Detailed LCCC English News Bulletin For February 04/201
Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on February 03-04/18
Death: The Puzzle And Mystery/Elias Bejjani/February 03/18
Hezbollah ducks and dives to beat new US sanctions/Najla Houssari/Arab News/February 03/ 2018
Lebanon’s multi-dimensional political crisis/Raghida Dergham/February 03/ 2018
HRW urges Turkey to end ‘lethal force’ against fleeing Syrians/AFP/February 03/2018/
Canada: M-103 Heritage Committee report promises government action against “Islamophobia”/Christine Douglass/New Agencies/February 03/18
Secret Alliance: Israel Carries Out Airstrikes in Egypt, With Cairo’s O.K./David Kirkpatrickfeb/The New York Times/February 03/2018
Europe: Making Islam Great Again/Judith Bergman/Gatestone Institute/February 03/2018
Palestinians: Arbitrary Arrests, Administrative Detentions and World Silence/Khaled Abu Toameh/Gatestone Institute/February 03/2018
No Winners in Turkey’s New Offensive into Syria/Noah Bonsey/Asharq Al Awsat/February 03/18
Titles For Latest LCCC Lebanese Related News published on February 03-04/18
Death: The Puzzle And Mystery
Bassil: Some of Hezbollah’s Choices Don’t Serve Lebanon’s Interests
Hariri Warns against Use of Arms to Solve Political Disputes
Lebanon’s Hariri: We Will Not Force Syrian Refugees to Return Home
Hezbollah ducks and dives to beat new US sanctions
Machnouk: Relentless work is needed instead of mere complaints
Geagea launches LF electoral machine: Let this year’s elections be a white revolution against all traditional policies
AlAbsi arrives at Prophet Elijah’s Cathedral Nejmeh Square
Berri meets with Aridi, Expatriates delegation in Africa, Red Cross International Federation delegation
Majdalani: Bassil’s positions may be spontaneous, street reaction dangerous
Lebanese Diaspora Conference windsup its works in Ivory Coast
Maalouf: Talk about Bloc 9 a doorway to Blocs 8 and 10
Richard attends ceremony at Beirut National Museum for repatriation of archaeological rrtifacts
Lebanon’s multi-dimensional political crisis
Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin For Miscellaneous Reports And News published on February 03-04/18
HRW urges Turkey to end ‘lethal force’ against fleeing Syrians
Egyptian Army Bulldozes 12 Terrorists’ Hideouts, Disrupts 12 Explosive Charges in Sinai
EU Hosts Conference to Curb Qatar Funding of Terrorism
Tariq Ramadan Charged with Rape
Israel Shuts Down Palestinian Institutions In East Jerusalem
Memo Alleging FBI Abuse Released on Trump’s Okay
Israeli attempts to tax churches opposed
Five Turkish soldiers killed in attack on tank in Syria’s Afrin
Aircraft attack civilian convoy on Syrian highway, at least seven killed
Russian pilot ‘killed in fighting’ after plane downed in Syria
Police: Extreme-right gunman shoots 6 Africans in Italy
Death: The Puzzle And Mystery/لغز الموت: غموض وحيرة
Elias Bejjani/February 03/18
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/6300
Far from politics, terrorism, the Middle East chaos, and the on going world wide Jihadists’ and terrorism wars, my editorial today dwells with thorough and deep personal contemplation on death; this mystery that has puzzled and pre-occupied man since God created him with Eve.
How much of an awakening and spiritual realization would it be if each and every one of us attended a funeral at least once every year, and fully utilized this short yet precious and odd period of time to deeply meditate and contemplate the very human reality of this inevitable and irreversible journey?
During this short, internal procession of great solemnity and silence, from the funeral home to the church, and then to the cemetery, one should mentally and physically relax and release his self, putting aside all of his every day life burdens.
To truly learn and benefit from this spiritual experience, one must temporarily forget who he is, his fortunes, his poverty, all problems that he is encountering, his enemies and friends, physical ailments he suffering from, and marital, or family difficulties he may be going through.
One needs to imagine that his body is so light, so clean, and innocent, and his mind and soul so pure, free of sin with no conflict of any kind or magnitude.
One needs to reminisce and go back in time to the period when he was an innocent child, not yet polluted with human evil deeds and thoughts, hatred, grudges, greed, selfishness and fear.
When one feels that every kind of evil feeling and venomous instinct inside him is numb, he needs to ask himself sincerely and honestly, what this dead person who is now just a cold corpse resting motionless and breathless in the coffin, is going to take with him from this mortal world to whichever world the dead go to? No matter how rich, powerful, fearless, intelligent, famous, or mighty this dead person was while alive, would he now be able to carry with him any of his riches, or ask any of his beloved ones to join him in death, and be buried with him in the cemetery?
At this scary, terrifying, contemplative and somber moment, the individual needs to relate with the dead person and accept death, imagining himself actually lying in the casket!
By the end of the funeral procession, and after the coffin has been buried, the dead person who could not take anything with him, becomes just a memory and his body returns back to dust. “By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return” Genesis 3:19 19
To be the actual creatures that almighty God has created us in His own image, and to be wise, humble and forgiving, we need to occasionally ask ourselves these simple questions:
Can we not die?
Can we not escape death’s inevitable journey?
What can we take with us when leaving this mortal life?
These questions should be asked whenever we are engaged in bloody competitions, conflicts, disputes, grudges, hatred and struggle for power and money.
The one and only answer to all these questions is a definite, NO!
Attending funerals at least twice a year helps us to get back in touch with reality; to know who we are, and where we are going; to wake up and to always remember that God, on the judgment day, will judge our deeds, and not the magnitude of our earthly riches, nor our earthly power.
Does any one of us, rich or poor, weak or powerful, sick or healthy, know when almighty God will reclaim his soul? Definitely not!
So let us live each day of our lives as if it were our last.
Let us always be ready to face our Creator on the day of judgment with a set of righteous deeds.
Let us solidify our trust and faith in almighty God, and ask Him to lead our lives and grant us the graces of patience, humbleness, hope, love and forgiveness, so that we can carry with courage our life burdens.
Let us remember in the face of every difficulty and crisis what the Holy Bible teaches us: “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for your selves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” (Matthew 11, 28-30).
Death, this mystery that has worried, perplexed and confused man since his first day on earth, has been defeated by Jesus’ resurrection and made conceivable by man’s mind. We do not die, but sleep on the hope of resurrection!
“Behold, I tell you a mystery. We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed”, (Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians 15 / 51-52).
N.B: The Above editorial was first published in 2014