Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros Al-Rai led the Mass for the '15th Sunday of Pentecost' at Diman, celebrating the 'Divine Liturgy'.
In his sermon, he stated, 'To the extent we love Lebanon, we can save it with love that transforms into loyalty, responsibility, and sacrifice. The woman in the Gospel never told Jesus she loved him, but expressed her love through actions. Today, Lebanon wants to see our love for it', adding: 'Loving Lebanon means wanting it to be a complete nation with no share for anyone but all its citizens; it means prioritizing its interests over personal ones, preserving its institutions and public funds, respecting its laws, rejecting corruption, not elevating sect above nation, party above state, or private interest above public interest. Just as love in the Gospel opened the door to salvation, sincere love for Lebanon can open the path to its salvation'.
Rai emphasized that 'the issue of exclusive weapon possession by the state should not turn into a confrontation among Lebanese, nor a topic used by one party against another, nor a subject for street agitation and sectarian division', affirming that it 'concerns the very existence of the state, the unity of its references, and all Lebanese living under one legitimacy and institutions. It should be approached with wisdom and national responsibility; a state is not built by defeating a partner, but by all partners gathering under one roof'.
He further stated, 'Lebanese people look forward to negotiations and efforts moving beyond the waiting stage to results that preserve Lebanon's rights, halt assaults, lead to withdrawals from its land, and restore security and stability'. He stressed, 'While the Lebanese Army remains the national institution carrying the burden of safeguarding security and stability and asserting legitimate authority, it is the duty of countries to equip it with necessary armaments so that it garners the support of the Lebanese, remaining the fortress of the nation and its institutions'.
Regarding Southern Lebanon, Rai said: 'It should not remain a land of waiting and pain. Its people want to return to their villages and homes. The land calls its children, and the affected areas await reconstruction and revival. Any settlement is worthless unless people feel safe on their land, and Lebanon regains full sovereignty'. He added, 'We want Lebanon to adopt an active neutrality that shields it from axis conflicts and maintains its free decision-making, without undermining its right to defend its land and sovereignty; to remain a land of encounter, not confrontation, a bridge of dialogue, not a battleground for others' conflicts. When our love for Lebanon becomes action, not words, then we can hope for the salvation we desire and the homeland we deserve'.