Conviction

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Armodoxy for Today: Conviction

Jesus Christ was the first non-violent revolutionary. He brought about a revolution – a change, a shift in understanding – without using physical force. Just the opposite, he took on physical force. His teachings have been adopted by many to bring about change – fundamental change – in nations, political systems and of course, in the person. During the last century, the likes of Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., Nelson Mandela implemented principals of non-violent resistance in liberating people from oppression.

Armenia, and its leadership, early on, adopted these principles. Jesus’ teachings, as expressed in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) are not for the weak or the meek. I am convinced that 4th century Armenian King Tirdat, who had armies (plural!) under his command, who understood strength and diplomacy, who understood military strategy… I am convinced that Tirdat accepted Christianity because he saw it as power for victory and not for surrender. He proclaimed Armenia as the first Christian nation in 301AD because he saw the strength of this Faith, based on the message of Jesus Christ, was about overcoming evil with the power of love. He understood the power of resurrection over death!

That focus on resurrection is the tie that binds together the religious leaders we have discussed this past week, from Martin Luther King to Khrimian Hayrik to Gregory the Chainbearer to Catholicos Vazken I of blessed memory. We can cite many more. They all were convinced that resurrection was possible after crucifixion because they believed in the Resurrection of Christ. They shared a common conviction in the power of Christianity through the Resurrection. That conviction is what made their leadership real, unquestionable and worthy of following.

It is the same conviction possessed by the Holy Apostles, a conviction that witnessed to the power of Christ and brought people to the Faith. Each of the Apostles went to their death proclaiming the Resurrection as truth. You do not put your life on the line for a lie. If the Resurrection to which they witnessed was a lie they would not have died a torturous death. There was no peer pressure to tell the truth either. The Apostles were each separated by distance, one in Rome, another in Ethiopia, India, Armenia and elsewhere throughout the world. They went to death for the truth, each in his own way. That’s conviction. It’s the one element historians do not mention, but the proof of the Armenian experience, that is, Armodoxy, is a living testament to that Faith.

We pray today a prayer from St. Mesrob Mashdots, Mighty King, refuge of the thirsty, Savior of the troubled, who succumbed to suffering for us at the hands of rulers. Prohibit Satan from enslaving those whom You have saved. Forbid the Evil One from seeking refuge in the House of God. With Your divine love, have mercy upon your creation. Amen

Dreams & Diplomacy

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Armodoxy for Today: Dreams and Diplomacy – Vazken I’s Leadership

When His Holiness Vazken the First was elected in 1955 to head the Armenian Apostolic Church, Armenia was one of the Republics of the Soviet Union. The Cold War was in full swing and the Iron Curtain was more than a convenient metaphor, i.e., it definitely separated East from West physically and psychologically. The notion of a Church – a sacred and established religious institution—surviving in a system which preached atheism sounded absurd to many. But there, in the shadow of Biblical Mt. Ararat and in the place where Jesus Christ descended to mark the spot where the first Christian Nation would build the first cathedral, the Armenian Church was being driven by the power of the Holy Spirit. And… it was being done so in full view of the Soviet authorities.

During the 39 years that followed, Catholicos Vazken led the Armenian Church with wisdom and divine grace against the internal and external threats that were beating on an already fragile Church. In 1991, with the collapse of the Soviet Union and the proclamation of Armenian Independence, the first papers of citizenship, most deserving, were given to this Venerable Patriarch. He had overcome obstacles, met challenges, delivered the Church to the doorsteps of the new millennium and in so doing, managed to inspire generations of us.

During his years as Catholicos, to many of us living in the United States – as well as in most parts of the Diaspora – His Holiness Vazken I was the embodiment of the Armenian Church. His Holiness expressed himself about the Diaspora while Independence was only a dream and a hope, while Glasnost and Perestroika were yet to enter the Western lexicon by Soviet Leader Gorbachev.

