Christmas, Advent & Heart

http://www.armenianchurchyouthministries.org/newsletter/The_Key_010514.pdf

Dear Parishioners,
How about some double good news today? Of course there’s the BIG news of the day – “Christ is Born & Revealed!” but I have another one that’s equally important. That is, we made it! We finish the period of Advent today.

It’s been 50 days since we started the Advent journey together. During this time of Christmas preparation, we reached out as the Body of Christ has been instructed to do by Jesus. (Luke 14) We started off with our Thanksgiving feed, and continued through the holy days with our Children’s Memorial, Toy and Blanket drives. So that when we arrive here at Christmas and we hear the beautiful greeting, “Christ is Born & Revealed” it has a true meaning. It is not only a statement or slogan, but in fact, LOVE has been born and revealed in our midst. Through our actions we become a living testimony to the event – The Nativity – which took place in history, and even more, we testify to the reality of Love being born today and every day. Therefore, we can loudly proclaim, “Indeed, He is Revealed!”

As excited as I am with the achievements of our small parish over the past Advent Season, I am not content. As your Pastor, I have to confess my sadness with the situation that I witness in our community. Our church still functions in a time-warp, with awkward and archaic customs that promote an unreal and skewed understanding of its place and function in life. I try to console myself by saying “small steps” or that things do not change overnight, nevertheless it is heartbreaking that on Christmas we are not where we should be as an Armenian Church, and thus, as an Armenian Christian community. We celebrate Theophany today asking God to reveal His Love to us. -Fr. Vazken