Rai: The Necessity of Preserving Coexistence and Building a State of Justice

His Beatitude Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros Rai delivered a speech at the opening of the session of the Council of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops in Lebanon titled "Towards a Renewed Church in Times of Crisis," stating:

"First, we wish to welcome with you Father Elias Rahme, Superior of the Middle East Province of the Capuchin Order, and congratulate His Grace Bishop Edward Georgios Al-Daher – Archbishop of Tripoli and All the North for the Melkite Greek Catholics – on his election as Metropolitan of the Archdiocese of Petra and Philadelphia and All Transjordan, who will leave the Council at the end of this year. We thank those who have departed from us: His Grace Bishop Guy Paul Najim, who submitted his resignation as supervisor of the Marian Apostolic Movement, and Father Abdo Mikhail Abdo, Provincial Superior of the Carmelite Fathers. We bid farewell to the late Most Reverend Bishop Flavianus Yousef Malki, Titular Bishop of Dara and former Patriarchal Vicar for Syriac Catholics.

The Church is not merely a historical institution affected by the crises sweeping the world; rather, it is a community that derives its existence and mission from the Living Christ, who guides it through His Holy Spirit amidst the vicissitudes of history. Therefore, the renewal of the Church does not mean changing its identity or breaking with its past, but rather a renewed return to the source of its life, Jesus Christ, who 'is the same yesterday, today, and forever' (Hebrews 13:8).

The crises we are experiencing are not merely challenges to be overcome, but a call to discover what the Holy Spirit demands of the Church at this stage. The Church does not wait for the storms to pass to continue its mission; rather, it witnesses the presence of Christ among them, transforming the wounds of history into places of grace. True ecclesial renewal is not based on changing external forms, but on the manifestation of God's love in the life of the Church. Hence, we reflect on four fundamental dimensions of church renewal: Witnessing Faith, Witnessing Hope, Witnessing Love, and Synodal Communion.

Witnessing Faith: From the Presence of the Church in Society to the Presence of Christ in the Human Being

The first thing our societies need in times of turmoil is not merely answers to their crises, but the restoration of meaning that gives direction to life, value to suffering, and foundation to hope. The Church is called to be the guardian of the divine deposit and a witness to the truth that liberates the human being.

Saint Paul reminds us saying: 'Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind' (Romans 12:2). Renewal begins from within, from a mind illuminated by truth, a heart open to grace, and a will responsive to God's will. Pope Benedict XVI affirms in his encyclical 'God is Love' that Christian faith is not just a moral decision or a great idea, but an encounter with the person of Christ, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction.

In Lebanon, where political, economic, and social crises intersect with cultural and spiritual transformations, our responsibility remains to preserve the capacity of faith to enlighten consciences. Family, school, university, and parish play a fundamental role in nurturing a believing human being, free in conscience, steadfast in values, and responsible in society. The Church does not measure its mission by the extent of its social presence, but by how much its presence yields a believing human being, faithful to God and to man.

Witnessing Hope: From the Wounds of the Present to the Responsibility of the Future

Christian hope is not fleeting optimism, nor passive waiting for conditions to improve, but a divine virtue flowing from the resurrection of Christ, transforming the future into a divine promise and a human responsibility.

The Apostle Paul says: 'Hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us' (Romans 5:5). Pope Benedict XVI affirms in his encyclical 'Saved in Hope' that true hope changes not only our view of the future but also our way of being present in the now.

In our homeland Lebanon, where youth face anxiety about their fate, families suffer the burdens of life, and migration weighs heavily on the heart of society, the message of the Church is to be a mother accompanying her children, a voice defending their rights, and a spiritual and moral force contributing to the defense of their dignity, and their right to education, healthcare, work, and a dignified life.

We affirm our adherence to the message of Lebanon, the necessity of preserving coexistence, building a state of justice, law, and institutions, and protecting freedoms and human dignity. Hope that does not turn into commitment remains a wish, whereas hope derived from the Resurrection grants us the ability to build, even when challenges seem great.

Witnessing Love: When the Church Becomes the Face of Mercy in the World

Faith that does not bear fruit in love remains an incomplete witness, and hope that does not touch the wounds of the human being loses its power to convince. Therefore, the mission of the Church reaches its fullness when the truth it proclaims becomes a love lived and experienced by the human being.

Christ made love the sign of belonging to Him: 'By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another' (John 13:35). He made serving the needy a personal encounter with Him: 'Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me' (Matthew 25:40).

Hence, our educational, medical, social, and charitable institutions are not merely frameworks for providing services, but a tangible extension of the love of Christ the Good Shepherd, and the presence of the Church where the human being needs someone to protect their dignity and defend their life.

Pope Francis recalls in his apostolic exhortation 'Evangelii Gaudium' his desire for a poor Church for the poor. Gospel poverty does not mean inability to give, but freedom of heart that makes the human being the goal of service, not its means. Christian love does not suffice by extending a hand to the fallen human being, but by helping them stand up, walk, and regain their place and dignity.

Synodality: When Communion Becomes a Style of Mission

The ecclesial renewal we aspire to finds in the synodal journey a renewed call to live the mystery of communion, not merely as an organization of relationships, but as an expression of the very nature of the Church, the People of God walking in history under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The Apostles experienced this mystery since the First Council in Jerusalem when they declared: 'It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us' (Acts 15:28). In this phrase, the greatness of ecclesial discernment is manifested: listening to one another so that we may listen together to the Holy Spirit.

Synodality does not diminish the apostolic responsibility entrusted to us by Christ, but deepens its practice in the spirit of communion, listening, and discernment. It calls us to appreciate the gifts with which the Holy Spirit enriched His people, and to enhance integration between bishops, priests, religious men and women, and laypeople, so that participation becomes strength in mission, and communion becomes a witness to unity. For the destiny of humans is interconnected, and we are members of one body, and no one can face life in isolation, because brotherhood is the path to building a common future.

The Church we want renewed is not a church without wounds, but a church that knows that the wounds of the Risen Christ have become springs of life. It is not a church waiting for the storms to clear to continue its mission, but a church aware that the presence of the Lord within it grants it the ability to cross the storms.

Our call today is to make faith a stabilizing force, hope a courage to build, love an act of salvation, and synodal communion a permanent style for our life and mission. Thank you for listening!"