… Destiny has thrust upon us the diaspora – a challenge which we must confront with courage and honor, structuring our life on a firm and enduring foundation of today, tomorrow… the strongest, the safest and the most reliable foundation upon which the structure of the entire Diaspora can be built today is and always will be the Armenian Apostolic Church – our Mother Church. (Paris, 1979)

If ever there is an overt display of the Holy Spirit guiding the Holy Church, it was during the pontificate of His Holiness Vazken I. He led the Church during the Cold War. He was attacked by atheist ideologies from the outside. From the inside, party factions and the ugliness of divisiveness ate away at him. The church was being played as a pawn in a game but he met each challenge with love in his heart – love toward God and toward every one of his children in the Armenian nation. Without discrimination he cared about all of his children. As he ascended to the Apostolic Seat of St. Thaddeus and the Holy Throne of St. Gregory the Illuminator he kept firm to his Faith and his calling. He led with courage and valor.

For all of his diplomatic means and harsh climate in which he led, he articulated the primary goal of the Armenian Church simply as, “is to be the true messenger of the Gospel and to herald the Good News of Jesus Christ to the Armenian people.” He did not compromise himself nor his principles.

We began this week with the celebration of Rev. King’s life and looked at the leadership models of different clergymen. Today we add Vazken I to these extraordinary people who were charged with guiding the Church, and did so by staying focused and faithful to the principles of their Faith.

We leave today with the first prayer of the day from Psalm 50: O Lord, open thou my lips, and my mouth shall show forth thy praise. Amen.

Gregory’s Chain of Oppression

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Armodoxy for Today: Chains that oppress

At my first parish in the town of Cupertino, we embarked on a large-scale building project which included the construction of an Armenian Church in traditional Armenian architecture along with a social hall and classrooms. We started the project on faith. It was the mid-1980s and interest rates were high – that we expected. But in 1988, the unexpected happened. A large earthquake in Armenia, killing 50,000 people caused us to stop our building process to lead the massive diasporan fund raising effort to bring humanitarian aid to the devastated region. The following year, when the Loma-Prieta earthquake hit our area in Northern California, we had to put a halt on the building process as structural regulations were being redefined. It was tough maintaining a congregation in rented halls, while the building process was at a stand-still, and all the while we continued making mortgage payments.

I went to the hardware store and bought several feet of a narrow chain and cut it into small six-inch lengths. On Sunday I passed these out to the congregation and asked them carry them around with them – in their purses or pockets – as a reminder of the bondage we were in because of our debt. As we pay for items, when we reach into our pocket or pocketbook, let us be mindful that as a community we are struggling. The chains were effective, and we were able to finish the project and gained occupancy of our church.

The idea of the chains was not my own. I explained to the congregation that a Bishop named Gregory, in the 18th century, as the Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem, took a large chain and wrapped it around his neck as a symbol of the bonds that held him back. He was faced with a huge dept and oppressors who were trying to force the hand of the Patriarchate for a hostile takeover. He wore that chain for eight years, to keep the plight of the Patriarchate ever-before the eyes and mind of the community. He was known as Gregor Sh’ghtayakir = Gregory the Chain-bearer and was responsible for saving the Patriarchate.

This week, with Martin Luther King, Khrimian Hayrik and now the example of Bishop Gregory, we have looked at religious leaders – clergy – who have led their people to freedom from the bonds that oppress them. In each case, these leaders tapped into the creative energy with which they were endowed. They used that creativity, whether by words, deeds or example, to inspire people to action, to move from oppression and submission to freedom. Like all good parents, they set the tone, share the message and give freedom to become free. It’s the same way Jesus taught, and therefore, how he led.

We pray from Rev. King’s prayers, The Lord bless thee and keep thee. The Lord make His face to shine upon thee. The Lord lift up the light of His countenance unto thee and be with thee in thy going out and coming in, in thy labor and in thy leisure, in thy moments of joy and in thy moments of sorrow, until the day when there shall be no sunset and no dawning.

Khrimian and Power Within

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Armodoxy for Today: Khrimian, self worth

With the Martin Luther King Holiday, we began looking at the power to bring about change that is within us all. Today we look at one of the heroes of Armodoxy, Khrimian Hayrig, and begin to uncover a lesson of survival from the Armenian Church.

