Courage – Lent Day 26

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Lenten Recipe 
Recipe 26: Cold Noodles in Spicy Sesame Sauce


Lenten Journey Day 26 – Courage 

During Lent we have become aware of the curtain drawn across the altar of life. That curtain is the obstacle that prevents us from seeing the wonders and the beauty of God – the obstacles that prevent us from maximizing our potential. That curtain has been lowered because of our fears, and the only way for us to bring it up, the only way for us to open that curtain is to combat our fears with courage.

Because God resides within us we know that the potential for courage is within us. Courage comes from within where God has placed it.

At the Last Supper, Jesus asked his disciples to look within. In the Gospel of John, we read Jesus’ final discourse (Chapter 16 and on). Jesus asks his disciples to act with love and with humility even in the face of the unthinkable, at the most horrid of endings. At the Last Supper he discloses to his disciples that he will suffer an unthinkable death. He will be humiliated before humanity. The same creature that received its life from Christ, will now kill the Christ. The same life that was formed from those hands, will now take those very hands and drive nails through them! And yet, Jesus says, have courage. In no uncertain terms he demands it of each of us who sit across from Him at the table. His words, “Courage! The victory is mine. I have overcome the world,” are words that should resound, should reverberate in the deepest pockets of our souls.

Our curtains need to be opened. The obstacles need to be removed. It’s all in our hands. We can do it if we have the courage. So let’s find that courage. It’s easy. Here is a small Lenten exercise for today. Imagine yourself sitting across from our Lord Jesus Christ at the Last Supper. As he spoke to his disciples 2,000 years ago, today he speaks to us, in the same language, knowing that ahead of Him lies the cross, and acknowledges the certainty of the resurrection. Now listen to his words carefully. “Courage! The victory is mine. I have overcome the world!”

It does not matter what difficulties we have ahead of us. It does not matter what kinds of obstacles there are. There may be crosses that are huge and torturous. There may be crosses that we find difficult to raise. There may be crosses that are merely stumbling blocks. It does not matter. With courage, we can carry those crosses. And we can find the resurrections. As we find, they are sitting on the other side of our curtains.
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Open the curtains! Remove the obstacles! Put fear aside. Have courage – a courage that comes from within and without. Understand yourself as a creation of God, standing with Him during his trials and tribulations on the cross because, as you know, He is standing with you at your trials and your tribulations, guaranteeing you a resurrection.

Let us pray now the prayer of St. Nerses Shnorhali:
You who bring back the wanderers, turn me from my evil ways into good ones and imprint upon my soul the recollection of the dreadful day of death, the fear of hell, and the love of your kingdom that I may repent of my sins and do righteousness. Have mercy upon all your creatures and upon me, a great sinner. Amen. (I Confess with Faith, 17/24)

Fear – Lent Day 25

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Lenten Recipe

Recipe 25: Curry Butternut Squash


Lenten Journey Day 25 – Fear
By this 25th day of the Lenten Journey we realize many things have changed in our lives. It may seem as if our surroundings have changed when actually we are now perceiving things differently. We have a broader understanding of our prayer life. We communicate with God and with our self. We understand our fasting as a means of discipline, and of course, our giving – reaching out to others with compassion – as an articulation of faith. On this 25th day of Lent, we understand that beyond these 40 days, there is the journey of life. What we gain from Lent, we will carry for the rest of our life.

These past few days we have studied the story of the Dishonest Steward and contemplated on the theme of stewardship, that is, being entrusted by another to look over assets. We are entrusted by God to look over His greatest gift to us: the life that we live. We are managers of that life.

Remember that in the story of the Dishonest Steward, we find a person who is commended for his shrewdness. Shrewdness is one man’s talent, while others may shy away from such expressions because of fear. That fear, in turn, prevents us from maximizing our potential. The fear of the unknown is high on the list of fears, along with the fear of the self, the fear of being put down. There are so many dimensions to fear, and whatever they may be, we realize that fear prevents us from maximizing our potential.  Fear is the hurdle to overcome. The obstacles to win the race of life are many. Overcoming fear is our first step.  Think about it in your life – all the dreams that you have, all of them are attainable, so what prevents you from reaching those goals if not fear?

In our churches we cover the altar during the Lenten season. That curtain symbolizes sin, the separation between us and God due to sin. Because of our imperfection, we sin. And yet, perhaps that curtain can best be described as fear, as the fear that really prevents us from seeing the beauty that is all around us. Seeing the potential we have within us.

