Ararat Week Day 5: Etchmiadzin the Center of Light

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Armodoxy for Today: The Road to the Center of Light – a five-part mini-series of daily messages dedicated to this special week in the life of the Armenian Church. Five days, five inspirations, five sparks that connect to shine the Christ Light.

Day 5: Holy Etchmiadzin: The final day of the week-long celebration of Armenia’s Conversion is the Feast of Holy Etchmiadzin. The hymn of Holy Etchmiadzin, includes the phrase, “Come, let us build the altar of Light.”

With the Conversion of Armenia, “The true Light which gives light to every man,” (John 1:9) lit up Armenia. Gregory and Tirtad, hand-in-hand, church-and-state, came together to spread the Gospel among the people. In a vision, Gregory saw Jesus Christ descend from heaven, pointing to four points, defining an area with a golden hammer. This is where the first Cathedral in all of Christendom was constructed. The word “Etchmiadzin” defines his vision, literally meaning the “Descent of the Only Begotten.

The week-long celebration, with the feasts of Saints Hripsimé, Gayané and Gregory, is capped with the proclamation that the Only Begotten Son of God, descended from heaven and became the Light which enlightened the Armenian soul. Throughout Armenia today, thousands of pilgrims converge on the monasteries of Hripsimé, Gayané and Khor-Virab, to commune with the essence of this story.  But early on in Armenian Church history, the pattern of celebration was instilled because the Christ Light had transformed the people. It was only 100 years later that the Church in Armenia commission the translation of the Holy Scriptures. For this task, a monk named Mesrob Mashdots invented the Armenian alphabet. With that alphabet the entire Bible was translated in a manner that is considered the “Queen of Translations” by Biblical Scholars. And subsequently the Armenian nation enjoyed a golden age of literature. Culture and education was the hallmark of this period, thanks to the Church.

Only 150 years after the Conversion, Armenia was forced into a war because of their commitment to Jesus Christ. The Battle of Vartanants is considered the first battle for the freedom of worship of Christianity in history. As a result, Christianity spread like wildfire. It wasn’t the last time Armenians stood up for their faith. They have been persecuted to the point of even Genocide and continue to be, because they carried the label, “Christian.”  Jesus invited us saying, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” That cross has been a heavy one for the Armenian people, but it has been its salvation. Abp. Hovnan Derderian has said, “Because of Holy Etchmiadzin, our presence as a nation and as a people is secure.”

Many try to dispose of the cross opting for the comforts of this world. Tragically, what they sacrifice is the fullness of life and the luster that comes from the Light.

His Holiness Karekin I, of blessed memory, once proclaimed “Etchmiadzin is Mission” and in that simple statement set a direction for us, every one of us, who comes in contact with the story. Like all of the history we communicate through Epostle, the story you heard in the mini-series, Etchmiadzin finds its true value when we connect to it with our life. The mission is ours, to proclaim the importance of Light amid the darkness. With wars, hatred, intolerance all around us, the Armenian story of Etchmiadzin gives the world a spark of hope, kindled by strength, fanned by difficulties, but grounded and lit in Jesus Christ.

This Sunday is the feast of Holy Etchmiadzin. Let us pray, O Lord, Jesus Christ, you touched us with the humblest of your messengers, a young girl who said, “No” to the great and powerful. In returned a nation and people discovered the True Light. You came into darkness, into the lives of people who weaved a tapestry of love, compassion, tolerance, patience, healing and resurrection. May we be a reflection of that Light, in all that we do. Guide us, O Lord, in the paths that promote love, compassion, tolerance and healing, so that we may be worthy of the blessing of the Peacemaker. In all things we thank and glorify you, along with the Father and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Cover: Luna & Gregory Beylerian, 2023

Ararat Week Day 4: Tirtad, Fanning the Flames

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Armodoxy for Today: The Road to the Center of Light – a five-part mini-series of daily messages dedicated to this special week in the life of the Armenian Church. Five days, five inspirations, five sparks that connect to shine the Christ Light.

