The Salt & Light Preface

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Armodoxy for Today: The Advent Series – Prefaced with Salt & Light

We begin the second week of our Advent Journey, with two statements that set the purpose for the Essential Teachings of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. Here, he proclaims the importance of each of us, as a child of God. He says,

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.

Here he gives a warning of what may come by your own doing. Salt, a speckle of seeming insignificance, is vital to life. It brings flavor to food, as is the directive for you to bring flavor to life. And without that flavor, salt is but a grain of sand. It is, as Jesus says, “Good for nothing.” Very plainly, do not lose your favor.

He continues, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Jesus, who is proclaimed as the “Light of the World” is now casting a new light on us. He refers to you as the Light. So important is Light to our life, that Jesus instructs you to shine your light – share your goodness, your talents – with others.

This passage today prefaces the purpose of the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus is validating you as Salt and as Light – important to bring flavor and illumination to the world. God has created you in His image for a purpose, to decorate, illuminate, share your talents, bring joy to all of creation. Don’t lose that saltiness. Don’t lose the light. The Sermon is the essential instruction on how not to lose the Goodness with which God has endowed you from the beginning. It’s yours and you are God’s.

Let us pray, Lord our God, during this Season of Advent, I prepare to greet you with awe and wonder. You have given me the joy of life. Help me to count my blessings, make my talents known for your Glory, so that I may live by the standard of Love. Amen.

Comparison Shopping in Prayer

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Armodoxy for Today: Advent Series – Comparison Shopping in Prayer

Jesus shares this story with us, “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’”  Jesus then tells us, “This man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:10-14)

The lessons of this parable are many, but for this Thanksgiving season, we focus on the prayer of the first man, the prayer of the Pharisee, who, by the way, was a learned man. He knew Holy Scriptures backwards, forwards and all around. His prayer, you will notice, is a prayer based on comparison. “I thank God that I am not like the other man…” he says.

If you’re listening to this podcast, it means you have some degree of electronic access, which means that you’re better-off than most people on the planet. It is easy to say thank God I am better off than most, just as the Pharisee thanked God in his prayer. Unlike comparison shopping thankfulness is not about comparing things we do or do not have with those things that others have or do not have. It’s easy to look at the blind man and be thankful for our sight. Or hear of hunger in countries menaced by famine or war and be thankful of our food and peace. Thank God, we might say, that I am not like them!

In the history of the Armenian Church, you find that the prayers of thanksgiving are offered at times of abundance as well as times of scarcity, at times of peace and at times of war and even genocide. Thankfulness is the ability to put the ego on hold, in check, and understand yourself as a part of something greater. It is the beginning of religiosity and ultimately peace.

We pray with the Psalmist (26) Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my mind and my heart. For Your loving kindness is before my eyes, and I have walked in Your truth. I will wash my hands in innocence so I will go about Your altar, O Lord, That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all Your wondrous works. Amen.

Hunger at Thanksgiving

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Armodoxy for Today: The Advent Series on Hunger (at Thanksgiving)

Along with the Thanksgiving celebration in America comes the tradition of packing it in with a large meal, symbolic of the first Thanksgiving meal shared by the pilgrims in the New World. And so, perhaps hunger is the last thing you’d expect to hear today, but Jesus was always one to give us the unexpected, so we follow suit.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled,” says Jesus (Matthew 5: 6) as part of the preface to his essential teachings in the Sermon on the Mount. Hunger is a physiological experience. The body, in its interest in self-preservation, signals to the brain that it’s time to eat. Hunger needs to be satisfied for the rest of the body to continue to function.

It is no different in the spiritual realm. When the emptiness which comes from meaningless pursuits sends a signal to the brain, our spiritual appetite is engaged.

We know that in the case of physical hunger the meal can vary. Some foods will give a quick fix or satisfaction, while others can be more sustaining. It is no different in the spiritual realm. There are meals, like the ones that oblige our sweet tooth, a candy bar or a pie, that will provide quick satisfaction but leave us hungry for sustenance. Here, Jesus points to the menu item: Righteousness. Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be filled.

Righteousness is not an abstract or a subjective concept. Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth and the life.” Remember, that we are on a journey through Advent. We are in preparation for the revelation of righteousness that will not leave us hungry. Today, we feel hunger and also have the guarantee that we will be filled. Patience is in order for our preparation.

Let us pray from the Psalms (37)

Do not fret because of those who are evil, or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil. For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land. A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found. But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace and prosperity.

