Love within Revolution: Repentance

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Armodoxy for Today: Evolving Love

When political systems do not work there is a call for revolution. The word itself comes from revolve – that is to turn around. In Christianity we use the word “repentance” which means to turn direction and aim toward God.

From early apostolic days, the term repent was used to imply a change in direction toward God. The Apostle Peter urged people to “repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.” (Acts 2:38)

Repentance or repenting is a necessary part of the Christian life. What is often forgotten is that repentance takes place after self-evaluation. The necessity to repent is part of the human condition because we are not perfect.

One of the prayers offered by the priest in the Armenian Church is a prayer that you will never hear read over you, and if you do hear it read over you may want to check our surroundings. It is from the funeral service of the Church where the priest asks God, in His Mercy, to forgive the person of his sins, “because who is it that lives, and does not sin?” And in an explanation (if not to God then to all who hear this prayer) the priest confesses that “Only You (God) are sinless and to You belong the kingdom of all eternities.”

In fact, “sin” is merely an acknowledgement of our human condition. It means we are not perfect and we miss the mark of perfection. Think of a dart board, it is a target with a bull’s eye in the middle. Now imagine tossing darts at the board. For every dart that misses the center, that dart is said to be in sin. The dart that misses the bull’s eye by one ring and the dart that misses by three rings, as well as the dart that misses the entire board, have sinned; they have missed the mark.

Sometimes repentance is described with the phrase turning 180 degrees, that is, turning completely around. Not so. Sometime smaller adjustments are necessary, and the only judge of the degree of adjustment is you yourself. That is why self-evaluation is so important in the life of the Christian, and for this reason the Armenian Church gives opportunities, through days of prayer and fasting, for self-evaluation.

Each of us is in need of correcting our courses in various degrees. This is the revolution that is the beginning of living with heightened awareness. Inside of the word revolution is the word evolution and in reverse form the word love. The true call to Repentance is the call to turn around the LOVE that is missing from our lives so that we can evolve. All living forms evolve. Evolution is part of the living process. Things that are dead, decay. They do not evolve. And rightly so, they do not have the capacity to love.

The God-gift that is inside each of us is the capacity to love. Revolutions that do not accent the love within them are doomed to failure. Revolutions that have turned around the love within them are of the type that Jesus Christ ushered in with the Kingdom of Heaven. And so he instructs us to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all else will fall into place. (Matthew 6:33)

We pray a prayer from the Book of Hours of the Armenian Church, “O God, Merciful, Compassionate and Patient, who pains for the sufferings of His creation. Console and grace us the reason for repentance so that we may enter Your Holy Church with spiritual enrichment, confession and repentance and along with your saints praise and glorify You, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirt. Amen.”

Independence means Responsibility

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Armodoxy for Today: Independence Means Responsibility

On this day in 1776, the Thirteen Colonies of the British Empire signed the Declaration of Independence making them the thirteen United States of America. The document has been revered internationally for its eloquence in proclaiming the basic human right of self-determination. Herein is the tie with religion in general and with the Christianity in particular.

“When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another,” begins the Declaration. The document is a masterpiece which talks about self-governance, and consequently, the case for personal responsibility, because there is no one else to blame but yourself for your actions.

A child who is caught doing something wrong, passes the buck onto a friend, a sibling or perhaps even exclaiming, “The devil made me do it.” To believe in predestination means that your actions are predetermined by some higher power. The expression “written in the stars,” is commonly used and in Armenian, the word “jakatagir” is used for “fate” because it literally means “written on your forehead.” There is no escape from this fate, for it is written beforehand! And therefore, what mistakes or evil you do is not your fault. You are not accountable because you had no choice to do otherwise.

Christianity rejects fatalism. You are indeed responsible for your actions. Over and over again Jesus teaches lessons on personal accountability and responsibility. He speaks about forgiveness and repentance because these require the acceptance of responsibility for actions.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident,” continues the Declaration, “That all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed…”

Life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, are identified as gifts from God, and to exploit these gifts is done with the consent of the people.

Today, we celebrate freedom as a gift from God along with a reminder that these ideas were etched in the Declaration of Independence a quarter of a millennium ago and are still being pursued. The celebration of the oldest continuous democracy, the United States, is an opportunity for us contemplate the divine gift of life in all of its ramifications. Take time to read the parables of Jesus. He instructs us to live life, to enjoy the freedom granted to us by God, so that we may enjoy this life in the pursuit of happiness.

