From: nickk@nospamsnet.net   
      
   THE WATER OF CANA IS TURNED INTO BLOOD   
   By His Eminence Metropolitan PHILIP   
   Primate, Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America   
   July 31, 2006   
      
   Cana (modern spelling is “Qana”) is a little village in South Lebanon   
   which was blessed by the presence of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ,   
   his Holy Mother and his disciples.  Cana is the Village where Christ   
   performed his first miracle by changing the water into wine at the   
   marriage feast.  (John 2: 1-11).  Thus, Cana is deeply rooted in our   
   Christian history.   
      
   Unfortunately, in modern times and due to the conflict between Israel   
   and Arab nations, including Lebanon, Cana has been the victim of Israeli   
   aggression twice: once in April 1996, when an Israeli rocket killed 105   
   Lebanese men, women and children. And second, on Sunday morning, July   
   30, 2006, when an Israeli rocket killed 60 people, including 37   
   children.  This indiscriminate killing is against the Geneva Convention,   
   the United Nations Charter and all laws of civilized nations.   
      
   This savage war is between Israel and Hezbollah. Lebanon has no air   
   force, no navy and no large military force.  As a matter of fact, the   
   Lebanese army is not involved in this war at all.  This war, then, is   
   between Israel and Hezbollah.  Why is Israel bombing Lebanese cities,   
   villages, bridges, roads and killing innocent men, women and children –   
   in the south and north, east and west of Lebanon?  According to UN   
   statistics, more than 800 civilians have been killed, many of them   
   children, and more then 800,000 Lebanese have been made refugees in   
   their own country.  Israel knows very well where Hezbollah is.  Why   
   doesn’t Israel fight Hezbollah on its own turf?  Why is Israel bombing   
   civilian cars, motorcycles and pickup trucks carrying food for hungry   
   people and medical supplies for the wounded?  Lebanon is a poor country;   
   the devastated infrastructure will cost billions of dollars to rebuild.   
      
   We deplore the killing and destruction on both sides.  We know that   
   Hezbollah has some weapons which are causing some unfortunate killing   
   and destruction in Israel.  But Hezbollah does not have American weapons   
   such as F-16s, F-15s, Apaches and smart bombs, etc……   
      
   When I saw the Lebanese Red Cross retrieving the tender dead bodies of   
   little children from underneath the rubble and I looked at their   
   innocent faces and iconic eyes, I wept.  I was indeed ashamed to see the   
   extent of the cruelty and barbarism of our world.  This morning, when   
   the Lebanese Broadcasting Company showed pictures of the city of   
   B’int-Jbeil which was completely leveled by the Israeli air force, I was   
   reminded of the destruction of Stalingrad and Berlin during the Second   
   World War.  We and the whole world, with the exception of the United   
   States, Great Britain, and Israel, are calling for an immediate cease   
   fire.  If we allow the law of the jungle to prevail, and if we allow our   
   moral principles to be trodden on by barbarian feet, what will be left   
   of our civilization?   
      
   The behavior of Mr. Ehud Olmert in this war reminds me of the behavior   
   of his ancestor of old, Joshua, recorded in the Book of Joshua 6:21.   
   “And they (Joshua’s army) destroyed all that was in the city (Jericho)   
   both man and woman, both young and old, and ox, and sheep and ass with   
   the edge of the sword.”  Thanks to Mr. Olmert, nothing is left in   
   B’int-Jbeil except some starving dogs feeding on corpses.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)