That’s too easy

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Armodoxy for Today: Too Easy

Scripture recounts that the religious elite of the first century was constantly trying to trap Jesus into contradicting himself. Their traps were of no avail, Jesus’ responses to their questions were always precise and left them (and today, us) with new thoughts to ponder. Such was the case in this moment recorded in the Gospel of Mark (chapter 12).

They approached Jesus, but this time they buttered him up first with words of flattery. “Teacher, we know that you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.” This was probably Jesus’ first tip-off that a stinger was to follow.  They asked, “Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldn’t we?”

Mark writes, “Jesus knew their hypocrisy. ‘Why are you trying to trap me?’ he asked. ‘Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.’ They brought the coin, and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”

“Caesar’s,” they replied. Then Jesus said to them, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” And they were amazed at him.

With this one statement, Jesus has continued to amaze generations until today. Render unto Ceasar what is Ceasar’s and what is God’s to God, is the phrases that is the foundation for concepts such as the separation of Church and State.

It is too easy to quote Jesus with this single line and claim that as Church, or people of Faith, we need to distance ourselves from politics. But as the history of Armodoxy demonstrates, everything is interconnected and certainly did not make this statement to distance himself from the reality of daily life.

All things are connected to one another 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, 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.

Yes, everything is connected. It is too easy to pretend that reality is void of spirituality or that religious entities do not have concerns for their community and world. Separation of Church and State does not mean that clergy should not and cannot comment on political realities. Quite the contrary, they are the ones who might align those realities to higher understandings of selfhood and responsibility.

It was not easy for Jesus to make this statement. Tomorrow we continue, today we pray, O Breath of All that Lives, You who move in the pulse of galaxies and in the quiet rhythm of a single human heart, open my eyes to the sacred thread that binds all creation. Amen.

Doubt Transformed to Faith

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Armodoxy for Today: Eclipsed! (Doubting Thomas)

The Gospel tells us that Jesus appeared to the disciples on several occasions after the Resurrection. During that first week, every time he appeared to the disciples, Thomas, who was called the Twin was not present. In fact, Thomas doubted the others had seen the Resurrected Lord, hence he is referred to as Doubting Thomas. He said, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”

Thomas was eclipsed from the bearer of Light as a follower of Jesus, to the darkness of disbelief.

We read in John, chapter 21:

And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”

And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”

Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

The eclipse is over! Thomas’ proclamation was complete and total: “My Lord and my God!” And note that he did not put his fingers on the marks of the nail. Thomas was transformed from unbelieving to believing.

Most Christians come to Christ without seeing the physical Jesus, but they come to believe because they have seen his works – the love in the world.

Let us pray, Almighty and ever living God, who strengthen your apostle Thomas with sure and certain faith in Your Son’s Resurrection: Grant us so perfectly and without doubt to believe in Jesus Christ, our Lord and our God, that our faith may never be found wanting in Your sight; through Him who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Judge & Jury

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Armodoxy for Today: The Judge and Jury

One of the stories from Jesus’ life that should give everyone – yes, everyone – cause for pause and reflection is the story of the woman caught in adultery. It is recorded in the Gospel of John, from which we read…

Early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them. Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?”  This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.

So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.”  And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?”  She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” (John 8)

In case you missed it, this is a story about judgement. In this story, Jesus is the only one qualified to pass judgement. He is the only one who can accept the invitation to pick up the first stone, that is, he is the only one who is without sin. Jesus stands before the woman is judge and as jury, to offer the verdict, “Neither do I condemn you.”

One more time, the lesson “Judge not, that you be not judged” (Matthew 7) is taught by Jesus, this time with his action, a verdict that reminds us that we do not have the moral authority to throw the first stone.

We pray, Lord, Teach my heart to walk gently in this world. Keep me from lifting stones— stones of blame, stones of pride, stones of quick conclusions. You know the hidden battles each soul carries, the wounds no eye can see, the fears no voice can confess. Let me remember that I, too, am a work in progress, standing in need of the same mercy I often forget to offer. Amen.