Mkrditch Khrimian was the 125th Catholicos of All Armenians, serving from 1892-1907. He was so beloved by the people that he was given the moniker “Hayrig,” an endearing term for “father” in Armenian. I remember back in the 1970s, while a seminarian at Holy Etchmiadzin, it was common to find flowers placed Khrimian Hayrig’s grave on a daily basis by people who either remembered him or whose parents had passed along inspiring stories of Hayrig. There is a small garden area in Etchmiadzin where a tree engraving of Khrimian marks the spot where he would sit and mingle with the people.

In the mid 1800’s, Khrimian was invited to an international conference in Berlin. On his return to Armenia he addressed his people in a poignant letter, describing the meeting as nations huddled around a pot of heriseh (a porridge made with meat and grains, its thickness being its noted attribute). He wrote that all the other nations came to the table with the clanging swords and dug deep into the heriseh as if with “iron ladles” pulling out their portion for their nations. However, when his turn came to draw the portion for the Armenians, he had no swords or guns, but only a letter in his hand. He called this letter the paper ladle, which easily flopped by the weight of the heriseh. He tells the Armenian people, when you return to Armenia arm yourself with “Weapons, weapons and more weapons. People, understand above all else that you must put the hope of your freedom upon yourself, on your brains, the might of your fist…  Man, for himself, must work for his deliverance.”

Today in our world which is bogged down by a culture of materialism and egotism we have a false sense of value. We have forgotten about the strength that we have within us. We have forgotten that we were born of the font of baptism and drink from the fountain of immortality – connecting us to Jesus Christ. Khrimian Hayrig, as well as generations of leaders had tapped into that Divine power. How else can you explain the resurrection of the Armenian people, from the ashes of Genocide they stood at Sardarabad, maintained faith in the communist era to the independence of Armenian, following the Gospel message: Unless a grain of wheat falls and dies it remains a single seed, but by dying it produces a harvest. (Jn 12) All the time, connecting to the power of Jesus Christ!

We will continue on this thread tomorrow. For today, we offer a prayer for our foreparents by the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. O God, our gracious, heavenly Father, we thank Thee for the creative insights in the universe. We thank Thee for the lives of great saints and prophets in the past, who have revealed to us that we can stand up amid the problems and difficulties and trials of life and not give in. We thank Thee for our foreparents, who’ve given us something in the midst of the darkness of exploitation and oppression to keep going. Grant that we will go on with the proper faith and the proper determination of will, so that we will be able to make a creative contribution to this world and in our lives. In the name and spirit of Jesus we pray. Amen.

Prayer for Vision

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Armodoxy for Today: Need for Prayer

At noon today, January 20, the President of the United States will be inaugurated into office. There will be calls for prayers today, some will be offered publicly, while many will be offered privately. Whether you agree or disagree with the policies of the incoming administration, it is essential to heed the call to prayer. The office of President of the United States comes with an unusually unique set of responsibilities, and our prayers should come from a collective concern for the proper exercise of those responsibilities. We begin today with a prayer for wisdom and a focus on peace as he executes the duties of his office.

This year the inauguration coincides with the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. Dr. King was known for his work in the Civil Rights movement, particularly in the South during the 1950s and 1960s. He advocated and practiced non-violent resistance as a means of bringing about social and political change. Though he had earned many prestigious titles and even received the Nobel Peace Prize at the young age of 35, he would always emphasize that first, and foremost, he was a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and as such, his message and the direction of his leadership was to be in sync with the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Perhaps less known about Rev. King’s work is that during the last years of his life he focused on opposing the Vietnam War. His Speech, “Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence,” delivered on April 4, 1967 at the Riverside Church, was a call to end killing – to end the war. The speech was his answer to his conscience, which did not allow him to stay silent in the presence of war. You may listen to the speech at the link in today’s show notes. You will hear a man struggling with the moral inconsistencies that he found in the policies of the nation.

In the Armenian Church, many of the leaders throughout the centuries have risen to call on the state to seek justice. They have empowered the people calling on them to accept personal responsibility. One such leader was Catholicos Mgrtich Khrimian. In the days ahead we will look at those lessons from the Armenian Church and will hear Khrimian’s plea tomorrow.