Cover: Luna & Gregory Beylerian for Epostle.net

Meekness: The Art of Thanksgiving

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Armodoxy for Today: The Advent Series

Meekness, the Key to Gratitude

Meekness is often equated with weakness. This is certainly far from the truth, for Jesus says, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” Obviously, not a prize for the weak. In Jesus day, meekness meant control over oneself. In the New Testament, meekness means, “power under control.” Horses exemplify power. We gauge the speed of cars by referring to horsepower.  When a horse is harnessed and tamed, it is brought under control. This does not make the horse a wimpy animal, instead its power is focused and therefore channeled.

The blessing offered by Jesus is upon those who have taken control of themselves, through discipline and direction. Meekness is a way of saying we have lost (or are losing) the ego.  which skews our perception and prevents us from finding true fulfillment in life. We are taught to “believe in yourself,” while Jesus teaches, “Believe in me.” We hear, “Strive to be number one,” while Jesus says, “The last shall be first and the first shall be last.” We learn that the game-plan is “Winning isn’t everything; it’s the only thing.”  Jesus says “He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.” And of course, we know the way of the world is, “Don’t get mad, get even.”  Jesus says, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

In all these examples, the focused and controlled soul is the one that finds true success. Like the wild horse, we are not losing strength, only channeling it.

Everyone, in whatever arena, whether sports figure or surgeon, musician or architect, laborer or employer, finds success through discipline and control.

As the Advent season is beginning, our perception of Christmas is beginning to take form. We are led by the bright Christmas star. God who is revealed and lives among us has invited us to join in the celebration. Our first steps begin in a spirit of meekness, losing the self, controlling the power within, and acknowledging our reliance on God. And here, we find feelings of gratitude and thanksgiving.

In America we have a special day set aside for Thanksgiving. When approached in a spirt of meekness, thanksgiving becomes an art. We find sincerity in that act of gratitude because with the ego out of the way, we channel our attention to the Divine, for we understand that everything and all is from God.

Today we hear the prayer of the Pilgrims on that first Thanksgiving, after enduring the hardships of life in the new world. O Lord our God and heavenly Father, which of Thy unspeakable mercy towards us, hast provided meat and drink for the nourishment of our bodies. Grant us peace to use them reverently, as from Thy hands, with thankful hearts: let Thy blessing rest upon these Thy good creatures, to our comfort and sustentation: and grant we humbly beseech Thee, good Lord, that as we do hunger and thirst for this food of our bodies, so our souls may earnestly long after the food of eternal life, through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, Amen.

Cover: Luna & Gregory Beylerian for Epostle.net

Advent: Poor in Spirit

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Armodoxy for Today

Advent Series: The Poor in Spirit

At first hearing, the Beatitudes seem like they are in contradiction to the values expressed by the world. On closer inspection, we realize that yes, indeed, they are at odds with the perspective espoused by the world. Jesus presents a plan for happiness where humility is preferred over pride. True joy, he claims, is found in helping others, not in the material wealth we amass.

Anglican clergyman, J.B. Phillips presents a list of the worldly beatitudes which goes like this, “Happy are the pushers, for they get on in the world. Happy are the hard-boiled, for they never let life hurt them. Happy are they who complain, for they get their own way in the end. Happy are the slavedrivers, for they get results. Happy are the knowledgeable, for they know their way around. Happy are the troublemakers, for they make people take notice of them.” It sounds more in tune with what we’re used to, and herein we understand the tension between Christianity and the ways of the world.

In The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis writes that the lure of happiness is the “ever-increasing craving for an ever-diminishing pleasure.”

When Jesus says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” he invites us to contemplate the true treasures that are not based on the standards set by the world. A person who is poor in spirit doesn’t boast of his talents, or anything else for that matter, because he knows everything relies on the mercy of God. Those who are poor in spirit recognize their spiritual need. This knowledge is the first step in spiritual growth, much like saying “I don’t know,” opens oneself to fascinating world of education.

Do not mistaken this with the criticism that “ignorance is bliss” rather think that because of our blissfulness in the presence of God, we understand our humanity. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, the meek, the merciful, and the pure in heart…” are challenges for us in our everyday life, to understand the grandeur of God and our place as His creation.

We realize our emptiness apart from God. We reach out to others in a spirit of love and compassion, facilitated by our humility. We are here to serve.

On Holy Thursday, in the Armenian Church, a vartabed, that is, a master of the church’s doctrine has written a prayer that we use as the basis for today’s prayer. Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, we bow our heads in your presence. You, as Lord and God, humbled yourself by washing the feet of the Holy Disciples. You gave us an example and asked that we do the same with one another. Every time that I allow pride to swell in me, when I act out my pride through anger and bitterness, I become as those who betrayed you to the Cross. I place you on the Cross once again. Forgive me and help me to focus on your expression of humble service. Amen.