Don’t Step on the Brake

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Armodoxy for Today: Don’t Step on the Brake

Reading the Bible is important. You expect a statement such as this coming from a priest of the Church and, of course, from ministers of denominations that are Bible based and advocate for individual interpretation of the Bible.

It never ceases to amaze me how people would never, in a million years, consider having their car brakes repaired by someone who read a book about brakes, or watched a YouTube video explaining brake repair. You’d be a fool to trust your car’s braking system and your family’s safety to someone with that kind of “knowlege.” Or even worse, you can’t imagine someone suffering from heart disease or cancer, trusting their medical care to someone who read an article about staying healthy in AARP magazine. Yes, it would be akin to a person sitting in the pilot seat of a jet liner, because he or she grew up on Superman comic books. Yet, when it comes to spiritual care, the wellness of your immortal soul… many people are not only fine but will argue for the thoughts of someone who’s knowledge comes from an evening spent lost in TikTok and Instagram videos, or perhaps a casual read of a book, even if that book may be the Bible.

The Bible is the product of the Church. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, it was the one, universal, apostolic and holy Church that put together the different books that constitute the Bible. Think of the Church as the editor – the one who goes through the material and decides what stays in and what is left out. Each of the Evangelists – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John were the original editors of the life of Christ. In fact, St. John final words to his gospel are, “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.” (21:25)

The Bible comes alive in the environment that produced it. The Church, the Body gifted to us by Jesus Christ, shares with us words of scripture and interprets their direction.

We pray, Lord, You who speak in silence and whisper truth beneath all noise — teach me to listen with my heart. So often my eyes rush to judge, to grasp at appearances, to cling to what is seen rather than what is true. Quiet that impulse in me. Open the inner ear of my soul. Let me hear Your voice in the spaces between words, in the intentions beneath actions, in the gentle movements of grace that the eyes cannot perceive. Amen.

 

Clearing the Inner Temple

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Armodoxy for Today: Clearing the Inner Temple

The story of Jesus turning over the tables and clearing the temple of the merchants and moneylenders is an exciting movement in the Gospels. It has all the elements for good theatrics and those theatrics have made it a popular moment in Jesus-flicks. Jesus’ outburst in the Temple has also justified fits of anger, with simple philosophical explanations that even Jesus, the Prince of Peace, could not curtail his anger and so, there are times when we too are justified to do likewise. When? Well, when a rude driver cuts me off on the freeway, when my children disobey me, when a friend says something that offends me, and so on.

In a sense, life is a theater and we see ourselves moving up and down with the frames of the film (yes, even in the digital age, we view life as an analog progression of images moving along a timeline.

Jesus had the moral authority to call out what does not belong in the temple. His call to us is “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Matthew 7)

As Love Incarnate, as the Way, the Truth and the Life, Jesus can make the call to clear the house of God of all that does not belong there. However, for us, we are called to clean the first house of God, namely ourselves. In St. Paul’s words, “You are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?”

We pray, Lord, You who fashioned my soul as a holy dwelling, a living temple shaped by Your hands — enter now into the hidden rooms of my heart. Shine Your light where shadows still linger. Sweep away the dust of old fears, the cobwebs of resentment, the idols I have built from comfort, pride, or desire. Cleanse what has grown stale, heal what has been wounded, restore what has been neglected. Amen.

 

Guards Down

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Armodoxy for Today: Guards Down

The story of the Rich Fool, a parable offered by Jesus and recorded in Luke chapter 12, has always intrigued me because the fool can be any one of us. As Jesus says, the fool in the story is defined as anyone who “stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” My interest in this story (and others like it) stems from the fact that we, the listener of the story – the audience members – exclude ourselves from the punch line category. In this case, we look at others as fools, rather than understanding that the story is intended to warn the fool in all of us.

One of the exercises that is most prominent during the Lenten season which we only recently completed, is that of the practice of introspection. To make self-examination work, we need to put down our guards. When reading the stories or parables of Jesus confronting others, remember Jesus has the moral authority to call out others. Ours is not to point to others and call them the fools, rather, for us place ourselves in the place of the person who builds his wealth in earthy material wealth and abandon the pursuit of higher godly reconciliation, by coming to terms with our mortality, rejecting the material trappings of the world, reaching out to those in need and leaving judgement only to God.

