Aug 29, 2012
These Hands which I Fold in Prayer for You
If it were stones that you carried in your hands,
I promise I would take them from you.
If this burden that bends your back
and fills your chest with the calls
of a thousand crows
were anything that I could hold for you,
know that I would fall and open my hands to you now.
But I cannot take the lines from your face
and dig them into
my own skin.
What you carry cannot be handed over.
You cannot lay down the distance
between yourself and your home,
the waiting, the not knowing who
has survived another sunset.
You cannot put down the sleepless nights,
wondering what the rebels are doing to the one in captivity
or the unfamiliar scent that hangs in the air
as the sun shines through the shattered window
of your old church.
You carry the eyes and the stories of your dear ones,
the long quiet roads they must travel to the village,
the mass graves in places where no one was meant to be lain,
the child who hides in the bathroom and continues to scream
after the shooting had
stopped.
You carry the moment when you turned the corner towards home
and learned that man with his weapons
has painted a new landscape over your city,
a sea of old stone gasping for breath beneath a black sky,
a single minaret hovering
in silence
that everyone is afraid to break.
Pictures from Homs, Syria
Aug 28, 2012
Isaiah
11 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;
from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
2 The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—
the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and of might,
the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—
3 and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.
from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
2 The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—
the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and of might,
the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—
3 and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.
He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes,
or decide by what he hears with his ears;
4 but with righteousness he will judge the needy,
with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth.
He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth;
with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.
5 Righteousness will be his belt
and faithfulness the sash around his waist.
or decide by what he hears with his ears;
4 but with righteousness he will judge the needy,
with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth.
He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth;
with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.
5 Righteousness will be his belt
and faithfulness the sash around his waist.
6 The wolf will live with the lamb,
the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling[a] together;
and a little child will lead them.
7 The cow will feed with the bear,
their young will lie down together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
8 The infant will play near the cobra’s den,
and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest.
9 They will neither harm nor destroy
on all my holy mountain,
for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord
as the waters cover the sea.
the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling[a] together;
and a little child will lead them.
7 The cow will feed with the bear,
their young will lie down together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
8 The infant will play near the cobra’s den,
and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest.
9 They will neither harm nor destroy
on all my holy mountain,
for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord
as the waters cover the sea.
Aug 26, 2012
Dozens of Bodies Found in Town Outside Damascus
http://readersupportednews.org/news-section2/330-131/13120-dozens-of-bodies-found-in-town-outside-damascus
Please read the article and the comments which follow beneath the article. It is very difficult to know who to trust. Who is committing these massacres? Is it the Syrian Army or the "Free Syrian Army" or international forces who are manipulating this conflict? If you ask the western media, they will tell you that the Syrian Army is guilty. If I ask my Syrian friends, most of them will say that the rebels are guilty. You can only read what is available and decide for yourself. My only comfort is in knowing that God knows and sees ALL and what makes us all equal in this world is that we will all one day meet our maker and be judged, not according to human knowledge and the human construct of justice, but according to God's perfect judgement. When Jesus returns to this broken earth, His light will sweep into every dark corner, uncover every hidden thing and finally, the beaming light of the Father will reveal that beauty which every heart has longed for, but few have called by name.
Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. Revelation
As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear. Matthew
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. Revelation
Please read the article and the comments which follow beneath the article. It is very difficult to know who to trust. Who is committing these massacres? Is it the Syrian Army or the "Free Syrian Army" or international forces who are manipulating this conflict? If you ask the western media, they will tell you that the Syrian Army is guilty. If I ask my Syrian friends, most of them will say that the rebels are guilty. You can only read what is available and decide for yourself. My only comfort is in knowing that God knows and sees ALL and what makes us all equal in this world is that we will all one day meet our maker and be judged, not according to human knowledge and the human construct of justice, but according to God's perfect judgement. When Jesus returns to this broken earth, His light will sweep into every dark corner, uncover every hidden thing and finally, the beaming light of the Father will reveal that beauty which every heart has longed for, but few have called by name.
Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. Revelation
As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear. Matthew
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. Revelation
Aug 25, 2012
Aug 18, 2012
Aug 15, 2012
To the Immaculate Virgin, On a Winter Night - Written in 1949
Today, I do not have work because in Lebanon there is a national holiday to celebrate the annunciation of the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus. This holiday is celebrated especially by the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox sects of Christianity in Lebanon and all over the world. So, in honor of this holiday, I wanted to share a poem that was written by Thomas Merton, a monk and priest who wrote much poetry in praise and meditation on Mary. There is conflict between the Catholics and Orthodox and the Protestants about how much emphasis should be put on the Virgin Mary, especially regarding whether it is appropriate to pray to Mary or not. Let us just take some time to reflect on what we can learn through the example of Mary in the Bible; she was humble, she answered God's call even though it was more difficult than we can imagine, both at the beginning and the end of Jesus' human life.