Let us pray, Heavenly Father, we thank you for the gift of life and the freedom to choose the direction of our life. Open our eyes to the beauty of life so that we may better appreciate the wonders of freedom that are granted to us. May we be moved to action as directed by our Lord Jesus. Amen.

OMGōsh, In Context

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In celebration of the anniversary of Independence of the oldest continuous democracy in the world, the United States, this week we are looking at issues of church and state.

Part 3: Oh My Gōsh, in Context

Mkhitar Gosh was an Armenian scholar, writer, public figure, thinker, and a priest of the Armenian Church. While America deals with issues of church and state and the separation of one from the other, a glance back to the 12th Century reveals this monk, who is inspired and motivated by his faith in God. He writes a code of law which includes civil and canon law that was used in Greater Amenia and Cilicia, as well as in Poland and  in parts of Europe. We focus on his clerical background, that as a priest of the church, he intertwined the law with an ethical standard of living.

Politics and religion intersect at different points through their functioning life within a community. Politics may define a world view for an individual, but it is religion that checks and balances that view along the lines of an ethical code. Yes, Jesus said, “Render unto Ceasar that which is Ceasar’s and unto God that which is God’s,” (Mark 12:17)  when asked whether or not taxes should be paid to the Roman Emperor, but he also spoke of the need  for charitable giving, “I was hungry and you fed me, thirsty and your gave me drink, naked and you clothed me and in prison and you visited me.” (Matthew 25)  Jesus sets the moral imperative squarely on the shoulders of the individual, not on a government body or entity. But contemplating the needs in the world, it becomes obvious that we can become more effective and reach more people if we can participate collectively. Hence, religion appeals to politics and politicians for help to further its goals.

Mkhitar Gosh’s book “Lawcode” sets the framework for civil law, marital law, relationships, personal freedoms and expressions. It’s important to mention that the book “Lawcode” in Armenian is called “Girk Datastani” which translates to Book of Judgement. This, in itself, describes one of the fundamental reasons for the separation of church and state in a pluralistic society. It is important to understand that all laws, all regulations as well as religion exist inside of a context. What may work for a society where everyone is the same faith and same ethnic background, with the same common history, may not work where these differ. For instance, when St. Paul writes about obeying the government, it is very important to understand that he was writing in a time when the end of the world and end of the time was imminent. The first century Christian had this understanding, and so, yes, obey the government, as bad as it may be, because Christ is coming back and all will be well. Context is fundamental to understanding the unfolding of politics and religion.

We pray, O Lord, help us to understand one another and acknowledge that our differences are a reflection of your creativity. Help us to treat one another with compassion and respect. Amen.

Read the Lawcode here. https://archive.org/details/mxitargoshlawcode2000/mode/2up

 

Unlikely Partners

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Armodoxy for Today

In celebration of the anniversary of Independence of the oldest continuous democracy in the world, the United States, this week we are looking at issues of church and state.

Part 2: Unlikely partners

If you want to keep the peace in the family or among friends, you’ve been told from an early age to steer clear of discussing politics and religion. Even Peanuts character, Linus Van Pelt, with security blanket in hand, knows, “There are three things I have learned never to discuss with people – Religion, Politics, and the Great Pumpkin.”

It was the 18th century satirist, Jonathan Swift who put his finger on the reason for this unfriendly mix when he wrote, “You cannot reason someone out of something he or she was not reasoned into.” Yes, most of the time we’re “born into” our persuasions, be they religious or political, we adopt them from our family and friends.

But the basic understanding in Armodoxy is that all things are connected in a universal network of life. Economics gives us the resources to buy the Bible, which defines sin, which psychology attempts to diminish. Physics explains the movement of the building blocks which chemistry and biology exploit into physical realities, that art presents in forms that express ideas that form ideologies that philosophy dissects and analyses. Politics creates systems that organize those ideologies, and religion is there to ensure the equity of distribution, claiming to have a connection to a higher understanding of fairness.

We get into trouble when we claim one system of distribution is better than another. An old Hindu proverb claims, “There are hundreds of paths up the mountain, all leading to the same place, so it doesn’t matter which path you take. The only person wasting time is the one who runs around the mountain, telling everyone that his or her path is wrong.”