Day 4: In sharing the story of the great Revolution that brought Christianity to Armenia, we have used the metaphor of a fire that burnt away the pain and despair of the pagan world. Hripsimé was the spark, kindled by Gayané and Gregory the Illuminator was the necessary catalyst that made the fire glow. To all of the elements, we add one more, the air, or more concisely, the fanning of the flames, to make the fire grow!

Tirtad was the power in the kingdom of Armenia. As king, he was the sovereign over the land and ruled as absolute law. Royalty was revered and enjoyed respect from the citizens, albeit insincere, nevertheless, enough to keep the players in check. And so, he was feared by the common man.

In a story such as the conversion of Armenia, it is often easy to lose true heroes to their villainous personality. Tirtad, who ordered the conversion of Armenia to Christianity, was the same king who killed Hripsimé, Gayané and their companions. He ordered worship of pagan gods and goddesses and had no patience for disobedience. If we become overwhelmed with all the negative attributes of his person, we can forget that this antagonist fanned the fire. The more Tirtad opposed, the stronger Gregory became.

We have heard adages about attitude, to remain positive in the face of adversity. We’ve heard expressions of making lemonade when given lemons, but to see it played out in a story such as this we realize it’s more than having a refreshing drink, but a means of survival, literally. Popular psychology calls this attitude adjustment, we in the Church refer to it as discipline, as having faith in God. Gregory’s sentence was capital punishment; Tirtad threw him into the pit to finish him off. Gregory didn’t fight the King, instead through a system of non-violent resistance, he overcame all the odds. He was disciplined. He used the tools given to him by God, prayer, meditation, fasting, staying focused and seeing God in the face of his adversaries, including Tirtad.

Our takeaway is to view attitude adjustments in terms of the tools given to us, such as prayer, meditation, fasting, staying focused and seeing God in the face of everyone. St. Gregory teaches us this lesson in response to the evil imposed on him by the King.

King Tirtad succumbed to a grave illness because of the horrors he imposed on the innocent sisters of the Gayané and Hripsimé. He was cured by the Illuminator, leading to the conversion of the nation. Plainly, Tirtad, the antagonist, is necessary for the story. He fanned the flames for the Christian Revolution to explode in Armenia. He is crowned a saint in the Armenian Church.

Let us pray, Christ our God, you crown your saints with triumph and do the will of all who love you, looking after your creatures with love and kindness. Hear us from your holy and heavenly realm by the intercession of the Holy Mother of God and by the prayers of all your saints, especially the King of Armenia who converted the nation to Christianity, St. Tirdat. Hear us Lord and show us your mercy. Forgive, redeem and pardon our sins. Make us worthy thankfully to glorify you with the Father and with the Holy Spirit. Now and always and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Cover: The Gate of Tirtad at Holy Etchmiadzin

Ararat Week Day 3 – Gregory, Catalyst

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Armodoxy for Today: The Road to the Center of Light – a five-part mini-series of daily messages dedicated to this special week in the life of the Armenian Church. Five days, five inspirations, five sparks that connect to shine the Christ Light.

Day 3: Gregory: Gayané kindled Hripsimé’s spark, but still, a catalyst was necessary to get the Revolution burning. Gregory was that catalyst, bringing the message of Christianity to the pagan world. He was the son of a Parthenian nobleman, and while his biographical details are laced with tragedy, including assassination, rejection and executions, for our purposes, we remember that Gregory, brought up in a Christian family, arrives in Armenia toward the end of the 3rd century, preaching the Gospel. He entered the King’s service and accomplished his tasks conscientiously. However, when asked to make offerings to the pagan gods, he refused, professing his faith in the one God revealed through Jesus Christ.

The King, Dirtad, did not tolerate his insubordination, and viewed Christianity (represented by Gregory) as a threat to the stability of his kingdom. He sentenced Gregory to death in a deep pit at the base of Mt. Ararat along the path of the Arax river. In Armenian this place is call խոր վիրապ (khor-virab), which is a literal translation of the words “deep pit.”

Gregory stood his ground. He did not resist evil, as he was instructed by Christ. He knew that the ways of the world could be sweet, but temporary. He did not give up His commitment to the Truth of Jesus Christ.