Cover: Luna & Gregory Beylerian for Epostle.net

 

The Fool’s Ego

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Armodoxy of Today: The Fool’s Ego (Advent Series)

The Parable of the Rich Fool is the scriptural passage of this day of Advent. In our quest to learn the Essential Teachings of Christ as expressed in the Sermon on the Mount, the Armenian Church asks us to meditate on this parable. In it, Jesus’ refers to a man as a fool, in contrast to what he teaches us in the Sermon on the Mount, against calling anyone a fool. (Matthew 5:22)

A man, Jesus tells us, marvels in the abundance of his harvest and builds bigger storage units, saying to himself, “I will take it easy; eat, drink, and be merry.” But that night, Jesus continues, the man’s soul was demanded of him.

As we read the parable in Luke 12 the message unfolds clearly, that the life we live is temporary as are the goodness and wealth we enjoy in this life. For whom or for what purpose did he amass this wealth? He didn’t consider anything but himself and his wealth. That’s why he was a fool. The lesson against materialism is clear. The lesson we may miss, however, is the underlying root of our greed and skewed priorities, which betray us to foolishness.

Jesus provides an insight into the psyche of the fool by mouthing the fool’s argument. As I read it, listen carefully how the man’s ego is undermining his ethics. One third of his speech is consumed with self-recognition and self-glorification. Jesus tells us that the man, after contemplating his wealth, said to himself, “I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.’”

Ego is the biggest obstacle to our happiness. We live thanks to the Grace of God. We are a collection of the prayers of our grandparents, the care of our parents, the companionship of friends, the movements of our teachers, the love and care of people who we have touched with our love. A journal activity for this week is to record all that you are, because of whom? The lesson of the Rich Fool, on this first week of Advent, provides the necessary key to understanding and accepting the Essential Teachings of Christ.

Pray then, All benevolent and almighty refuge and hope of the weak and the troubled, my Lord and my God, who created everything from nothingness protecting your creation. Draw closer to me with Your unspeakable mercy and have mercy upon me, a sinner. Amen.

Cover: Luna & Gregory Beylerian, 2023

 

Missing from the Creed

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Armodoxy for Today/Advent Journey 50: The Message

The Nicene Creed – “We Believe in the Father almighty, creator heaven and earth…” You know it, “We believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, begotten of the Father… Light of Light, Very God of Very God…” It’s the standard by which we proclaim Faith as members of the Christian Church, whether in the Orthodox or Roman Catholic traditions or in mainline protestant churches, the Nicene Creed is the Confession of Faith… This is what we believe.

And while we proclaim faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and confess his birth, baptism, passion, crucifixion, burial and resurrection, there is something that is not proclaimed in the Creed. We remember the events of Jesus’ life without mention of his teachings! We believe in what he taught!

What are the teachings of Christ? You’d be surprised to learn them, because some of them sound so outlandish: “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” “Blessed are the meek.” “Do not resist evil.” “Turn the other cheek.” And “Love your enemies.”

These examples all come from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, recorded in the Gospel of St. Matthew chapters 5, 6 and 7. I refer to these three chapters as the “essential teachings” of Jesus. In fact, when students ask me how to read the Bible, I have them start at this point, because Jesus lays out what is asked of us by God. This Advent Season, we will be focusing on the Sermon on the Mount: The Essential Teachings of Jesus. Each one leading us to finding the Christ in Christmas.

Today, we begin with the reading of what is known as the Beatitudes. It is the introduction to the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus outlines what is considered a blessing. Contemplate these today. You may wish to keep a journal, written or mental, through the 50 days of Advent. When we finish at the Theophany, we will read these once again, it will be interesting to compare your thoughts then with what you hear today.

St. Matthew records this in his Gospel, “And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

 

Beyond the Christmas Node – Advent Journey

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Armodoxy for Today: The Christ in Christmas

Have you woken up on December 26th wondering, where did Christmas go? The Christmas carols have stopped playing and the stores are in “Return” mode.

Every year we know that Christmas must be more than the hustle and bustle that drives us to drive the economy. We all know that there is a Christ in Christmas. And if we’re lucky, we have a chance to read a story, watch a movie, or contemplate a carol that takes us away in a manager, where there’s no crib for baby Jesus’ head. But at the end of it all, have we found that Christ in Christmas?

The Advent Season is a time of preparation for Christmas. On Christmas day, we in the Armenian Church proclaim, Christos dzunav yev haytnetsav = “Christ is born and revealed.” Often those words are said mechanically, without a thought about the full impact those words should have on our lives. What does it mean that Christ is born? Or revealed? If the Creator of the Universe, if the One who gave you breath is in our midst, would we give him a courteous node, or would our shock and awe overwhelm us to the point of trembling? For two thousand years people have been questioning the meaning of Christ and answering in ways that have given them spiritual satisfaction or unworldly torment.