Beyond the parable of the Dishonest Steward, Jesus uses other parables to explain stewardship to us. Among them he speaks of stewards who are fearful; that is, people who are entrusted with life but fear to explore it. One such parable speaks of three men who are entrusted with different amounts of money. To the first, $10,000 dollars is given; to the second, $5,000; and to the third, $1,000. When an accounting is required – “What did you do with the money that I gave you? – the first one says, “I took the $10,000 and I invested it. And I took some risks with it, but here it is. I have produced an additional $10,000.” The second man did the same thing. He took the $5,000 and he multiplied it and gave back $10,000 – “Here’s $5,000, and here’s $5,000 more that I invested and am giving back to you!” But the third of these stewards was fearful. To him was given $1,000. And he was scared. He was scared of humiliation. He was fearful that he might be condemned if anything happened to that money. Rather than understanding that money as a tool, he took it and kept it in his pocket, as if it had intrinsic worth in itself. When asked for an accounting of his stewardship, he reached into his pocket and gave back the $1,000. Nothing was lost! Not a penny! But he was condemned. He was condemned because what was given to him was kept and not utilized. He was scared to use it. He had that fear that each and every one of us possess: the fear of succeeding.

The reasons for those fears are many. They go back to our childhood and to our relationships with people who have demanded of us. Some of them are because of physical inabilities, handicaps or illnesses. They are all the same, and each of them accordingly prevent us from realizing our dreams, from reaching the goals that we set for ourselves and more importantly, from reaching the goals that God wants us to set for ourselves.

Each of the stewards in this story are given different amounts to remind us that life deals out different hands to different people. Some may have more, and others may have less, but in each case we have a responsibility to take what is given to you and maximize it. I invite you today to really think about that stewardship that God has entrusted us with – the life that you have – to end the fears that prevent you from really fulfilling the dreams are inside of your heart. There are so many beautiful things all around you, and I invite you to look beyond the material gains. This is not an exercise in prosperity but an exercise in fulfilling the dreams of your heart and of reaching the potential that you have.

During this Lenten Journey we realize that the curtains in front of us need to be drawn, and that we do want to see the beauty in life. Because we want it, we know that God has placed that desire in our hearts. Let us seek the beauty that God has set up all around us and know that with His help those potentials can be realized and actualized.

We now pray the prayer of St. Nerses Shnorhali
Protector of your Creatures, by the sign of your holy cross, keep my soul and body from the allurement of sin, from the temptation of the devil and unjust people, and from all perils of soul and body. Have mercy upon all your creatures, and upon me, a great sinner. Amen. (I Confess with Faith, 14/24)

Image by Anemone123 from Pixabay

Kid game, Adult lesson: Lent Day 24

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Lenten Recipe

Recipe 24: “Berry Good Chili”

 

 

Lenten Journey Day 24 – Rock, Paper, Scissors
One of the early games we learn as children is the game of Rock, Paper, Scissors. Standing across from our opponent we produce one of these symbols as a hand gesture. A flattened hand is the symbol of paper, a clenched fist is a rock, and two fingers extending forward are scissors. Each item in this trinity has its own strength as well as its own weakness. Each has power over another and is overcome by another. Scissor cuts paper but is crushed by the rock. Paper covers the rock but is shredded by the scissor. Rock breaks the scissor but is made invisible by the paper.

Each item in its own right has seeming power and at the same time is betrayed by its own intrinsic weakness.

This week we have been examining our lives in terms of stewardship, that is, what is our responsibility and purpose in life? What are we doing with the gifts entrusted to us by God, the greatest of which is our life? Being managers of life means we have to coordinate the working of our breath, smile, heartbeat, feelings and actions. We each have, like the rock, paper, and scissors, our own weaknesses and our own strengths. 

In a society that places so much emphasis on outward appearances, unfortunately, it is easy for us to overlook some of our greatest strengths. The Lenten Journey has given us opportunities for introspection and to identify our strengths. By viewing our self as a steward of God’s goodness, we quickly realize how special we are as a unique creation of God. That is, we may be thin and fragile like the paper, but we have unique qualities which can show its strength and tenacity over the hard rocks of life. Individually, we have unique qualities, but in the grand playing field of life, we bring our talents together for the betterment of the team, the whole.

Today we look at the talents that God bestows upon us. How do we use those talents to overcome the difficulties in life? Are we a piece of paper? Can we cover the rocks in our lives? Perhaps we are scissors and we can cut the paper that hide and blanket our progress. And if we are rocks, we must use that mass to crush the scissors that tear us apart. We have these strengths within us. It is just a matter of spreading those unique qualities on the field and realizing with so many different people and different talents, we are playing on an even playing field.

God gives us the unique strengths. To drive that power, he gives us freedom, love, and compassion. We are called to explore all the dimensions of life so that we can maximize our potential. As we live life we begin to notice our weakness and that gives way to fear. It is only natural. Now we understand that to overcome those fears, we need not to look without, but to look within. Our strength is within us. Sure, we may be scared. But consider on the even playing field, that it may be something as simple as a piece of paper that is covering us, shadowing us, preventing us from seeing all of the beauty around us. Quickly, we realize that we have within us the scissor to cut apart that paper. We may be scared of those scissors that are tearing us apart, that are leaving us in bits and pieces between family relationships, our work and our love. But we realize that we have the rock within us to crush apart that hatred that divides us from the things that we love. And of course, we may be fearful of some of the rocks that can unexpectedly crush some of our enjoyment. But right away let’s remember that much like the paper there are parts of us that can become the shadow, the umbrella over those rocks, over those difficulties to prevent those rocks from ever surfacing or even getting close to us. We do have that strength within us. Lent gives us this opportunity to inventory those strengths as well as our fears, and realize that we can overcome the bad with the good.