Jesus avoids the discussion by turning the responsibility onto the individual. Equity is achieved by sacrifice – by giving of yourself. He teaches this, and then demonstrates with his own life. There is no argument here, for when we give it is between us and God. We do not give to prove a system better than another, nor do we give to the justify the system. We give, because it is the expression of love, which is the expression of God. It is not up for discussion nor debate. If you want to practice Christianity, then love, then sacrifice yourself. Plainly, religion is not to be debated but lived.

The Armenian Church saint, Hovhaness Voskeberan (= St. John Chrysostom) 4th century writes, “”If you cannot find Christ in the beggar at the church door, you will not find Him in the chalice.”

We end with one of his prayers, Almighty God, you have promised through your Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen.

Government

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Armodoxy for Today: Government

As I was leaving church service on Sunday, a man approached me and asked for thoughts regarding an incident taking place in Armenia – but it could be anywhere in our world –  where members of the clergy were protesting the actions of the government. He then rattled off the first two verses of Roman’s 13, proclaiming to me, “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.  Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.”  And then to be sure that I got it, he let me know that these were the words of the St. Paul the Apostle. And even more, in case I didn’t know who St. Paul might be, he gave me the bottom line of his question: “It’s in the Bible that we should obey the government! How can a clergyman,” he said, “Go against the government?”

Like too many people, he had a formula for religious questions – short, quick and with no investment of time or reason. He was waiting for an answer in the doorway of the church, a quick yes or no, a black and white with no room for a grey, and all before entering his car, parked a few feet away. I gave him what he was looking for, and a little of what I wanted, namely for him to think beyond the words. I responded that there were many Christians, some even clergymen, who went against Hitler’s orders to kill Jews. And little closer to home, I challenged him to think about the 1915 government plan by the Ottoman Turks to exterminate Armenians. I asked him, “Would you say that those people who did not obey that order were wrong? I’m thankful that they did not follow the government order!” He looked at me with almost disgust and answered quickly, “That’s completely different!” and walked away unsatisfied that there might be an answer that goes against his understanding of Scripture.

This week marks the anniversary of independence for the United States of America. Two-and-a-half centuries ago, a rebellion took place against a government and independence was declared in a document which spoke of a Creator and unalienable rights. Yet, there are distinct boundaries and separation of Church and State in the Constitution of the United States. Since the time of independence, the balance between government and religion has been carefully maintained, even against a backdrop of a world where the lines between the sacred and the profane have been blurred.

In celebration of the Independence of the oldest continuous democracy in the world, the United States, this week we’ll take a look at church and state, from Armenian theologians and thinkers as well as our view of the world in the 21st century, where tensions flare along political and religious perspectives. If you’re willing to invest a bit more time than a walk from your front door to the car, join me for this journey on Armodoxy for Today.

Let us pray, from the Armenian Divine Liturgy, O Lord, who blesses those who bless you and keeps holy those who put their trust in You, save your people and bless their inheritance, guard the fullness of Your Church. Amen.

Cover photo: Government swings and slides, 1993 Fr. Vazken

The Schmoozer

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Armodoxy for Today: The Schmoozer
Did you ever think we’d talk about a schmoozer or the art of schmoozing as a daily message? 

The word schmoozing implies disingenuous feelings, a type of insincerity. It’s something politicians do to attract more votes. Interestingly enough, Jesus turned the schmoozer into the hero of one of his parables. Here, Jesus talks about an insincere, unjust and dishonest manager, who is entrusted to be in charge the finances of his boss – he was a steward over his boss’ affairs. As Jesus tells the story, the manager a crooked man who was found guilty of stealing from his employer. We read in the Gospel of Luke (16) that when the steward knew he was to be fired from his position he schmoozed his way into making friends so he would have a place after being fired.

He took his employers assets to do the schmoozing! Interesting. You would think that his boss would be even more upset after these negotiations. But Jesus turns the situation around. “The master,” Jesus says, “commended the dishonest manager because he acted shrewdly…” And the justification? Jesus continues “…for the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than the people of light. I tell you use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves so when it is gone you will be welcomed in eternal dwellings.”