The words of this poem are directed to Mary in heaven. Why would a man look around the world, see all the war, destruction and blood, and find that it is most natural, most comforting for himself to speak to Mary, rather than to God or his own priest or friend?
Personally, I come from a mixed family and have been raised in both the Protestant and the Orthodox tradition. So I can understand the Protestant resistance to praying to Mary as though we needed an intercessor between us and our Lord. It is true that we need no intercessor and Jesus welcomes us to speak to Him directly and have a relationship with Him. However, I can also understand that a warmth emanates from each word and verse in the Bible that speaks of Mary and one can see it in the hand of every artist who has ever tried to capture her gentle spirit in a worldly image. It is impossible. And isn't it natural for us humans, to want to speak to someone who understands us, who has also known the pain and joy of birth, the judgmental eyes of others and above all, what it is to sit in the midst of evil and suffering and keep our trust in the Lord?
Please, let us Christians not judge each other, but try to understand and be united in our thankfulness that Mary had the faith and the courage to answer God's call.
Lady, the night is falling and the dark
Steals all the blood from the scarred west.
The stars come out and freeze my heart
With drops of untouchable music, frail as ice
And bitter as the new year's cross.
Where in the world has any voice
Prayed to you, Lady, for the peace that's in your power?
In a day of blood and many beatings
I see the governments rise up, behind the steel horizon,
And take their weapons and begin to kill.
Where in the world has any city trusted you?
Out where the soldiers camp the guns begin to thump
And another winter time comes down
To seal our years in ice.
The last train cries out
And runs in terror from this farmer's valley
Where all the little birds are dead.
The roads are white, the fields are mute
There are no voices in the wood
And trees make gallows up against the sharp-eyed stars.
Oh where will Christ be killed again
In the land of these dead men?
Lady, the night has got us by the heart
And the whole world is tumbling down.
Words turn to ice in my dry throat
Praying for a land without prayer,
Walking to you on water all winter
In a year that wants more war.
The words of this poem are directed to Mary in heaven. Why would a man look around the world, see all the war, destruction and blood, and find that it is most natural, most comforting for himself to speak to Mary, rather than to God or his own priest or friend?
Personally, I come from a mixed family and have been raised in both the Protestant and the Orthodox tradition. So I can understand the Protestant resistance to praying to Mary as though we needed an intercessor between us and our Lord. It is true that we need no intercessor and Jesus welcomes us to speak to Him directly and have a relationship with Him. However, I can also understand that a warmth emanates from each word and verse in the Bible that speaks of Mary and one can see it in the hand of every artist who has ever tried to capture her gentle spirit in a worldly image. It is impossible. And isn't it natural for us humans, to want to speak to someone who understands us, who has also known the pain and joy of birth, the judgmental eyes of others and above all, what it is to sit in the midst of evil and suffering and keep our trust in the Lord?
Please, let us Christians not judge each other, but try to understand and be united in our thankfulness that Mary had the faith and the courage to answer God's call.
To the Immaculate Virgin, On a Winter Night
Steals all the blood from the scarred west.
The stars come out and freeze my heart
With drops of untouchable music, frail as ice
And bitter as the new year's cross.
Where in the world has any voice
Prayed to you, Lady, for the peace that's in your power?
In a day of blood and many beatings
I see the governments rise up, behind the steel horizon,
And take their weapons and begin to kill.
Where in the world has any city trusted you?
Out where the soldiers camp the guns begin to thump
And another winter time comes down
To seal our years in ice.
The last train cries out
And runs in terror from this farmer's valley
Where all the little birds are dead.
The roads are white, the fields are mute
There are no voices in the wood
And trees make gallows up against the sharp-eyed stars.
Oh where will Christ be killed again
In the land of these dead men?
Lady, the night has got us by the heart
And the whole world is tumbling down.
Words turn to ice in my dry throat
Praying for a land without prayer,
Walking to you on water all winter
In a year that wants more war.
Aug 14, 2012
Aug 9, 2012
Please read this e-mail from a friend in Syria...
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Hope my email finds you well.
Your emails and phone calls were real encouraging for both me and the church.