A simple childhood game, “Rock, Paper, Scissors” and the week of the Steward reminds us of our strengths and weaknesses and how we manage them. Life has its ups and downs, with moments of difficulties and moments of happiness and glory. But in all things, we are one with God when we take advantage of the gifts that He has given us. Celebrate the talents that make us who we are.

Let us pray the prayer of St. Nerses Shnorhali:
Oh Christ, who are the living fire, inflame my soul with the fire of your love which you did set forth upon this Earth that it may burn the stains of my soul, sanctify my conscience, purge the sins of my body and kindle in my heart the light of your knowledge. Have mercy upon all your creatures and upon me, a great sinner. Amen. (I Confess with Faith)

Schmoozing: Lent Day 23

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Lenten Recipe

Recipe 23: Roasted Red Pepper and Fresh Chickpea Pasta

Lenten Journey Day 23: Schmoozing
Of all the topics we have discussed during the Lenten season, did you ever think we would talk about “schmoozing?”

The word schmoozing implies disingenuous feelings, a type of insincerity. Interestingly enough, Jesus turned the schmoozer into the hero of his story. Of course, I’m talking about the insincere, unjust and dishonest steward, the story from which we have been learning for the past two days but today we do so from yet another angle.

Remember, the steward is one who has been trusted by his boss, to manage the business affairs – the boss’ wealth and assets. As Jesus tells the story, it turns out that this steward is a crooked man. He is a man who has stolen and found to be dishonest. As he is being fired by his employers, Jesus tells us, he is ordered to give “an accounting of your stewardship!” How did he manage what was entrusted to him?

The story continues, as Jesus tells it, like this:
So he thought to himself, “I’m not strong enough to dig. And I’m ashamed to beg. I know what I’ll do so when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.” So he called in each one of his master’s debtors. He asked the first, “How much do you owe my master?” “800 gallons of olive oil,” he replied. The manager told him, “Take your bill, sit down quickly and make it 400.” Then he asked the second, “And how much do you owe?” “A thousand bushels of wheat.” He replied, “Take your bill and make it 800.”

So let’s analyze what’s going on here… What is this steward up to? He is taking what does not belong to him and he is using it for his profit. Interesting. You would think that his boss would be more upset. 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. But the justification statement is very important. When Jesus says, “the children of this world are more shrewd in their dealings than the children of light” he 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 disingenuous means. That is, this does not sound “religious.” But that is the beauty of what Jesus is teaching us and the beauty of our Church Fathers’ direction at this point in Lent.

During this second half of the Lenten Journey we are coming down off the mountain top, as we are looking ahead at life on earth. Remember the entire point of Lent to instruct us and prepare us to live better in our lives in the here and now.  Sadly, many times the religious community 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. Those tools are not the holy ones we expect, rather they are rooted in the ways of the world. It figures. To deal with the issues of this world, you need the tools of this world.

Overcome the problems that you have using the tools and the talents that God has given you. As you do so, you begin to see the big picture and your place within it. You have the tools to do anything, even bring about peace. That anger and hatred that escalate into war and genocide, poverty, sickness, disease, pollution and then manifest themselves into cancers and the cancer of hunger, can all be solved by using “worldly wealth” – money – to bring about God’s justice here in this world. The schmoozing is up to us.

For today I ask you to read the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 16. Read the story of the dishonest steward and then think of it this way: The boss is God. You and I are the stewards. Then fill in the blanks with issues in your life. How can you use the talents that you have – to schmooze – solutions in your life? This Lenten season is the first call. In other words, we have been called by our employer to give an accounting of our stewardship. What have we done? 

Thank God we have this opportunity of Lent to set ourselves right. God has given us those tools. Look around and find the places where you can use that talent, where you can schmooze… and using the language of this world, better your situation and work to make dreams into reality.

Remember, this life is beautiful. This life, right now, is worth living. 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. It is this life that is God’s gift. Enjoy it. Schmooz. Make a difference in the lives you touch.  He 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:
I confess with faith and adore You, O light indivisible, simultaneous Holy Trinity and one Godhead, creator of light and dispeller of darkness. Dispel from my soul the darkness of sin and ignorance and at this hour, enlighten my mind that I may pray to you according to your will and receive from you the fulfillment of my supplications. Have mercy upon all your creatures, and upon me a great sinner. Amen. (I Confess with Faith 2/24)

Photo: (c)2009 Fr. Vazken Movsesian

Management Training – Lent Day 22

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Lenten Recipe

Recipe 22: Susty’s Super Tofu Salad

Lenten Journey Day 22: Management Training

This is the week of the steward. Yesterday we read the story of the Dishonest Steward in the Gospel of Luke (16), in which Jesus uses the metaphor to point to our responsibility in life. We are called to be managers of the life and the talents that God has given us. He asks us to use those talents with our brothers and sisters here in this world.