The Advent Season in the Armenian Church is 50 days. It culminates on Christmas, January 6. We call this day Theophany which means the Revelation of God. Today I invite you to join me on the journey of advent through the next 50 days. We will be going through the essential teachings of Jesus which He Himself expressed in the Sermon on the Mount. I give you this guarantee, follow the 50-day plan, and Christmas will have new meaning for you this year. You’ll discover the Christ that’s in Christmas. The saying, “Christ is born and revealed” will not be a postcard imprint but something that impacts your life on Christmas and on the 364 days after.

I look forward to having you with us for this journey. For today, accept the challenge of making this Christmas season the one in which you move from Christmas the holiday to Christmas, the Christ within us.

We begin today with a simple prayer, Lord our God, Jesus Christ, you are the center of my life. You have defined time for humanity, as we calculate our dates before Your Revelation and in the Year of our Lord. Yet with all the wonders that we know belong to you, we focus on the worldly glitter and miss the fire with which you light our hearts.  May this Advent Season be one of growth for me and my family. May we be challenged to find you in the true Christmas celebration which adorns our lives. Amen.

Fires Against Peace

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Armodoxy for Today: Fires and Peace

The journey to and through Armodoxy is paradoxical, it is rather simple to understand but difficult to implement, above all, it requires an open mind. Stories, clichés, phrases, and general conversations are filled with idioms that are seldom questioned or explored. Instead, we repeat them as part of an unbridled conversation. An open mind is necessary to dispel some of our skewed understandings of life, how we live and how we interact with the Divine. For instance, when we say, “They spilled the beans” we mean they gave away a secret and not that they were clumsy with pinto or fava varieties of beans. The expression, “Under the weather” has nothing to do with rain, sleet, or snow, rather it is a way of saying a person is feeling ill. There are thousands of these expressions that have made their way into daily conversations.

Some of these expressions have been repeated so often that they obstruct our reasoning capabilities so much so that we think of them as truths or axioms. For instance, the expression, “You fight fire with fire,” means to fight against an opponent by using the same methods or weapons that the opponent uses. However, if we think about it for a moment, we quickly understand that fighting fire with fire only makes the fire bigger! And so, if we use the same tactic an opponent uses on us, the “bigger fire” is the necessary kindling for war.

Armodoxy comes from Armenia, a land and people that have fought fire with water. Many times, the water supply hasn’t been adequate, but still, we understand the best way to fight fire is not with more fire, but with water. This model, for a land and people that have been attacked and killed by barbarians. They have witnessed the rape and pillage of their country and people, and yet, they have survived and dare to talk about peace… lasting peace.

When looking at the conditions of our world today, I realize that I have no other alternative but to talk about Armodoxy as a necessary way of life, especially today.

Jesus says,” You have heard that it was said, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” But I say to you, do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile.” (Matthew 5:38f)

This is a much tougher solution than fighting fire with fire, but as the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “If we do an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, we will be a blind and toothless nation.”

The world is playing with fire and we’re only fanning and fueling the fire at an unprecedented rate. Armodoxy demands that we have an openness of mind, and a sense of reason to see the ends apart from the means. To understand that that the end is, and must be, peace.

Let us receive the blessing from our Lord Jesus Christ, by praying His words,

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the [a]earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. (Matthew 5:3-9)

 

Losing the Shore: Courage

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Armodoxy for Today: Exploration

Christopher Columbus, explorer of the West, advises, “You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.”

The ocean is vast, mysterious and seemingly unending. The shore is solid, familiar with no waves to push you up or pull you down. In other words, it’s a safe place. Frankly, it’s not a bad place to be, unless you wish to explore, to go beyond the familiar.

To grab opportunity, pushing off the shore is not only necessary but the rule of law. When exiled from their homes, either in 1915 or in 2023, Armenians made the sign of the cross, lost the shore, fought the waves and arrived at their destination.

Happy sailing. Today’s one minute for standard time.

A prayer from Bishop Nikolaj Velimirovic to the Asdvadzadzin

Waves of passion disturb my spirit, great sadness and anguish have overwhelmed my soul. Embalm my soul with Thy Son’s peace, O Most Holy One, and by His Grace drive away every doubt and despair. Calm the storm of my sins that, like a fiery worm, burn me, and quench its flame. Fill my heart with joy, O Most Pure One, and disperse the fog of my iniquities before me. Amen.