This can be very confusing parable on the surface. In fact, something as disingenuous as schmoozing becomes a norm for this person and he is commended for his behavior. He is applauded for his shrewdness. Jesus is telling us that while we are here in this world we need to use the tools that are given to us. We must find the language of this world to better understand one another and function together – to communicate, so that we can implement and do the work that is necessary. Of course, confusion can arise because it sounds foreign based on our prejudices. That is, we are conditioned to believe that religious individuals do not opt for worldly means. In common terms: this does not sound “religious.” But that is the beauty of what Jesus is teaching us.

Sadly, the religious community of Jesus’ time as well as of today, wrongly places its emphasis on a life to come forgetting that our life here is one of beauty, one that needs to be cared for and one with which we need to interact. Today we know that there are many problems in the world. There are wars, famines, injustice and an absence of peace on every corner of the globe. On a very personal level, we know of disease and illness. Relationships have gone awry. Families are being destroyed by our materialistic desires. Drugs are coming into the lives of our children and wreaking havoc. All these things Jesus tells us are real. Don’t think that you can avoid them. However, he gives us the tools to deal with our real problems.

As you overcome the problems that you have using the tools and talents that God has given you, you begin to see the big picture and your place within it. You have the tools to do anything, even bring about peace.

This life is what God has given you. Do not look out beyond yourself and your life. Do not look at something or some life to come. That will happen. The life to come is in God’s domain. Jesus tells us, not to worry about tomorrow, but deal with the now. Set your mind on God’s Kingdom and all else will come to you. How else do you think Armenians survived all the perils throughout their history? God has given you everything you need to make it and make this the beautiful life that He intends it to be.

Let us pray the prayer of St. Nerses Shnorhali (19): Grantor of mercy, grant that I may come to you with true faith, with good works, and the communion of your Holy Body and Blood. Have mercy upon your creatures, and on me. Amen.

Cover: Schmoozing the Egg fight, 2013 Fr. Vazken

Baby Angel named Nzhdeh

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Armodoxy for Today: A Baby Angel named Nzhdeh

Garegin Nzhdeh (1886-1955) was a military strategist and statesmen. I’ve been intrigued by his story and inspired by many of his thoughts, especially about the Armenian national liberation struggle and revolutionary activities. So, when I met a gentlemen named Arthur Nzhdeh outside the Cathedral at Holy Etchmiadzin, of course I was curious to find out if there was a connection with the freedom fighter I had only read about.

In Yerevan, a block off the main Republic Square stands a statue dedicated to Garegin Nzhdeh. This statue has a large tablet inscribed with a couple of key pieces of inspiration by Nzhdeh. At the top, reads his holy trinity: “God, Nation and the Fatherland,” followed by his words, “Live and work only for those things that are worth dying for and die only for those things that are worth living for.” I’ve wondered if Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King had read Nzhdeh when he said, “If you have not discovered something you are willing to die for, then you are not fit to live.” It’s probably unlikely that he did, but when minds and souls are in sync, anything is possible.

At the Monastery of Tatev, there are signs with photos of Nzhdeh, remembering that he was one of the leaders of the First Independent Republic of Armenia (1918-1920). Nzhdeh had gone to the Monastery in a spiritual retreat, so that he could connect with the Divine. “God, Nation and the Fatherland” were what directed his actions.

It was a Wednesday afternoon in June when I stood outside the Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin, just past the main gate and before heading to the church proper. I had just visited my dorm room, where I stayed in the late 1970’s while a student at the seminary. I met with a priest who was now working out of the room, converted to an office for diasporan affairs. Things seemed so different and so much smaller than they did decades ago. The room still had the radiator-heaters and the windows with the long shelf where we would place our supplies during the winter months to keep them from spoiling.

I was there this day to baptize my grand-niece and I had about an hour before the appointment in the baptistry.

There is a beautiful fountain memorial just as you enter Etchmiadzin and I stood there, reflecting in the shadow of the first Christian cathedral. The meditative moment was broken by the arrival of a man, his wife, and their baby. He came right up to the fountain, stripped the baby down to his diapers and placed him under the fountain so the water came over him like a waterfall. Without a warning (or a towel) he handed the baby to me and asked for a blessing.

He pulled out his cell phone and began showing me pictures. He explained he was an athlete, a sports celebrity of sorts. He coached and taught. And quickly showing me his Instagram page he pointed to the tens of thousands of followers he had. But his excitement couldn’t be contained when he told me about his son. He said that they named him Garegin, because their last name is Nzhdeh. And so, there I was, holding Garegin Nzhdeh – a baby – and offering a blessing.