By using the metaphor of stewardship, Jesus makes it very clear that we are accountable for our life. One day, like the manager or steward, we will be asked to produce a record, an accountability of our stewardship. What did we do with what God has given us? Did God give us talents? Did He give us an ability? Did He give us a smile? Did He give us a heartbeat and a breath? What did we do with that gift? What did we do with our lives?

Imagine giving a gift to a friend or a loved one. Wouldn’t you like to know that your friend enjoyed that gift? At some point wouldn’t you ask your loved one, “What did you do with that gift that I gave you? Did you enjoy it?” And certainly, how hurt you would be if that person had taken your gift and stored it in a closet or worse yet, just thrown it in the trash and never once paid attention to it. Likewise, God wants to know that the gift He has given us, that most valuable commodity – the breath that we breath, the heart that beats, the smile that comes from our hearts – is being used and is being used wisely. Ultimately, is it being used to spread love of God to others. That is the demand put upon us as stewards of God’s gifts. We are stewards of our lives. We are responsible for the talents that are given to us, to share them, use them, and to give an account of How? Where? And What did we do with all that God has given us?

Among the seven deadly sins is a sin called “sloth” perhaps the one most misunderstood because it points to inactivity whereas the other sins require us to be active, to engage in the sin. This one sin is defined by just being lazy, by not doing something. Now think of that for a minute. Why would that be a sin? How can not doing something be a sin?

God has given you a gift. You do not have a right to store it in a closet. You do not have a right to take God’s gift and trash it. It is holy. It is sacred. That is what your life is. Every blessing, every moment that you have in your life is a sacred gift from God.

During this Lenten season we are taking an inventory of the different blessings we have in life. We see that we can bring life down to its bare minimum with what is essential to live and with what is essential to survive. In so doing we understand that the little, that very essential element in life, is really that blessing that God has given us. Interestingly enough, as we go through this Lenten journey, our perspective changes.

Remember a few weeks ago when we read that Jesus says, “Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that is spoken by God,” we thought of it in terms of the bar essentials, the bare minimum. But today that has changed because we have changed since we last read that passage. The challenge today, on this 22nd day of Lent, is to really look at those same words “…By every word that comes out of the mouth of God…” as being the blessing, as being the fullness of God speaking to our hearts, to our ears that are listening from within and now acting. We are saying if God is speaking to us, if God is directing our ways, can we go wrong? Can we possibly be steered in the wrong direction? Can we possibly think that our actions as stewards, as managers of that God-given life can be anything but a productive one? It will be a life filled with beauty, with ambiance, with love, with all of the dynamics necessary in this life. The life we live today is an abundant one. “I came so that you would have life,” said the Lord, “and have it abundantly.” A life with Christ is a life in love. It is a life of abundance having everything that you need.

We are managers of the most precious gift given to us by God. It is not something that sits in our wallet, not something that sits in our bank account, but something that resides in the center of our being, in our heart. It is life and it is defined by the smile, the warmth and the love that comes out of us.

You are the steward. There’s no tag on your shirt that says, “Manager,” because God has placed upon you the greatest tag of all. He’s named you as His child. Take advantage today. Is there anything that speaks to your heart more than the dreams that you have – the accessibility to a life that is rich and full? It is yours. It is yours because God has placed you in charge of that life. You do not have a right to place it in a closet. You do not have a right to trash it. All you have a right to do is enjoy it. Let it flower. Let it be fruitful. Let it bring glory to God.

We will continue on this theme of stewardship as we continue on this week. For today, let us conclude with the prayer of St. Nerses Shnorhali:
Jesus, wisdom of the Father, grant me wisdom that I may always think, speak and do that which is good in your site. Save me from evil thoughts, words, and deeds. Have mercy upon all your creatures, and upon me, a great sinner. Amen. (I Confess with Faith 11/24)

Stewardship – Lent Day 21

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Lenten Recipe 

Recipe 21: Lenten Cookies

 Lenten Journey Day 21 – Stewardship

We are over half way through the Lenten season. We climbed up the hill and we are now at the summit, coming down. We look down from the summit and see two paths, one behind us and even more importantly, the path in front of us. It is this path that connects to a larger road which is the journey of life. All that we are discovering during this Lenten period is part of the self-improvement process which fortifies our position in life by granting us the tools to better meet the challenges of life, be they physical, emotional or spiritual. God gives us the tools to handle the complexities of life and to render the journey a simple one.

As we come down off of the mountain, we enter a world that is very real. It is a world filled with difficulties and challenges, but at the same time, it has many victories. It has many moments for us to rejoice and many more to enjoy. Life is very real! How appropriate, that today, at this half-way mark in Lent, the Armenian Church prescribes the Parable of the Dishonest Steward as its Lenten lesson. This is a lesson that connects us to the reality of life.

