A STATEMENT ON LEBANON: A CRY FOR THE INNOCENT   My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,   My heart is heavy as I look toward Lebanon – a land long marked by faith, suffering, and perseverance.   Lebanon is not merely another nation in conflict. It is home to one of the oldest and largest Christian populations in the Middle East, where the name of Jesus Christ has been professed continuously since the earliest centuries of the Church. In that sacred land stands the shrine of St. Charbel Makhlouf, a humble monk whose life of prayer, penance, and Eucharistic devotion has borne extraordinary fruit. Known as the “miracle monk of Lebanon,” countless souls have testified to God’s healing through his intercession – a sign that even in suffering, God has not abandoned His people.   And yet today, Lebanon bleeds.   Reports continue to emerge of relentless bombardment in densely populated civilian areas – families, children, the elderly – lives shattered without warning. What we are witnessing is not simply warfare, but a grave assault on human dignity. The deliberate targeting or reckless endangerment of innocent life is never justified. NEVER.   The Church has always been clear: War itself is a tragedy – but the intentional harming of civilians is a moral evil that cries out to Heaven.   We must not grow numb to images of destruction. We must not allow political narratives to dull our conscience. Every child killed, every home destroyed, every mother weeping over her son – this is not abstract. This is human suffering. This is Christ crucified again in His people.   Lebanon has already endured decades of instability, economic collapse, and the exodus of Christians from the region. To strike this nation again – especially in ways that devastate civilian life – is to deepen wounds that may take generations to heal.   I call upon all leaders involved to remember this: power does not grant moral permission. Military strength does not justify the loss of innocent life. There can be no lasting peace built upon the graves of the defenseless.   And to the faithful, I say this: do not remain silent in your hearts. Pray. Fast. Offer sacrifice.   Pray for the people of Lebanon. Pray for the conversion of those who wield power without mercy. Pray for true peace – not the fragile silence of ceasefires, but the peace that comes from justice rooted in truth.   Through the intercession of St. Charbel Makhlouf, may God bring healing to the wounded, comfort to the grieving, and repentance to those who act without regard for the sanctity of life.   And may we never forget: Every human life is sacred, from conception to natural death, in every nation, without exception.   In Christ Our Hope,   Bishop Joseph E. Strickland Bishop Emeritus