Angels come in different shapes, sizes and forms. He was named after a larger than life statesman and hero of the nation. The parents had the courage and the boldness to think outside of their limits and named their child with dreams for greatness. It was a small message that came to me in the shadow of the Great Etchmiadzin Cathedral. As the name Etchmiadzin describes, it is the place where the Son of God descended. Here was a young couple and a very young baby who had come to connect with a past, but also dream of big things to come.

Baby Gagegin Ndzdeh sent us a message that day, that when we approach God with our dream, be courageous and bold. He is our Heavenly Father, and the lower we move our guards, the more access we give to God’s great miracles in our lives.

We pray, Heavenly Father, bless those who bless you. Parents and children who stand at your door, seek a blessing on their lives. May we all be reminded of our Lord Jesus’ words to approach You as Father, who cares and tends to our needs. We thank You for the blessings You give so abundantly. Amen.

left: Sign at Tatev regarding Garegin Nzhdeh; right three photos: Baby Garegin Nzhdeh, 2023, receiving a blessing

How Stone Talks

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Armodoxy for Today: How Stone Talks

Messages come in different forms and in different formats. Text gets wrapped in SMS code, a letter in an envelope, lessons by books or lectures, and words from God are communicated by angels.

A quick scan of the Armenian landscape reveals messages in stone, known as khatchkar. The word literally means “cross-stone.” Some of these khatchkar-s represent the work of a lifetime. Monk of the past, would dedicate their life to carving, etching, preparing and presenting a khatchkar in intricate detail.  They are beautifully and delicately carved out of stone. The hard rock is unforgiving, leaving no room for mistake.

At the St. Leon Ghevondyants Armenian Cathedral in Burbank, khatchkar-s decorate the walkways and outer walls. I have watched the master carver work on these khatchkar-s and have wondered if they carve the image into the stone? Or is it possible that the stone already contains this spiritual gem inside, and the craft of the artist is to unveil it?

Khatchkar-s in Armenia are found surrounding monasteries and churches. Most are several hundred years old and some are from the early centuries of the Christian Church in Armenia. Most of the older ones tell a story and there is an art to reading the stones. From the top of the khatchkar we might see a glimpse of heaven in the decoration, followed by a large cross, connecting heaven to the images earth at the bottom of the stone. Hence, the stone reads as a message of human existence. The cross – the centerpiece of the khatchkar – is the bridge between heaven and earth.

Jesus says, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily.” – Luke 9:23

The cross is the bridge between heaven and earth. It is the symbol of suffering and ultimate love. The centerpiece of the khatchkar – the cross – is the eternal symbol of love and it unites heaven and earth.

The inanimate stone has spoken. To the early Christian community, these khatchkar-s were like books with encoded messages which were easily deciphered by the people. In as much as the khatchkar-s provided this means of message transfer, they are the stone angels of Armodoxy. Yes, stone talks and to continue, the next question is do and can stone fly? Angels are messengers. Angels have no physical form. They are spiritual beings, communicating love, hope and faith, from God to people. These stone-angels transmit the divine message to the world. And so, yes, these stone can and do fly!

Often, like the khatchkar, the messages are all around us, waiting to be discovered. Take time to listen, to read the writing, and see the glory of goodness that is communicating something very beautiful and unique to a hurting world. It is a call to sacrifice and to love.

From St. Nersess Shnorhali’s 14th hour we pray, Upholder of all creatures, protect by the sign of your cross, my soul and body, from the allure of sin, from the temptation of evil, from unjust people, and from all dangers physical and spiritual. Amen.

Cover: Luna & Gregory Beylerian, 2023

Awe at Geghart

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Geghartavank, or the monastery of Geghart, is unique because its wonder is felt only after you enter its doors. It is a monastery carved out of a mountain. Inside, different chambers are interconnected through narrow and low passageways. Geghart means “lance” or spear. In the Gospel of St. John 19:34 we read that as Jesus committed his spirit on the cross, the soldiers who were witnessing the crucifixion pierced his side with a lance to assure themselves Jesus was dead. That lance is kept by the Armenian Church to this day and is used to stir the Holy Miuron which is prepared every seven years, completing the mystical connection to the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ghevart monestery is named after the Holy Lance. and housed the Sacred object for centuries.