In the world we are always given options between the light and dark. While khor-virab is a place, and still attracts hundreds of thousands of pilgrims each year, khor-virab is also a metaphor in Armodoxy. It is the deep abyss and its darkness that blinds us to beauty and God’s wonders. In that darkness we follow the illusion of worldly wealth and remain ignorant to the love and compassion of family and friends. Physical death is what Gregory faced. We face spiritual death every day, and deliverance from that pit is available as it was for Gregory.

Gregory stayed firm in his commitment to Christ. He entered the pit as a death sentence only to walk out of it 13 years later, when the King Dirtad, suffering from a grave illness required healing. Gregory was kept alive with his prayers, his pious spiritual practices and the offering of the king’s sister, Khosrovitoukhd, who would bring scraps of food to the dungeon-pit sustain him.

Upon the king’s healing and recovery, Dirtad declared Christianity as the state religion. The year was 301, thus Armenia became the first Christian nation on earth. St. Gregory is revered as the patron saint of the Armenian Church. He is known as the Second Illuminator of Armenia, for bringing the Light into the darkness. The title of First Illuminator belongs to the Holy Apostles Thaddeus and Bartholomew who brought the Light of Christ to Armenia in the fifth decade of the first century.

Saturday is the feast of St. Gregory the Illuminator’s deliverance from the pit. Let us pray, Christ our God, you crown your saints with triumph and do the will of all who love you, looking after your creatures with love and kindness. Hear us from your holy and heavenly realm by the intercession of the Holy Mother of God and by the prayers of all your saints, especially the great patriarch of the Armenian people, St. Gregory the Illuminator. Hear us Lord and show us your mercy. Forgive, redeem and pardon our sins. Make us worthy thankfully to glorify you with the Father and with the Holy Spirit. Now and always and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Ararat Week Day 2: Gayané, Kindling

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Armodoxy for Today: The Road to the Center of Light – a five-part mini-series of daily messages dedicated to this special week in the life of the Armenian Church. Five days, five inspirations, five sparks that connect to shine the Christ Light.

Day 2 – Gayané: If Hripsimé was the spark of the Christian revolution in Armenia, Gayané was the kindling. Gayané was the head of the convent, what might be commonly referred to as a Mother Superior. When Hripsimé ran from Emperor Diocletian it was into the embrace of Gayané. She could not have had a better ally. Gayané was a woman of principle and high morals and for this reason she was charged with the leadership of the sisterhood.

It is important to remember that the Church, at this point, is still functioning underground. That means, the gatherings of the community were secretive. There were pockets of Christians throughout the Empire, but for the most part they were discriminated against, and were dispensable. Furthermore, the Bible had not yet been compiled, but there were scriptures – mostly Psalms and Proverbs – that were read among the believers, and of course, St. Paul’s letters had risen to the status of “epistle,” meaning that they were general letters to the community.

Gayané knew Jesus Christ from the Holy Tradition handed down to her by the Holy Church.  She did not read the words of Christ but heard his voice, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:24-26)

Gayané had picked up her cross in the vows she had taken to serve God by serving others. When the King realized that Hripsimé was not budging from her stance, he approached Gayané, as the head of the sisterhood, to persuade Hripsimé to give into his desire. Just the opposite, Gayané insisted that Hripsimé not trade the pleasures of this world with the rewards of eternity. And so, it was that they escaped, but at the cost of their mortal existence.

The king’s muscle was exerted on these young girls in an unbelievably disgusting manner. The details of the torturous death they succumbed to would be called crimes against humanity today. Gayané was just the right kindling to Hripsimé’s spark. They played as a team as this Revolution began in Armenia. Gayané brought stability to the team by standing firm to her faith and being a pillar of strength to the young Hripsimé. Each of the characters we meet this week, come to us from over 1700 years ago, but their stories connect to our lives today. The struggles we go through every day, perhaps not as dramatic, still shake us to the core. These characters inspire us to live with hope and overcome the worst of the worst. In their inspiration today, we understand that these stories are timeless.

Every revolution needs a leader, and he was on the horizon. Tomorrow: Gregory the Parthenian, who would come to be known as the Illuminator.