Today, we pray a prayer for vision, from the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., O God our eternal Father, we praise thee for gifts of mind with which thou hast endowed us. We are able to rise out of the half-realities of the sense world to a world of ideal beauty and eternal truth. Teach us, we pray Thee, how to use this great gift of reason and imagination so that it shall not be a curse but a blessing. Grant us visions that shall lift us from worldliness and sin into the light of thine own holy presence. Through Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.

Valuables and the Value of Community

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Armodoxy for Today: Valuables and the Value of Community

In the aftermath of the Los Angeles fires, stories of human suffering surface in different forms. From the outside they can be graded on scales of intensity. From the inside, that is, for someone experiencing suffering, loss is loss, pain is pain.

I spoke with a man who had lost everything. His house was incinerated by the fast moving flames in an Altadena neighborhood. He and his wife, and their kids were living in a temporary shelter when we spoke, awaiting authorization to move into a rental. He was in surprisingly good spirits considering his great loss. He was thankful for his friends and his church who had called him out of concern. He broke down as he expressed his good fortune in having a community around him. We discussed his needs. He was thankful that he was insured and felt the reconstruction process might take long but he felt it was manageable and would happen. He had hope and faith in the system.

He said, “I’m fine. The losses I suffered are all replaceable. I’m very thankful that we are all together and our losses were only physical items,” repeating, “they are all replaceable.”

“But my spirit is hurting. Emotionally, I’m not well,” as he broke down a second time during our conversation.

I asked if I could help. He thanked me but said that heart was broken because all the beautiful memorabilia from his dad – every tangible thing his dad had given him – had been destroyed. These memories were gone, never to be seen again, and therefore they were now priceless.

The Gospel records that one day Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. Many who were well to do, put in much and along came a poor widow came and threw in a couple of pennies. He told his disciples that the widow had put in more into the treasury than all the others, “For they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.” (Mark 12:41-44)

The small offering of the widow was great. The small trinkets and articles a father had left to a man who survived the fire, were the greatest loss he suffered.

The fires that sprung up around Los Angeles gave everyone much to think about and learn. Life is fragile. Life is temporary. Preparedness for the unexpected is important. You can never be completely prepared. Loss of property is tragic but not as tragic as the end of life. And today’s lesson that value is not intrinsically assigned to items but defined by our memories and love.

The greatest message that reverberates in me is that of the importance of community. People came together. Neighbors discovered one another. Uber and Lyft gave free rides, AirbnB offered houses, Holiday Inn accepted pets, several restaurants offered food. The greatest mission of the Church is to create that community where the love of Christ is manifest in our daily encounters and outreach. It is the community – people coming together hand in hand – that will and can address the problems of this world.

On this weekend where we celebrate the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. we remember that he envisioned a community, what he called the “Beloved Community,” where love, justice, and solidarity would prevail.  I leave you with one of his stirring prophecies about the importance of harmony within our global community when he said, ” We must either learn to live together as brothers or we are all going to perish together as fools.”

Living Water from My Car

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Armodoxy for Today: Living Water in My Car

The fires swept through different parts of Los Angeles. People were evacuated from their homes as their neighborhoods went up in flames. When the “all clear” was given families returned to find either a house standing or the worst. The news source was in the ON mode 24hrs a day, whether on a phone, computer, radio or television set, that news said where and when entry was allowed and what to expect in those burnt areas. “The water supply has been compromised!” “Do not drink the water from the tap.” “Drink only bottled water,” were the first warnings that came with a pass to return home.

On my way home, stopped at a red traffic light, I had so much on my mind that I didn’t notice the group of young people standing at the corner. Suddenly they opened my car door and put two cases of water in the back seat. One of the guys asked if I wanted another case, and before I could answer – before I knew what was going on – he put a third case on top of the others in my back seat.

The light was still red. I looked up. Happy – celebrating – young people were holding up signs with the words, “Free Water”. I asked what was going on? What was the source of this water? They said they were from the “Living Water” Church. It’s a church that’s just up the street from us. In other words, the church was also in the danger zone, and yet, their congregants were out on the corner sharing their fortune with others.

