A Blessing of a Shepherd, and a People’s Responsibility

Professor Michel Abs

The Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC)

The determination of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV compelled him to set out for Lebanon, burdened with deep concern for this afflicted, threatened, and suffering nation, hoping he might save whatever can still be saved from a situation that has clearly reached the edge of the abyss.

Throughout its history, the papacy has cared for Lebanon, seeing it as a land of knowledge and freedom that radiates light onto its surroundings, which have experienced upheavals that affected life and progress. Today, Lebanon is enduring trials even harsher than those faced by its neighbors. The papacy recognized Lebanon’s value as a space of interaction between East and West, granting it great attention and viewing it as a high human value. This is why Pope John Paul II described it as a message—a description repeated by Pope Leo XIV during his current visit.

That the Pope’s first visit should be to Lebanon signals a high level of concern for this jewel of a nation, targeted for destruction by forces of evil, including some of its own people. His Holiness arrived urgently, and his two-day visit was intensely packed, as if he were carrying out an emergency mission before a looming deadline or before time ran out.

During this urgent “mission,” the Pope sent messages in all directions, addressing every matter he considers vital for the Lebanese people, in a gesture of boundless compassion. He expressed to the Lebanese that he carries their pains and hopes in his heart.

His Holiness notes that “gratitude does not always find a place in our hearts… We sometimes bend under the fatigue of life, and worry about the problems surrounding us. Many difficult situations weigh on us, and we tend to yield to despair and complaint, forgetting the amazement of the heart and gratitude.” It is as though he is telling the Lebanese not to be afraid, for the Lord watches over them, and that blessings endure with gratitude, no matter how small or flawed.

Standing before the Port of Beirut, he addressed the Lebanese, saying that the beauty of Lebanon, the land of the cedars, “is overshadowed by numerous problems you suffer from: a largely unstable political environment, a suffocating economic crisis, and violence and conflicts that have revived old fears. In such a scene, disappointment can easily take the place of gratitude, and the hymn of praise finds no room.” It is as though he is affirming his full understanding of the despair they live in and how “the spring of hope can dry up due to doubt and confusion.” Yet he adds that “the Word of God invites us to see the small lights shining in the midst of a dark night.”

Drawing on Christ’s words—“Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid”—the Pope strengthens the Lebanese, saying: “Today we too must say like Jesus: ‘We praise you, Father!’ We thank you because you are with us and do not let us weaken.” But at the same time, he points out that “this gratitude must not remain an internal comfort or illusion; it must lead us to a transformation of the heart and repentance in life.”

Confronting the evil spreading in the world, the Pope calls on all Lebanese to nurture these seeds of goodness, and not to fall into despair, nor submit “to the logic of violence or the worship of the idol of money,” nor surrender “before the evil that is spreading.”

In a more advanced appeal, he places responsibility squarely on the Lebanese, telling them that “each person must fulfill his role, and we must unite our efforts so that this land may regain its splendor.” This reflects his profound knowledge of Lebanon and the magnificent civilizational role it has played for centuries.

The path forward, he says, is one: “to disarm our hearts, drop the shields of ethnic and political isolation, open our religious affiliations to mutual encounters, and awaken within us the dream of a united Lebanon, where peace and justice prevail, and where all can recognize one another as brothers and sisters.”

Here, the essential elements of the mission he entrusts to the Lebanese appear—as though a sacred mandate or apostolic guidance—stated clearly:
“This is the dream entrusted to you, and this is what the God of peace places in your hands: O Lebanon, rise and stand! Be a home of justice and fraternity! Be a prophecy of peace for the whole East!”
Such is Lebanon’s immense place in his heart, and such is the great hope he places in the Lebanese, entrusting them with a prophetic mission involving fundamental human values crucial for the future of humanity. His words reaffirm Lebanon’s role as a message.

But the Pope is fully aware that Lebanon is part of a region boiling for centuries—the Antiochian East and the Middle East. He beseeches the Lord for “the gift of peace for this beloved land marked by instability, wars, and suffering.”

In the same spirit, he addresses the Christians of the East:
“Dear Christians of the East, though the fruits of your efforts for peace have been delayed, I invite you to lift your gaze to the coming Lord! Let us look to Him with hope and courage.”
He entrusts them with the same responsibility given to the Lebanese, calling them to be “makers of peace, messengers of peace, and witnesses of peace!”

Based on his deep understanding of the region’s crises, the Holy Father notes that “the Middle East needs new attitudes: rejecting the logic of revenge and violence, overcoming political, social, and religious divisions, and opening new pages in the name of reconciliation and peace.”
He concludes by addressing our peoples: “Listen to the cry of your peoples who long for peace!”

In his farewell words, he told the Lebanese:
“If my coming to this country meant stepping gently into your culture, my departure means carrying you in my heart. And so, we do not bid each other farewell, but walk forward together after having met.”
He does not say goodbye, but “until we meet again,” affirming that he has entrusted Lebanon and its people to his heart, and that the future is promising and better days will come.

He also greeted the regions he did not visit, naming specifically “Tripoli and the Bekaa, the north, and the south which is currently experiencing conflict and uncertainty.”

At the end of the visit, his Holiness again emphasized the importance of constructive engagement, saying:
“Weapons are deadly, but negotiation, mediation, and dialogue are constructive.”
He reaffirmed once more that Lebanon “is more than a country; it is a message,” and prayed that God bless Lebanon, its people, the Middle East, and all humanity.

Pope Leo XIV completed his duty: he visited Lebanon, addressed its people, spread an atmosphere of harmony and love, and affirmed that the path to a better future lies in dialogue, cooperation, rejecting violence, avoiding hateful and discriminatory rhetoric, and working hand in hand to rebuild a nation restored to beauty, role, and influence.
Will the Lebanese receive the message and act upon it?

The responsibility now rests on the Lebanese—leaders and citizens alike—to build upon the positive spirit created by the papal visit. They must understand that his visit and his address to all Lebanese, without discrimination, are an additional building block in constructing a better life for themselves.

Spreading this positive spirit is an opportunity for Lebanese to better grasp the importance and necessity of their unity, and to advance in a national, political, social, and economic dialogue with clear aspirations and constructive goals.

If they recognize the significance and gravity of this moment, and know how to proceed, they may become a model for many peoples of the region who suffer from similar crises—and a model for overcoming them.

May the visit of the Holy Father not be yet another missed opportunity for the Lebanese and the peoples of the Antiochian East.