Today is the feast of St. Gayané. Let us pray, Christ our God, you crown your saints with triumph and do the will of all who love you, looking after your creatures with love and kindness. Hear us from your holy and heavenly realm by the intercession of the Holy Mother of God and by the prayers of all your saints, especially the holy martyr St. Gayané. Hear us Lord, and show us your mercy. Forgive, redeem and pardon our sins. Make us worthy thankfully to glorify you with the Father and with the Holy Spirit. Now and always and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Ararat Week Day 1: Hripsimé, Spark

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Armodoxy for Today: The Road to the Center of Light – a five-part mini series of daily messages dedicated to this special week in the life of the Armenian Church. Five days, five inspirations, five sparks that connect to shine the Christ Light.

Day 1, Hripsimé. “The longest journey begins with a single step,” said Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu and I would imagine every culture has some parallel statement that expresses the  sentiment that the biggest and most complicated tasks begin with an initial spark. Hripsime is the spark that ignited the Christian revolution in Armenia in the early 4th century.

Hripsimé was a young girl, we are told, of remarkable beauty. In the late 3rd century, she entered a Roman convent, dedicating her life to Jesus Christ. Her beauty caught the eye of the Roman emperor Diocletian and he was determined to marry her. Hripsime and the other sister fled Rome to escape his hounding, and after some time ended up settling in the town of Vagharshapat, Armenia.

Emperor Diocletian sends word to the Armenian King Tirtad to have her captured and returned to Rome. What happens next seems almost too predictable, Tirtad is taken by Hripsimés beauty and wants her for himself. He offered her his kingdom if she would be his queen, but she refused to marry him, a pagan, and give up her Lord Jesus Christ.

Hripsimé refusal, and her faithfulness to Jesus Christ was the first step on the road to the Christianization of Armenia. Her short answer “No,” was a tiny little step that had huge repercussions. But at the time she refused the king, the only thing that was certain for her was, at the least, persecution, at the most, death.

Rev. Martin Luther King once said, “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” Hripsimé took that first step uncertain of where it would lead. Most definitely she did not know, nor did it cross her mind, that this “No” to the king would be the spark to the conversion of Armenia to Christianity. The only certainty she had was that her action, or non-action, was in line with her core beliefs as a Christian.

Hripsimé is a saint whose story inspires us to do that which is right. Hripsimé knew well the parable of the “10 Maidens” (Matthew 25) and as a Christian she had heard the words of Jesus, who said, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36) “Queen Hripsimé” was guaranteed a beautiful and pleasant life, “Sister Hripsimé” was marked to death. But her strength came from Jesus Christ, in his words, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21)

Hripsimé followed her heart. It was the place of her treasure. She teaches us to walk in faith and do that which is right. The wealth and beauty of this world … that’s tomorrow: Gayane.

Today is the feast of St. Hripsimé. Let us pray, Christ our God, you crown your saints with triumph and do the will of all who love you, looking after your creatures with love and kindness. Hear us from your holy and heavenly realm by the intercession of the Holy Mother of God and by the prayers of all your saints, especially the holy martyr St. Hripsimé. Hear us Lord, and show us your mercy. Forgive, redeem and pardon our sins. Make us worthy thankfully to glorify you with the Father and with the Holy Spirit. Now and always and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Cover photo: Grave of St. Hripsime, by Luna & Gregory Beylerian, 2023

A Vortex to transport

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Armodoxy for Today: Vortex in the fabric of history

Following the Resurrection of Jesus, the disciples anticipated that the world – at least history – would come to an end as is evident by most of the New Testament writings. It was only after a few decades had passed and the eye witnesses to Jesus life, death and resurrection, were getting to be fewer and fewer in number. As that first generation was dying, the Church called for the story of Jesus’ life to be written. The witnesses to Jesus, the writers of the Gospels were not necessarily thinking of compiling only historical facts to create a biography. But for them, Jesus was not a historical figure but someone who was beyond history. That is, he conquered death and so, without a doubt, he was living.

As we read about the period following the Resurrection, primarily in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles and in the letters and epistles that follow it in the Bible, we witness a group of people trying to discover meaning and definition in relationship to their living Savior.