I asked the source of the water, and I got an answer that pointed me to a deep spring. “Living Water” refers to a passage from John chapter 7, where Jesus proclaims, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me… out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” (37-38)

There were no strings attached to the water. They only shared the name of the church because I asked. I tell you, if I didn’t have a church, I would definitely consider going there. And in fact, I will play hooky one day and go there. What a beautiful gesture. My heart swelled when I remembered the words of our Lord, “I was thirsty, and you gave me drink…. For when you did it to the least of my brothers you did it for Me.”

From the fifth hour of St. Nersess Shnorhali’s I confess with faith,” we pray, “Spirit of God, true God, who descended on the river Jordan, and into the Upper Room; who enlightened me by the baptism of the Holy Font, I have sinned against heaven and before you. Purify me again with your divine fire, as the fiery tongues purified the Holy Apostles. Have mercy upon your creatures, and on me. Amen.

What did you say?

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Armodoxy for Today: Answers to Questions?

In the aftermath of any disaster, or any difficulty, we express our sorrow and condolences. Sometimes we take the extra step and try to explain evil with words that express our philosophy or, better yet, our theology or cosmology. Perhaps we feel compelled to do so because that’s just the way we’re programmed. We look for the “why?” in life? The car stalled. Why? Because it ran out of gas. The tub overflowed. Why? Because you left the water running. And when the answers aren’t so evident, we come up with convenient answers as solutions to the riddles that life throws our way.

Such is the case in the aftermath of the fires that plagued the people of Los Angeles. Finding the “why” to these fires and the massive destruction they caused, is not an easy task. Questions are compounded with the randomness of some of the events, that is, there are sections and areas within the city where one house stood unscathed, while another in close proximity was reduced to ashes.  Why did one survive while another died? Statements, such as, “It must have been God’s will” or “God will not give you more than you can handle” to someone who has lost everything are not helpful to anyone and they proclaim a theological perspective that is foreign to Christianity.

In Luke chapter 13 Jesus is confronted by people who were aware of a tragedy that was well known by everyone in the community, much like the fires in the Los Angeles area. Jesus says, under no uncertain terms, the tragedy is neither God’s will, nor is God providing a test to the people. These archaic ideas come from the Old Testament. The New Covenant is with God, which is defined as Love, accepting and caring.

The other night my son and his wife went to visit a friend and his mother, who had lost everything – house and content. They went with the intention of helping with some basics supplies and finances to get them through the immediate tragedy. When they returned home, I asked how it went. He said, “They talked…. They just talked. They wanted to talk, and we listened.”

Tragedies take their toll on the spirit, as well as the physical. Listening is one of the greatest gifts you can provide to the hurting. Today I spoke with a man who had lost everything. He confessed that he was financially comfortable and would make it through this crisis, but he said “My spirit is hurt – I lost the few items that my father had given to me. They were the only tangible memories I had of him.” He broke down and cried. At the end of the conversation, he expressed his thankfulness that as a Church we had reached out.

Is it any wonder that God gives us two ears and one mouth? It’s twice as important to listen as it is to speak. The Psalmist writes, “Be still, and know that I am God.” (46:10) In that moment of silence, God is present and if we listen carefully, we will hear him, the answers we are seeking.

Let us pray for the blessing of listening, Help us listen. May we listen to those who struggle daily for dignity. Let us hear your voice in the stories of those on the margins. Help us always see what binds us together as sisters and brothers. Amen.

What did they take?

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Armodoxy for Today: What did they take?

The fires around Los Angeles County have destroyed lives and property in large proportion. Yesterday, we asked, if faced with the order to evacuate your residence, what would you take? I hope you reflected on it and came up with some answers.

It was five days since the fire evacuated us from our house, and only two days since we returned. Thankful to have a home to come to, we began cleaning up the ashes that spread over our house and lawn like a gray blanket. It was Sunday and I was sent to Utah to celebrate the Holy Divine Liturgy for the small community of Armenians that live near Salt Lake City. Twice a year, our Diocese sends a priest there to tend to the spiritual needs of the people.

