Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Mar Beshara Al-Rai, during his Sunday Mass sermon from the summer headquarters of the Maronite Patriarchate in Diman, hoped that the ongoing efforts between America, Lebanon and Israel would bear fruit and lead to an agreement that would remove the specter of war from Lebanon, thus opening the door to a period of stability and peace. Also, Al-Rahi called for prayers so that God would raise up for Lebanon faithful statesmen who would work for the common good, stressing that the country needed officials who would put the national interest above all considerations. He stressed that Lebanon should not be the price for any international or regional understanding or a place for settling scores, but rather it must remain a message of peace.