Writing about South Lebanon? That is no easy task.
The frontiers of this land extend far beyond any time and space that we may measure, for they lose themselves on the farthest reaches of existence, there where man is united with his Creator.
In its North stretch the vast oceans of consciousness, of dreams and of passions.
In its East lies all the greatness of the hearts of all mankind.
In its West are the flashing sparks of creative cosmic intelligence.
In its South are revealed the deepest spiritual mysteries of the Incarnation of the Son.
In its heart bloom the gardens of Eden, land of prayer and of holiness and of sacrifice.
Can we hold this land down to earthly limits? That would show grave misunderstanding.
Turn to the South, where the light of Golgotha illuminates infinity and eternity.
From the Mediterranean, Mother of Civilisations, stretch the villages on the two sides of the blessed and holy ground where the Messiah was made man, where he walked and he taught, where he died and rose from the dead. The frontier in the South leads to the land of those miracles of yore, where water has flowed since the dawn of time, water of purification, water of Lebanon pouring into the Jordan.
Once it was the land of love, of transfiguration, of liberty and of peace.
But now, after two thousand years of history, evolution, thought, culture, civilisation and progress, we see an upsurge of hatred, contempt and violence between cousins, through brothers descending from Abraham, both following the calendar of the moon, sons of Isaac and sons of Ismaël. The southern frontier is given over to vengeance, where might is right. It is where the innocent are massacred, as were the innocents of two thousand years ago. I wish to see the South again carrying the good news, the message of that pardon that the Lord asked for his enemies.