The Parable of the Dishonest Steward is given to us by our Lord Jesus. We read that there was a dishonest steward, that is, a manager. He was charged to take care of his boss’ assets and money. This man was wise and calculating. He took actions that benefitted himself and at the same time his boss. Jesus refers to him as a shrewd, and even “dishonest” manager. Jesus brings it down to this, “The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.”

This manager is the second character in a trilogy, like the prodigal son from last week and the unrighteous judge that we will look at next week. This character is far from the model you would expect in a religious story, and yet, Jesus uses him, he has the audacity to use him to teach us a lesson in life. It is a lesson in stewardship – managing the assets that we have in life.

Please read the story in its entirety. It is found in the first 12 verses of the 16th chapter of St. Luke’s Gospel. There are many dimensions to it. Today we will focus on the concept of managing our tangible assets.

We live in a world that is filled with real challenges. Reality is not based on or built on fairy tales or myths. Unlike playtime, life is demanding. It asks for our resources, the most precious of which is our time and effort – blood, sweat and tears. The question then becomes, how do we deal with, approach and overcome those challenges?

Jesus tells us that the challenges of life are real. They are to be met and overcome. The resources to do so are in place and need to be used. In his words, we are called to use “worldly wealth” to network and deal with the people of this world. In other words, in this world we must use the tools that this world offers, that is the “legal tender” of this world. Don’t shun those tools by ascribing some definitions based on your moral compass. Don’t pretend that you exist in some other world that is apart from the one we inhabit. This world is very real. We need to use the means of this world to survive this world. What are those means? Our talents. The talents given to us by God.

We began this Lenten Journey by taking an inventory of the things that are essential and necessary for our lives. Today, on this 21st day of Lent, the exercise is to inventory the gifts of God in our lives. What talents do we possess? How can we use them? How can we improve our own lives, as well as the lives of our families, friends and community by the use of those talents? God has given us the resources that we need to deal with life. He has given us the ability, the strength and the courage to move forward. He has given us breath! He has also endowed us with talents. Do you sing or play music? Are you able to craft something? Do you have reasoning and logical skills? Can you invest? Can you make money? Can you heal? Can you console? Can you walk in harmony with others? These are gifts from God.

Jesus says, “He who has been faithful in a little, will be trusted with much.” Take your talent and create! Invest it and make more, whatever your talent may be. Today is the day to examine those gifts you have. You are coming into a world that has so many problems and difficulties. It needs the presence of God today. Not yesterday and not tomorrow. Today. And as an ambassador of God, that is, an ambassador of Love, you now have a responsibility to use your talents wisely to bring the presence of God into your own life as well as the lives of the people around you – your family, friends and ultimately, the world. Furthermore, you do not have a right to ignore your gifts and talents. You are the manager of your life. You must use what has been given you.

In the next few days we will be looking at the models of stewardship. We will look at our talents and understand how we are stewards of our life. How can we take those things that God has given us, and multiply them to really enjoy our life as we fill it with meaning and purpose? How can we touch the lives of others with those talents?

Let us conclude with the prayer of St. Nersess Shnorhali:
Uncreated Essence, I have sinned against You in mind, soul and body; do not remember my former sins for the sake of Your Holy name. Have mercy upon Your Creatures and upon me, a great sinner. (I Confess with Faith 6/24)

Looking from Above – Lent Day 20

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Lenten Recipe

Recipe 20: Hot and Sour Soup

Day 20 – Seeing from Above

You’ve made it! You are at the half-way mark of this Lenten journey. Twenty days behind you, twenty days in front of you. You are at the summit, in a sense, looking out from the mountain top and seeing all things below you. You notice the path that you have taken over the last twenty days. Your food intake is restricted but your prayer life is unfastened and more focused than it was before you started. You are being challenged to accept Christianity on Christ’s terms, that is, you are placing the Christ’s teachings of love, of care, of honor and humility into action. And that is only when you look back. Now, take a look forward at the path for the next twenty days. You quickly realize that at the end of that path it merely connects to a longer road: the journey of life.

From this vantage point – looking from above, from the summit – you see your past and your future and realize that you are standing at the most beautiful and most critical place of all; that is, you are in the present. The one truth that connects you not only with the past and the future, but also allows you to understand this expedition as one step in the bigger journey of life, is the harmony you feel with all things and people around you. This is an expression of being united with God. In fact, God is the eternal present. He is the “I Am.” Not the “I Was” nor the “I Will Be” but the “I Am” and our connection with God is our link to the beginning of time and our roadmap on the course to eternity.