The challenge for us today, especially in reading Scripture, is not to see it as a history textbook, but a living epistle that talks to us and breathes on us. The Resurrection of Jesus was a life changing event for anyone who witnessed it or heard of it. In reading the Book of Acts, see the wonder and excitement in the expressions of a community that has discovered a vortex in the living fabric of history, a vortex that transports them beyond themselves, to a higher plane. In Jesus’ words, “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” (Matthew 13)

Lord, teach me to seek as the merchant sought, to recognize the pearl when it gleams in the dust, and to trade every comfort for the joy of knowing You. May my soul rejoice in the exchange — losing the world to gain eternity, emptying my hands to hold Your glory. Amen.

Holy Spirit on Him and on Us

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Armodoxy for Today: Holy Spirit on Him and Us

Pentecost is the Feast of the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Holy Trinity. And while Pentecost takes place after Jesus’ Ascension to Heaven, it is important to remember that Christ’s ministry on Earth began with the pronouncement made by the Prophet Isaiah. In Luke chapter 4 we read,

So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

Jesus left us His Church which is guided by the same Spirit and to us is given the same mission: to preach the gospel to the poor, heal the brokenhearted and proclaim liberty to the captives. It is an awesome responsibility passed along to us by Christ, made possible by the Holy Spirit. We pray, O Holy Spirit who directs the Holy Body of Christ, direct me in the paths of harmony and righteousness. Amen.

Pope Leo XIV’s Encyclical Magnifica Humanitas

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SPECIAL EDITION

Armodoxy for Today: Pope Leo’s Encyclical on magnificent humanity…

While the Christian Church celebrated Pentecost over the past weekend, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV issued his first encyclical “Magnifica Humanitas” (magnificent humanity) reflecting on the Church’s social teaching for the age of artificial intelligence.

In an unusual gesture, the Pope presented the Encyclical at the launch. (Popes will author and sign encyclicals and, generally will leave the presentation or “launch” to Church officials or representatives.)

 

The full text of Magnifica Humanitas is available here.

One year ago, on the feast of Pentecost, we shared with you a summation of the “Epostle” mission and vision as the electronic arm of the Church, with the title Pentecost: Technology and Language. We began working with technology in the 1990s, and established the first broadcasts in 2000. We have developed social media and podcast content since 2008. But over the last year, AI related challenges before the Church have increased exponentially. And certainly, we at Epostle have experimented and presented different models demonstrating AI assistance. Last year, with AI assistance we dared to present our Christian topic videos in over ten different languages to reach audiences across the planet. Our 2025 “Reclaim” conference explored the implications of AI use within faith communities. Currently, we are working on models for a virtual AI assistant capable of answering faith questions according to the teachings outlined in Armodoxy, that will be available 24/7 and as requested. Of course, AI uses in religion have not been confined to the Christian quarters, nor to the West. Earlier this month, the first non-human was ordained as a Buddhist monk – a robot – in the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism in Seoul, South Korea.

With this encyclical Pope Leo’s message is clear: human dignity must be protected in the age of artificial intelligence, and humanity must resist building a future in which technology eclipses the human person or excludes God.  He challenges us to think beyond the comforts and ease that AI affords us and find the magnificence in humanity.  In his words, “the true alternative is not between enthusiasm and fear, but between two paths of development, a progress that serves individual and peoples, or a progress that subjects them to the mentality of power.”

On this auspicious occasion of Pope Leo’s Encyclical, we reiterate our commitment to the sacred calling of the Holy Church and our ability to engage in it with the tools of the day. Excerpted from our message last year,

One of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is that of communications – to be able to fulfill the Great Commission of Jesus Christ, to share the Gospel message with the world. …to preach the gospel to the poor; to heal the brokenhearted,  proclaim liberty to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, and to set at liberty those who are oppressed…” (Luke 4)

As the earliest and most ancient of Tradition we are thankful to be able to accomplish this by the use of the latest language, that is technology. Today, on Pentecost, we celebrate our ability to engage in Apostolic evangelism in an electronic world. Our audience is expanding daily. We thank you for listening to our podcasts and broadcast, and sharing these messages with your family and friends. You’re plugging into new productions of podcasts, video lessons, daily messages, multiverse virtual presentations, virtual tours and much more, which are all spreading the message of peace and harmony through love as expressed and exemplified by Jesus Christ.