I wrote this mail Wednesday night, but since that time till now, Friday noon, we hadn’t any internet access or cell phone coverage!
This night (Friday night – Saturday morning) was the worse since 10 days! Very heavy explosions and sound of fighting not far from our home, by strong machine guns.
The situation is still the same as for the centre of fights and also the same in the other safe areas.
What is very new is that one of the main tribes or maybe more than one tribe (Muslim – Arab, and originally from Aleppo) decided to fight with the army of the government against the oppositions who are nearly from the same background.
On Monday and Tuesday I went downtown again and noticed that the people got used to the new situation, and the bakeries are working little bit more than the past few days. More streets are closed, and in addition to gas for cooking and gasoline for cars, a lack in Oxygen for medical use start to be noticed.
Let me explain the fear of the Christians here in Aleppo, it’s not only that they are not armed but they are afraid that the scenario in Homs (another city in the middle of Syria) could be repeated here.
Because what happened there was that when the fights nearly came to its end in Bab Omar “an area there” the fundamental armed groups ran away towards the Christian area and forced some families to leave there apartments and the other families ran away from their fear, until now we have hundreds of Christian families out of their houses which is the same as the Iraqi scenario.
I hope that such letters will not annoy the winner side of this fight, since we are used about getting afraid from one side “the government” but now we have another party, or maybe parties, we should be very careful of what might make them mad!
Please keep us in your prayers.
God Bless you
Aug 8, 2012
Aug 7, 2012
Aug 4, 2012
Which "Free Syrian Army" is Obama Supporting?
Yes, our dear President Obama is just like the rest of them. He has signed off to send millions of dollars to Islamic jihadists in Syria to help them topple Assad and the Syrian regime. History is being repeated again and again. Unfortunately, when I read American newspapers about the current situation in Syria, it seems that no one has a clue about what is really happening. In the western news, there is overwhelming support for this "Free Syrian Army" yet, I don't think anyone knows what kind of people are behind the creepy masks in all those pictures. Maybe some of them are young "revolutionaries" or everyday people who want to fight for justice. Maybe. But there is a secret that Obama and the western media are trying to hide from you. There is no "Free Syrian Army". And as usual, the U.S. is not interested in spreading peace and democracy across the Middle East. What truly exists are many different, unorganized groups of people, getting increasing amounts of money and dangerous weapons from different countries and different groups, many of which are extreme fundamental Islamist groups...like the ones that American soldiers were sent to look for in the caves of Afghanistan. So when Obama says that the CIA is giving aid to the "Free Syrian Army", which of these groups is he handing the money and weapons over to? I know that Assad is a military dictator and has killed and imprisoned innocent Syrians and Lebanese as well. However, I also know that all the churches in Homs have been destroyed and my friends cannot go home. I know that these rebel groups have killed and kidnapped and destroyed and stolen. I know that it is likely that the same thing could soon happen in Aleppo on an even more massive and devastating scale. I know that as bad as Syria was under the rule of Assad, as a Christian, I would rather live under Assad's military dictatorship than an Islamic military dictatorship like Saudi Arabia, a country which, by the way, is one of the biggest supporters of the "Free Syrian Army". To use the word "unfortunately" is an understatement but, unfortunately, it seems that there are two options for Syria in the present time, Assad or a chaos from which no one knows what or who could arise. Usually, I don't like to compare situations, but let us recall, just for a moment, that after the Soviets withdrew, those "Freedom Fighters" who the U.S. supplied with weapons in Afghanistan became the Taliban. We are here trying to figure out how to help the Syrian refugees who have fled to Lebanon and how to safely send aid to those internally displaced who fled their homes with only the clothes on their backs. At the same time, the U.S. and other governments and groups are sending weapons and more weapons to add fuel to this fire so that it continues to spread its flames to the feet of more innocent people and make them run. So what should Obama have done instead of sending assistance to the "Free Syrian Army"? That will have to be the subject of a separate entry, but let him and the media start by telling the truth.
http://readersupportednews.org/news-section2/330-131/12746-obama-inks-secret-order-to-aid-syria-rebels
http://readersupportednews.org/news-section2/330-131/12746-obama-inks-secret-order-to-aid-syria-rebels
Aug 2, 2012
Syria's Christians can be the catalysts for peace
Please read the article below and if you have time, continue and read the readers' comments below the article to get an idea of the real discussions that are taking place among every day Syrian people.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/aug/02/syria-christians-catalyst-peace?fb=optOut
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/aug/02/syria-christians-catalyst-peace?fb=optOut
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