On this third Saturday of the Lenten season, the church directs our attention to a group of men who stand at the summit of all spirituality. Some of the saints remembered by name are St. John of Odzoun, St. John of Vorodon and St. Gregory of Datev. When we remember these Church giants during Lent, we see the example they left of connecting to a higher life. By being elevated to sainthood we understand that they are human, like you and me, with all the frailties, difficulties and challenges that life gives us be they spiritual, emotional or physical. Yet these people rose to the occasion. They followed God’s path and stood at the summit, at the top, looking out at a life that is full and abundant. Looking out at the beauty that God has created all around them and offering their spirits to the world. Ultimately, isn’t that our purpose? We strive to be at harmony with all those around us, to strengthen our relationships with people, with life itself. In that harmony, we can look from the summit, look from above, at a world that is so beautiful that we now offer ourselves, our souls to the collective, to the mix of life.

Today’s message is perhaps the most profound message of all. We are standing at the summit when we are appreciative of all that God has given us. In the act and spirit of thanksgiving we realize that we indeed have a beautiful vantage point of life. We are at the summit and can look all around. We begin sensing with our hearts because our hearts are now sensitive to the wonders all around, to the sounds, to the sights, to the smells, the tastes, the touch of beauty. Today we come to terms with the value of this journey and the road ahead. The path ahead? It is a downhill. We’re going to make it! We’re going to make it not only through the next twenty days, but we’re going to make it through life.

As difficult as life gets, we now have the tools, the confidence, the discipline and we are going to make it. This is one of the most beautiful lessons that come to us from the Lenten season: that God really has given us all the tools necessary to fight the battles and gives us all the strength necessary to overcome our difficulties. Ours is to confide and trust in Him. We are confident to know that this path is a simple one because, it is the path of life.

We conclude with prayer of St. Nerses Shnorhali,
All mericiful Lord, have mercy on all Your faithful, on those who are mine and on those who are strangers. On those whom I know, and on those whom I know not, on the living and on the dead. Forgive all my enemies and those who hate me the trespasses they have committed against me. Turn them from the malice they bear toward me that they may be worthy of your mercy. Have mercy on all your creatures, and on me, a great sinner. Amen. (I Confess with Faith 23/24)

Ego – Day 19

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Lenten Recipe

Recipe 19: Baked Sweet Potato Wedges

Lenten Journey Day 19 – Ego

We are at the third week of Lent. It has been a good journey. We have had time to look inward, to contemplate, meditate and pray. We have restricted our diets as well as restricted idle conversation. We are feeling good. The changes we are making are starting to impact others, our families our surroundings, our work environment, our communities and therefore, our world.

Now we start understanding that real changes come from within. Perhaps it is the only thing we can alter in this world, because it is the only thing in which we have complete control. God places that control in our hands. He gives us this life and He allows us to live it the way we wish.

We conclude this week by looking at one more dimension in the story of the Prodigal Son, namely the ego dimension. You see, all of our difficulties in life stem from the ego. It is for this reason that all major religions, true religions, ask you to lose the ego as part of their spiritual discipline. For the Christian we are reminded of Jesus’ words, “He who loves his life will lose it and he who hates his life in this world shall keep it for eternal life.”

Take a look at great people who have impacted society and life and are recorded in history in a very positive manner. You’ll find something very similar among all of their biographies. They have been willing to sacrifice themselves. They have given of themselves. Now, do not mistake this for low self-esteem or low self-worth. People who impact life in a positive manner have a very positive image of themselves, but they are also willing to sacrifice because that positive self-image is not a false one, nor is it built on false pride.

False pride is very easy to acquire. Especially going through some of the Lenten rituals, as we are doing now, it is very easy to confidently boast, “Look at me, I am doing something that others can’t do.” In that statement we forget the reason for the Lenten season. In other words, the means become the focus of our actions rather than the end or goal of our efforts. The goal of Lent is to better our selves and therefore better our relationships and our world. In the same way, we can think of our dietary restrictions during Lent. There is a reason for us to abstain from animal products. It is not only for the sake of lowering our cholesterol or our weight, but it is to keep things on an even playing field, understanding what is essential in our lives.

Think of the great people who have impacted the world. Now focus on the great people in your own life. They may be a parent or a teacher, a mentor. You will find again that these have been the ones who have been willing to put themselves second to better the lives of others, be they their children, their husbands, their wives, their country, their society or their community. Whatever the case, in the sacrifice that they made ego was contained. Ego was put on hold so that others were allowed to prosper.

To raise children, to support a husband or a wife, to deal with aging parents, to offer love and affection to people around, requires sacrifice. Many times in church life we need volunteers to get jobs done. Sometimes we think, would it not be easier if we paid people to work in these positions? Certainly it would be easier, but the real power of getting things done in the church is by volunteers, because in volunteerism the ego has to be suppressed.

When you get down on your knees and wipe the floors of a church you are acknowledging that there is something greater than yourself there that needs to be served. When you volunteer to help in community organizations, in organization that have goals that are striving for peace or world justice, you are placing a greater-than-sign (>) between the purpose and yourself. In volunteering, the ego gets left behind. You are not as important as the we.

