (The Creed)
Yes, He wanted for us to be free and back to His heavenly mansions that He built specially for us. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him". (John 03/16-17).
God become a human being in the Person of Jesus Christ because He loves us, we, His children, and decided to save us. One might wonder why God would do all this? The answer, simply is because He is love
itself. "But God demonstrated His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 05/08).
This year I decided to speak directly to God, as I do each day through my prayers, yet somehow in a very different way. I set down and after saying my regular prayers I started asking Him for certain and very specific gifts and favors for myself and others and at the same vividly contemplate His answers based on all that I have learned all through my 67 years of age and grasped from the Holy Bible.
I asked Almighty God to kill my pride, He said: No, I do not have to do so, you should tame it yourself because I do not have mercy on the wicked and proud. “For, behold, the day comes, it burns as a furnace; and all the proud, and all who work wickedness, will be stubble; and the day that comes will burn them up,” says Yahweh of Armies, “that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. (Malachi 04/1-2).
I asked Almighty God for a cure for a beloved person who is very sick and cannot control what he does. He said: No, his spirit is what matters and his spirit is perfect. Meanwhile, his body is inevitably mortal. "For dust you are and to dust you will return". (Genesis 3:19)
I asked Almighty God to grant me patience in a bid to maintain my faith and solidify my hope in the face of the hardships that I am encountering, He said: No, patience comes from tribulations. Patience is not granted but earned. You have to challenge your instincts and defeat them, especially those of hatred, grudges, envy and selfishness.
I asked Almighty God if the greater love is loving ourselves as the psychologists and therapists teach these days? . He said No, "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. (John 15/13)
I asked Almighty God to grant me happiness, He said: No, I shall shower you with blessings and graces if you ask and long for them, while happiness is to be made by you and not by any body else.
I asked Almighty God to spare me pain, He said: No, pain keeps you away from earthly concerns and brings you closer to me.
I asked Almighty God to make my soul grow and thrive. He said: No, your soul's growth and prosperity is your own responsibility, but I will pull you towards Me so you might abundantly bear fruits.
I asked Almighty God to make me rich and powerful and at the same time solidify my faith. He said: No, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money". (Matthew 6:24).
I asked Almighty God to help me lay earthly treasures. He said No, “Don’t lay up treasures for yourselves on the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume, and where thieves don’t break through and steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 06/19-22)
I asked Almighty God to help me take acts of revenge against those who harmed me badly and inflicted pain, misery and ineradicable hardships on me. He said: No, "Do not take revenge, but leave room for My wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," (Romans 12:19)
I asked Almighty God to allow me hate those who hate me. He said: No," Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. (Luke 6:28).
I asked Almighty God to spare me from temptation. He said: No, "Let no man say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God,” for God can’t be tempted by evil, and He Himself tempts no one. But each one is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. Then the lust, when it has conceived, bears sin; and the sin, when it is full grown, brings forth death. (James 01/13-15)
I asked Almighty God if He forgives those who are evil and cause others to stumble. He said: No, "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him that a huge millstone should be hung around his neck, and that he should be sunk in the depths of the sea." (Matthew 18/06)
I asked Almighty God to love me, He said: Yes I do, I have sacrificed My only begotten son so you can live forever, if you believe in Me.
By the end, I found that all these above answers came from within me, from my conscience, which is in fact the sound of God Himself.
Thanks to God for keeping my conscience alive, sensitive, and full with fear of You all the time. Thank You for loving me and enlightening my life modesty, love, faith and hope. Thank you for all the generous graces that You shower continuously on me, on my family, on my country and on all the people and countries. Thank You for the gift of life.
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/
*Face Book: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/home.php?sk=group_128479277182033&ap=1
Friday, December 14, 2012
Killing Innocent Children in Connecticute is savagity itself
By: Elias Bejjani
John 11/25.26
“I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me will live, even though they die; and those who live and believe in me will never die.
The crazy and criminal shooting that targeted today an elementary school in Connecticute, USA, and caused the killing of 27 people, including 20 students is an act of mere savagity. God bless the souls of the victims and His endless and unlimited mercy be with all those injured to help them recover soon. Our warmest condolences to the families of all the victims and the injured. In hard, sad and difficult times one can not but keel, raise his hand up and pray asking almighty God for mercy, patience and hope.
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/
Elias Bejjani's Face Book site http://www.facebook.com/home.php
قتل الأطفال الأبرياء هو الوحشية بعينها
الياس بجاني/14 كانون الأول/12/لا يمكن وصف الحادث الدموي والإجرامي الذي وقع اليوم في مدرسة للأطفال، في ولاية كونيتيكت الأمريكية بغير الوحشي، حيث قتل مسلح شاب داخل المدرسة ما يزيد عن 27 شخصاً من بينهم 20 طفلاً. نطلب من الله العلي أن يرحم نفوس الذين قتلوا وأن يمد يد العون والرحمة للجرحى وأن يلهم أهاليهم وأقرباءهم الصبر والسلوان. في الأوقات الصعبة والشديدة القساوة ليس للإنسان من يلجأ إليه سوى الله. فلنركع ونرفع أيدينا نحو السماء ونصلي طالبين منه الرأفة والرحمة والصبر.