The monastery was a tourist stop even during Soviet times. During the Soviet rule over Armenia, it was common for tourists to visit Armenian monasteries as part of the cultural landscape. In other words, the religious significance of these sacred sites was diminished by the government, by presenting them as expressions of random creativity, not necessarily inspired by the Spirit. The Christian background was minimized, or even nullified, for the tourist in the official state narrative about churches and monasteries. Today, people flock there for curiosity, but more and more as a pilgrimage shrine to augment their faith.

A group of us arrived one morning to discover we had just missed a mini-concert by a cappella singers. Their repertoire included a few sharagans, or hymns of the Armenian Church, and a couple samplers from Gomidas Vartabed (early 20th century). We inquired when the next concert might take place and they told us it would be a bit later. Our group of nine pilgrims entered the cave at Geghartavank. We were alone. The Spirit moved us. We huddled together and sang a hymn, requesting God’s mercy, “Der Voghormia.”  The acoustics of the cave are such that, we, untrained vocalists, sounded amazing, so much so that the group of a cappella singers came back in as if to answer our prayer. They smiled and lined up in front of us. Taking out an electronic pitchfork, one of the singers gave the note and the others tuned into to produce a concert that was beyond anything we could have asked for, in fact, it was beyond what we could have imaged. It was renewing and invigorating, leaving us in tears, with full heart of contentment.

Sometimes it is best to pray and know that everything falls into place. These singers were angels who delivered the word of God in a manner that we could not have imagined. We weren’t expecting this concert, nor did we pray for it, but in our prayer of thanksgiving, a blessing of unproportionate size was delivered. Not everything needs to be articulated. Our thankfulness turned into awe.

Today, we remember this quote by Albert Einstein: The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science. He to whom the emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand wrapped in awe, is as good as dead —his eyes are closed. The insight into the mystery of life, coupled though it be with fear, has also given rise to religion. To know what is impenetrable to us really exists, manifesting itself as the highest wisdom and the most radiant beauty, which our dull faculties can comprehend only in their most primitive forms—this knowledge, this feeling is at the center of true religiousness.

Cover: Luna & Gregory Beylerian, 2023

Kid’s Play: Threats and Safety

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Armodoxy for Today: Kid’s Play/Threats and Safety

Armenia is surrounded by hostile neighbors. One wonders, what is life like under the imminent danger of attack and war? We know that existential threats, that is the possibility of extinction of a country and people, is a reality in many parts of the world.

In Armenia, you’ll find a very healthy family life, with young kids playing carefree on the streets to a late hour. The streets are literally filled with life. This is not a cliché but a reality that can be witnessed any night of the week.

We sat in the courtyard of St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Cathedral in Yerevan. From one side a young man was playing with a drone, piloting it in and through the arms and legs of a 70 foot bronze statue of a horse with St. Vartan Mamikonian riding it. From the other side of the park, young people with arms locked, were laughing about some inside joke. A group of tourists joined the fun by picking up ice cream cones from the local vendor, licking away at vanilla and chocolate swirls. In a skatepark, skaters and razor-riders dared each other with a beautiful display of riding that looked almost as if it were choregraphed.

To borrow a phrase from Ian Anderson, “Skating away on the thin ice of a new day…”

Parents at a distant, confident that their children are fine and safe enjoy one another’s company.

For us, from the United States, we can’t even imagine a similar scenario in America today. Oh, yes, there was a time when carefree went hand-in-hand with youth, but those days are deposited in our memories and sometimes they are jarred from those forgotten spots by a scene from a movie or a shared story. Today fear from within has paralyzed society from enjoying these simple moments, begging the question, what is the difference here or there? Do we not also face imminent danger? Random shooters, child theft and trafficking are the counterparts to planned attack and war. One enemy is the known – we know his whereabout, we see him – while the other enemy is a random occurrence, with the variables of person, place and time unknown. Both elicit fear and pose a threat to life.

The prayer of St. Nersess Shnorhali, from the 15th hour comes to us, Christ, guardian of all, may your right hand protect and shelter me by day and by night, while at home and while away, while asleep and while awake, so I may never fall. Have mercy on all your creatures. Amen.