In the story of the Prodigal Son the younger brother is driven by ego. He wants his inheritance, not for some community project, not to better the lives of other people but to enjoy himself. Quickly we see that when the money runs out and so does the enjoyment. His friends back off. There is no intrinsic value to the things he acquired. He was driven by ego and he lost the value of life.

Think about all of the difficulties you have in your life, can you trace them back to ego? Think about the very basic seven sins that we identify, namely pride, envy, anger, gluttony, lust, laziness and covetousness,. Each one of these sins has a foundation made up of an ego that needs to be fed. When we get rid of ego, or at least trim it down, we start seeing that our motives become more pure, our actions are more productive. We begin to understand that we give because it is right to give, not because we are expecting something back in return. We care for people because it is right to care for them, not because we are obliged to do so. If we love people, we are doing so because it is right to love, not because we are living out someone else’s ideals. When the ego is abandoned, we find a new purity of purpose and of self. Our motives and intentions move toward the noble and perhaps even the sacred. We find the power to become the people we want to become and need to become. It is for this reason that our Lord Jesus Christ reminds us, “Blessed are the pure at heart for they shall see God.”

Let us pray the prayer of St. Nerses Shnorhali in concluding today’s meditation:
Son of God, true God who descended from the bosom of the Father and took flesh of the Holy virgin Mary for our salvation, who was crucified and buried and rose from the dead and ascended to the Father. I have sinned against heaven and before you. Remember me like the robber when you come in your kingdom. Have mercy on your creatures and upon me a great sinner. (I Confess with Faith 4/24)

Lost & Found – Lent Day 18

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Lenten Recipe

Recipe 18: Peach Cobbler

Lenten Journey Day 18 – Lost and Found 

As I mentioned earlier if nothing else reached us from the time of Christ save for the Parable of the Prodigal Son, it would be enough to teach us about the Love of God and the meaning of reconciliation. It is a story which demonstrates our responsibility to one another in terms of love, compassion and forgiveness. There are so many dimensions to this story that it really makes it a perfect tool to be used during the Lenten season.

Yesterday we meditated about the travel we take, from various points in our life to an end. Today, we will look at the detours that come our way in our travel through life. When we lose focus of the target, we wander and can be distracted to the point that we lose our way. We become lost. Tragically, sometimes our lost state is so severe that we neither return to the road nor the destination.

Getting lost is not intentional. No one begins a journey with the hope of getting lost. The truth is, in the journey of life we come across many difficulties, many obstacles, that prevent us from reaching the fullness that we want in life. Those obstacles stand in front of us like roadblocks as we travel toward our dreams. When the road is blocked, we immediately look for ways to circumvent, to go around the obstacles and in so doing, we swerve off course. We get lost. We discussed this earlier as being one of the foundations of being in a “sinful nature.” That is, we missed the mark. We’re shooting for that perfection, but we miss it. We’re off the bull’s-eye.

Think about your life. Think about the difficulties, the challenges that you have experienced. You started off your journey with good intentions. Whether it was a career path or career move, a business, education, financial, health goals, or a relationship – a husband, wife, children, parents, friends – whatever the case may be, your motives and purpose were good, perhaps even noble.

Take for instance your financial goals. You started out with good intention: those funds were to pay for something. An education? A better way of living. A trip? Retirement? But along the way you started to compromise. You lost sight of where you were going. While deep down, in the back of your mind, you knew where the destination was, but the day-to-day activities of your life betray you to compromise. You got caught up in the mundane chores and responsibilities that took you father and father away from your goals. You looked at the map and you realized; you were lost!

Being lost hurts. Part of the hurt is attributed to frustration, while a bigger part is because of the guilt. You know that you started with every intention of finishing in a proper manner. You know that the road was a good one, but things got messed up along with way.

Fortunately, we have a way to turn back. We do not have to continue along that same path. And that is the strength of the Lenten Journey. By self-evaluation and introspection we identify our problems and through prayer and meditation we find the means to re-orient and to redirect our self along the path, ultimately to find direction in our life.

In the Gospel narrative, as a prelude to Jesus’ telling of the Prodigal Son parable, there is a discussion about being lost and found (Luke 15). We read that the tax collectors and sinners were gathered around Jesus to hear Him. Now this is interesting and important to note here because Jesus, being the holy man that he was, was in violation of protocol. It was not proper for Him to be sitting with tax collectors who were not only disliked for obvious reasons but were hated because they were looked upon as traitors, collecting money for the enemy state. And of course, he was with the sinners, who were the outcasts because they did not live up to the standards society had imposed upon them. The so-called people of faith looked down their noses at the sinners.

“The Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, ‘This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.’ Then Jesus told them this parable: Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the 99 in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he does find it, he rejoices, puts it on his shoulders and comes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me! I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous people who do not need to repent.” 

Just as he did in the story of the Prodigal Son, Jesus makes it very clear that He is interested in the people who have lost their way. And please note, that includes every one of us.

