Father Nader: “After fasting this day, we pray with the whole world for Lebanon and the salvation of the Lebanese from this ordeal”.
On President Michel Aoun’s initiative, and in response to the appeal of His Holiness, Pope Francis, to the faithful throughout the world to “Establish a day of prayer and fasting for Lebanon” on September 4th, after 1 month of the Beirut Port explosion, a mass was held today in the Chapel of Saint Charbel and Saint Rita at the Presidential Palace, to comfort the souls of martyrs and sooth the wounds of the injured.
The mass was attended by President Aoun, the First Lebanese Lady, Nadia Al-Shami Aoun, the Director General of the Presidency, Dr. Antoine Choucair, and senior presidency officials.
The liturgy was celebrated by Antonine Father, Nader Nader, and assistants: Iskandar Chahwan, Charbel Ghanem, Andre Daher, Ghanem Jabbour, Pierre Abou Jaoudeh, Elie Kaoui, Bio Bou Sleiman and Giorgio Shakhtoura. The message was read by the Presidential Media Advisor, Mr. Rafic Chelala.
Sermon:
After reading the Bible, Father Nader delivered the following Sermon:
“Your Excellency the President,
We meet today around the altar of the Lord, and in the people’s Palace, to raise our prayers to the Lord of the universe and with all the children of the Church in the world, who share with us these blessed moments in which we are spiritually united with you, His Holiness, Pope Francis and all those with good will.
We meet with your Excellency, and we have the honor, and I and my brothers the Antonine monks, with whom I assumed the monastic responsibility on the hill of the Monastery of Saint Anthony- the Antonine Institute- Hadath- Baabda. All for the sake of Lebanon and the salvation of its people from the ordeal that afflicted and from the pandemic that struck.
Yes, prayer is a relationship and a dialogue of love between God and man. It binds together, and it is the bridge through which we cross towards the Lord of heaven and earth, who accepts our supplication, and our prayer.
Your Excellency,
If these global moments that His Holiness Pope Francis wanted were an occasion for meeting, contemplation and prayer, a month after the disaster that struck Lebanon and blew our hearts, then without a doubt it is an occasion to pause, contemplate and take a lesson for a new start because we are the people of hope and we are resurrected and do not know death, since we are the children of life.
We pray and raise this sacrifice of thanksgiving so that peace may return, and that tranquility and joy return to our hearts, to the land of Lebanon- the mission, Lebanon of love, Lebanon of civilization, and every one returns to his conscience and values and always on the guidance of the Holy Spirit who illuminates the lives of all.
Your Excellency,
The Lord Jesus teaches us in his speech about the importance of fasting and prayer that the unclean and evil spirits are only expelled by fasting and prayer: the prayer that originates from the heart expresses faith in God’s love for us, returns inner peace and makes us true witnesses of the Lord in our daily life. Fasting is not an end in itself. Rather, it is a state that develops the Christian spirit, allows for a deep participation in the life and suffering of Christ, and helps to turn to those in need, those left behind, the wounded and the suffering.
We raise our prayers for all the families who have been injured in this ordeal: the homeless families, the wounded and injured with their bodies, the families who lost dear ones, the families who lost the head of the house and couldn’t see his body, and the families who lost faith and hope. They all intend our prayers, seeking healing for the injured and eternal rest for the martyrs, and upholding the values of those who strive.
In the end, I cannot help but pray to you, for the Lord Jesus to inspire you to lead the ship of the nation that suffers from the difficulties of financial and economic life and the plague, and to give you of his Holy Spirit the courage of Saint Paul, the boldness of the living Saint Elias, the wisdom of Saint Peter, and the intercession of Saint Anthony, so that you and your collaborators of good will can cross to the second bank, the bank of life and hope.
Mr. President, may God grant you success and grant us all to be the “Salt of the earth, and the light of the world” in this country in which the Lord wanted us to be the people of the beatitudes and their saints”.
Minute of Silence:
At 6:05pm, which coincided with the date of the Beirut Port explosion, the President and the First Lebanese Lady, stood surrounded by the attendance, for a minute of silence in honor of the souls of the righteous martyrs who passed away in the explosion.