Monday, December 3, 2012
Conscience Is The Lord's Voice In Us
By: Elias Bejjani*
Back home, in Lebanon, the land of the holy cedars, our people have this religious saying that recognizes the importance of the conscience for the righteous: "If you do not have shame, do whatever you want." Shame is a feeling that human beings experience when their conscience makes them aware that what they are doing or saying is not righteous.
If you have ever done someone wrong and then found yourself blushing and unable to look that person in the eye, you have experienced the power of the conscience. Conscience has a tremendous power over the spirit to either bring it great strength or to sap it of its power.
The Concise Oxford Dictionary defines conscience as our moral sense of right and wrong, while Biblically, it is to many, believers the God's voice in their mind.
The Bible teaches that God has placed basic principles of His Law in every person's conscience. "Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them". (Romans 02/14-15).
The conscience operates whether or not the person ever reads the Bible or even has been told anything about God. However, by the constant ignoring of that conscience, the internal voice can be dulled to the point that when evil is done the conscience responds very little or not at all. A conscience in this condition is referred to as a seared conscience. "Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron" (01 Timothy 04/02 )
To be prepared and always ready for facing Almighty God happily on the Day Of Judgment with the needed credits that qualifies us to return to His heavenly mansions, we are ought to keep our conscience alive and functional. Conscience is God's voice that lives in and with us and keeps safeguarding and protecting us from sins via cautioning.
"Beware that your hearts (Conscience) do not become drowsy from carousing (festivities and partying) and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that day catch you by surprise like a trap. For that day will assault everyone who lives on the face of the earth. Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man." (Luke 21/34-36)
What does it mean when we say that a person has no conscience?
It simply indicates that this person does not fear God, abides by no criteria for what is righteous and evil, has no shame, has no feelings, does not count for the consequences and most importantly he lives in the sin slavery. A man who has numbed, dulled or totally killed his conscience does know the truth which is God. '"And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (.John 08:32)
In this context, if we allow without any resistance our sickening arrogance, inflated ego, and self-centered thinking to fool and deceive us that we are strong, infallible, mighty, wiser than every body else, above all accountability, and that The Lord can do nothing about our conduct, be good or bad, than we lose ourselves and become an easy prey to the devil's temptations. Such pompous person does not listen to his conscience and intentionally ignores it completely. "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." (Lord's Prayer)
Yes the Lord entirely knows not only our secrets, the depth of our faith, the aims and sorts of our acts, the honesty or dishonesty of our intentions, but also knows very well all our thoughts. He is our loving Father, and like each and every caring and responsible father He wants us to be righteous. He wants us to be the best and to ultimately after our earthly transient journey to back to His own heavenly mansion that He himself has built for us and not any human being.
“Do not let your hearts (conscience) be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am". (John 14/01-03)
He, The Lord, is our conscience, yes, He is. He never abandons us under any given circumstances no matter what, unless we want Him to do so and ask Him to leave when we numb our conscience and stop listening . When we do so, we defy Him and fall into temptations. He, The Lord, the conscience advices and cautions, but it is up to us to either listen and obey or not.
Why The Lord does not force us to do and say what only is righteous? Why He does not entirely control, dominate and run our lives so we do not do any thing that is wrong or sinful?Why He does not interfere and stop us when committing sins?Why He does not prevent us from falling into temptation or defying Him?
The straightforward answer for all these questions is simply because He granted us the full freedom when He "for for us men, and for our salvation, came down from the Heavens, and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became man; And was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, suffered and was buried; And arose again on the third day" (The Creed).
Jesus was crucified to free us from the original sin and to render us free from the yoke of slavery. Therefore we run our life, and our fate and accordingly we are accountable and responsible for the consequences. We face the accountability on the Judgment Day and as long as we are alive and can breath we have the full freedom to follow any track that we freely chose for our life.
Our Father, The Lord, has granted us the freedom to do and say what ever we want, but with a very clear caution of the consequences. His voice in us, the conscience cautions us all the time and all what we have to do is to listen and obey. And because we are free and accountable He does not interfere in more than cautioning and cautioning only.
We, not only MUST always listen to our conscience and obey, but also we have an obligation not be a stumbling block for those whose conscience is weak, as Saint Paul teaches us. "Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak. For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols? So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall. (01 Corinthians 8/09-13)
In conclusion, for us to be saved from sin, wrongdoings, stumbling, evil temptations and the lust of instincts, we are ought to continuously listen to the conscience that is God's voice and obey.
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/
Elias Bejjani's Face Book site http://www.facebook.com/home.php
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