There is a beautiful expression that says, “Stop and smell the roses.” I love that expression because it reminds us that yes, we are lost. How often do we have the time or take the time to really stop and smell the roses? To really look at the sunset in awe? To look into our children’s eyes and see the hope of tomorrow? To really dream with them and believe in tomorrow? To know that peace is possible. To dream of a better tomorrow? Those dreams, those smiles, are usually forgotten by us because we are in the fast gear, never having enough time to slow down and look, hear, smell, taste and feel life.

Lent is this perfect time to look at your path, where you are going, where you are headed. Are you lost? Do you need a road map? Do you need to get back to the path? Is it time to make a turn or perhaps a complete a U-turn? These are questions that you and you alone need to answer. You have your map open. You have your navigator on and you are on this Lenten Journey.

We conclude with the prayer of St. Nerses Shnorhali. Today let us go to the beginning of that prayer, to the first hour to remind us where everything begins:
I confess with faith and adore you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, uncreated and immortal essence, creator of angels, of humans and all that exists. Have mercy upon your creatures and upon me, a great sinner. Amen (I Confess with Faith, 1/24)

Image by Goran Horvat from Pixabay

The Turn Around – Lent Day 17

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Lenten Recipe

Recipe 17: Asian Noodles with Edamame

Lenten Journey Day 17 – Turning Around

A wide variety of emotions and feelings accompany us on our Lenten Journey. Because we are each unique creations, we each approach our spirituality in different ways. Some may feel tranquility. Some may feel inner peace. Others may feel anxiety – fear of the unknown, of what may be ahead. And others yet, may not be able to process the physical changes that are taking place by virtue of the dietary restrictions. No matter where you may be in your spiritual quest, it is important to remember that we have taken this journey with purpose, with a goal in mind: to purify, to minimize, to find meaning and purpose not only for the duration of Lent but for our entire life. We must understand that these 40 days are training us for the other 325 days that are ahead of us.

Consider now that we began at one point and are headed toward another point. Ironically, sometimes that end point may very well be the beginning point; that is, the end of the journey may be right where we started. 

I do not mean to confuse things, but think of experiences in your own life. When you have been confronted with a problem or difficulties, you may ponder and look for answers, when all along those answers exist within you. We have had those answers right from the beginning, much like the fabled Dorothy, who stands at the end of her journey in Oz, realizing that the answers were right at her feet all along. She receives the grand revelation that there is no place like home, not from outside herself, but by fact that she arrived at that revelation point. Sure enough, we found the same revelation this week in the parable of the Prodigal Son. The son returned home because that was where the answers were.

In fact, we find that God has given us all of the gifts that we need in our lives. The gifts are implanted in our home, in our heart, but we have drifted from our path. We have strayed away from God. But if we look carefully, we are finding that in this spiritual journey the answers are not somewhere outside of us but are seated within us. Why not? If God has created us and God has given us a soul, why would the “owners manual” – the answer book – be outside of us? The answers are right there, within each of us where they have always been.

God speaks to us. From the depths of our heart we hear His voice. His words are the answers that are always with us, no matter where we go. When Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth and the life,” it is the profound expression of love. There is one direction. There is only one path. It is the path of love.

St. Nerses Shnorhali reminds us that the name of love is Jesus. We discovered it to be the “primer,” and we now understand Jesus’ words to mean that Love is the Way, the Truth and the Life. We have all known that all along. This is nothing new. It is just that we have alienated that section of our soul, mind and spirit from what is important and therefore forgotten that there is only one way and one truth. It happens to be Love. We have searched elsewhere, instead of looking within.

St. Nectarius reminds us, “Do not seek the kingdom outside of yourself, but the kingdom is within.” Jesus established his Church, his Kingdom here on earth, and that Church has its primary foundation in the human heart. That is where the owner’s manual belongs.
This week we looked at the three characters in the story of the Prodigal son, namely the young son, the older son and the father. Today let us be reminded that this Lenten Journey is not only a trip from point A to B, but it can also be a journey from A to A. There is a freshness to our lives, as if the old has been recreated. So it is no longer an old life, but a new life filled with a new understanding, a different approach to dealing with our relationship and our surroundings.

What we are beginning to see develop is the concept of repentance, that is, turning around, coming back: Point A to point A via point B. The most powerful tool a Christian has is repentance. When we realize we have made a mistake we have the ability to improve our self. We can turn back. That return to home worked for the Prodigal Son. There are different paths for each of our lives, but they all lead to the end of the Journey. For some, this journey will be from point A to B. For others it will be from point A to B and perhaps a C and D along the way until they get to E. And yet, for others still, it will be a full circle returning back home from and to point A. A loop or a little detour is nothing to be afraid of. Chock it up to the experience of life. In the mistakes and pains of life we learn. Fortunately, God has given plenty of room to make U-turns.

Let us pray the prayer of St. Nerses Shnorhali:
Fountain of immortality, let the tears of repentance flow from my heart like those of the adulteress that they may wash away the sins of my soul before I depart from this world. Have mercy upon all your creatures and upon me, a great sinner. (I Confess with Faith, 18/24)