There is no choir and there are no altar servers. I took a deacon with me, so that he could assist me in the Liturgy and be a second voice in the singing of the hymns. I was thinking of all that happened over the last several days. In retrospect, it was all so surreal. Remembering the events of the fire was like a dream, or nightmare, I should say.

And there I stood, in Utah, with the make-shift altar, a table, candles and about one hundred people who were huddled into groups to pray in their language and according to the Tradition in which they grew up.  And it hit me. I had an answer, which was the answer for the Armenian People.

Armenians have faced the same issues of exile that the Angelinos faced at the fires. Armenians were exiled from their homes and villages, when temperatures got very hot, when wars and massacres left their communities in shambles. Not once or twice, but with regularity, sometimes several times within a century, and often enough that the population of the nation has not increased. The one thing that they’ve taken with them has been their Faith, and the expression of their Faith, the Holy Armenian Church.

I’m in the Mormon Capital of the World, with a group of people who weren’t supposed to have been here – that’s right in 1915, one of the perpetrators of the Armenian Genocide promised that there would be only one Armenian left and that Armenian would be on-display in a museum.  And here we are, eleven time zones away from where we originated – in Armenia – singing, praying and communing with God in our native Armenian language proclaiming that Christ is with us!

Everything else is temporary. Houses, cars, portfolios, will all come and go, they can be replaced. But the Faith that’s inside of us – the soul and spirit of our being – is irreplaceable. And it is the one thing that lasts beyond fires, plagues, wars, and even the worst manifestation of evil, genocide.

The night I left my home, I wasn’t certain if I would have a house to come back to, but I was sure that I had a home. That’s what Armenians have taken with them: their home, the Armenian Church.

We’ll continue on this thread tomorrow, for today, we end with this prayer from the Divine Liturgy,

This dwelling of holiness, this place of praise; in this habitation of angels, this place of the expiation of mankind; before these holy signs and the holy place that hold God up to us and are made magnificent, we bow down in awe and worship. We bless and glorify your holy, wondrous and triumphant lordship and, together with the heavenly hosts, we offer blessing and glory to you with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and always and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

What Would You Take?

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Armodoxy for Today: What would you take?

Los Angeles is burning. It might be difficult to call Los Angeles “The City of the Angels,” as flames are about the only thing shooting up to the sky and smell of burnt houses, schools and businesses fills the air and the fear of “Are we next” passes through everyone’s head.

Last Tuesday I got home just before 7 o’clock. My son had called me half an-hour before arriving. He warned me that there was a large fire in the area. That day the winds were blowing like never before in my memory, reaching up to 80 miles per hour, they said. When I arrived, there was smoke and flames just about a mile away. The wind was carrying the sound of sirens and firetrucks that were rushing heroes into the battle zone. The air started getting thick. By 8 o’clock we received a first warning on our phones, to prepare to evacuate. The fire was getting close. By 8:30, the warning had turned into a definitive, “Leave your home” command. And by 9 o’clock sheriff deputies were driving up and down the streets with bull horns ordering, “Evacuate now.”

Between the warning and the order to leave, so many thoughts cross your mind. It doesn’t seem real. Evac orders are common in areas with hurricanes or tornadoes, but in Sunny Southern California? Someone got their plays mixed up. But the order to evacuate was loud and very real.

Quick, you have half-an-hour (and even less when you figure the surprise and initial denial that it’s happening to you) to decide what you’re going to take with you. As you look around at the walls of your house and the room, you think that you may never see any of this again. What do you take with you?

It’s an exercise that I’ve thought about, but it was never as real as it was that night. Pictures, to jar my memory. Those were important to me. But I can imagine so many other things are important for you. What would you take with you if you thought you may never see this reality again? There are no right or wrong answers, but the exercise to question yourself may allow you to understand yourself differently.

Sadly, many people returned to ashes these past few days. Challenge yourself to the exercise of “What would I take with me?” and we’ll continue on this thread tomorrow. For today, we pray from the fifteenth hour of St. Nersess Shnorhali’s Confession of Faith,

Christ, may Your Right Hand shelter me by day and by night, while at home and while away, while sleeping and while awake, so I may never fall into sin. Have mercy on me. Amen.