We take this opportunity to thank Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, the Diocesan Primate of the Western Diocese for his steadfast encouragement of this venture. In his words, Epostle is the future of the Church, available today! We will always strive to engage with new and innovative means by which to share the Gospel of love and hope. We thank you for taking this journey with us. May the blessings of the Holy Spirit be with you all, along with that of the Father and Son, now and always. Amen.

 

 

 

From History to Us

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Armodoxy for Today: From History to Sermon

The sermon begins “Today is Pentecost” followed by a story from the pages of the Book of Acts. We hear the story of the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Disciples, turning them into the evangelists for Christ’s Holy Church. What’s our take-away from this sermon? There was an event, on the 50th day after the Resurrection – pente, 50 – and with the reception of the Holy Spirit, the Apostles embarked on their sacred mission to evangelize the world.

This is what’s known as a history lesson in the guise of a sermon. The purpose of a sermon, unlike a history lesson, is to preach a lesson to the listener, a lesson which applies to their lives today. It was for this reason that Jesus promised the Disciples to send the Holy Spirit, so that they would not merely present Jesus as a figure of history, but as the Living God that affects and interacts with His children in their lives today, as He did 2000 years ago. Pentecost is the event that invites us to the holiness of the Church. It is in His Sacred Church, where that message is revealed.

When Jesus began his ministry, he invited the Disciple to “Come and follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matthew 4:19) At the end of his ministry on Earth he said to them, “Go and make disciple of all…” (Matthew 28:16-20) “Come” says Jesus to learn as my Disciples, “Go” says Christ to teach as my Apostles.

A simple but powerful prayer by St. Nersess Shnorhali reminds that the Holy Spirit has touched the Disciples and purified us by working and acting within us all. Today is a day to be receptive to the joy that fills our lives with godliness.

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, a sinner. Amen.

Greater Love with no credit

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Armodoxy for Today: Memorial Day

There is a park that I pass by occasionally on my morning rides. It has a sizable monument dedicated to the veterans of US wars. On the center plaque there are the insignias of the different branches of the military hovering around a lone statement that reads, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”

I happen to know that this quote is from Jesus. In the Gospel of John (15), Jesus proclaims this truth in final a discourse with his disciples before being betrayed and handed over to trial and crucifixion. But for others who had not read the Bible passage or had no reference to Jesus, the quote seems like a basic truth. And that’s how it is presented to the visitors of the park and this monument. The quote is without reference, neither to Jesus, nor to the Gospel in which it appears.

One of the most beautiful traditions we have in the United States is expressed in the Memorial Day holiday. It is an expression of appreciation for one of the greatest gifts, namely freedom, and the price that has been paid for it.

A value can be ascribed to everything, except to human life. Life is a gift given only once by God and therefore it is priceless. When someone loses their life for a cause, we say they have paid the ultimate price, again, emphasizing its pricelessness.

We have heard that freedom is not free, and interestingly enough, the price of freedom is measured by life, that is, the value of freedom is so great that it can only be measured, or given value, in terms of human life.

Stephen Stills writes,
Do we find the cost of freedom
Buried in the ground
Mother Earth will swallow you
Lay your body down

Whether the words of Jesus are referenced to him or not, the words “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” stands as an axiom. As Christians, however, we are consoled in knowing that our Lord, Jesus Christ, said these words as a statement about his offering, his love for his friends, for his children.

Memorial Day gives us a beautiful opportunity and a chance to reflect on something that should be reflected upon regularly, that is, the value of life and those things that are measured by life itself. Are there things that you love more than life itself? Freedom? Family? Love? Country? A close inventory can reveal much. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King has said, “If a man has not found something worth dying for, he is not fit to live.”

Jesus made it clear, that he loved us so much that he laid his life down for us, his friends. In return he asks that we lay our lives down, not to the grave but to surrender to loving one another. It is the greatest testimony to Memorial Day, to respect the price others have paid and understand that in living, and living fully, we honor their sacrifice.

Let us pray, On this Memorial Day, we pray for those who courageously laid down their lives for the cause of freedom. May the examples of their sacrifice inspire in us the selfless love of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Bless the families of our fallen troops, and fill their homes and their lives with Your strength and peace. Amen. (from Common Prayers)