Yes, lowering our guards, allows for God’s free flowing energy to pass through unhindered.

We pray, Lord of Light and Truth, You who breathe life into every soul and call us toward what is eternal — open my heart to grow in Your wisdom. Teach me to desire what cannot be bought, to hunger for compassion more than comfort, to seek depth over display, and to measure my life not by possessions but by the love I offer and the love I receive. Amen.

Contrasting between two

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Armodoxy for Today: Contrast

What is darkness? Very simply, it is the absence of light. Darkness is only definable in the presence of light.

What is evil? Very simply, it is the absence of good. Evil is defined in reference to the good.

Some take this one step further and define Hell as the place where there is the absence of God. With this simple definition it is possible to find Hell here on Earth now, not at some future time. Still, others will argue that by definition there cannot be a place where God does not exist.

Questions and ponderings such as these are more than mental gymnastics, they are brought to the forefront of our thoughts when light is threatened. It is part of our natural defense system because we are afraid of the dark. As humans, we want to stay in the light but sometimes the darkness can be so overwhelming that we succumb to its power.

The power of sunlight is so great, that its light enlightens our entire planet and heats it as well. Likewise, the power of Jesus, as Light of the World, is so great, that His Light overcomes the Darkness.

Jesus begins his ministry by referencing the prophet’s saying  –  “…The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.”

The Evangelist St. Matthew continues the narrative (chapter 4), “From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

We pray, Christ, the true Light, make my soul worthy to encounter with joy the light of your divine glory, on the day I will be called by you; and to rest in good hope, in the mansions of the righteous, until the great day of your coming. Have mercy upon your creatures, and on me, a sinner. Amen. (St. Nersess Shnorhali, I confess with Faith)

Peter: 3x denied, 3x on board

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Armodoxy for Today: Reinstatement of Peter

As part of the Passion narratives, most everyone knows that Simon Peter denied Jesus three times. At the most critical time, as Jesus is being tried, convicted and sentenced to death, Peter, his close friend and disciple, denies that he knows Jesus. Few may know that, after the Resurrection, Peter had an opportunity to show his remorse by expressing his love for the Lord. In the Gospel of John (21) we follow a dialogue between Jesus and his disciple, Simon Peter:

 So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?”

He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.”

He said to him, “Feed My lambs.”

He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?”

He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.”

He said to him, “Tend My sheep.”

He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?”

And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.”

Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.  

Some refer to this episode as the Reinstatement of Peter, that is, he denied Jesus thrice and now he acknowledges his love thrice, and the sheep metaphor referring to his pastoral position within the Church.  We call it forgiveness, pure and simple, in a manner that only God can give and only God can understand.

Jesus was about forgiveness. The message of forgiveness was taught with words and then he demonstrated the same from the Cross and after the Resurrection when he forgave his friend Peter. Often in life, we hear about horrendous acts committed by people, but their forgiveness is between them and God.

Let us pray, Searcher of secrets, I have sinned against you, willingly and inadvertently, knowingly and unknowingly. Grant forgiveness unto me a sinner; since from my birth through the holy baptism, until this day, I have sinned before you Lord, with all my senses and in all the members of my body. Have mercy upon your creatures, and on me, a sinner. Amen.

Cover Photo: Epostle 2025

Jesus in our midst, missed

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Armodoxy for Today: Jesus in our midst, missed

Every Sunday, during the Divine Liturgy of the Armenian Church, the celebrant priest, descends from the altar area and processes around the inner circumference of the church.  As he walks by the congregants, he holds a cross in one hand and censes fragrant incense with the other.

There are a variety of reactions to his presence in the congregation. Some lower their head to ask for a blessing, while others kiss the cross in the priest’s hand out of reverence. Others smile and acknowledge his presence. Still, others watch as he goes by, not interested in engaging in any manner. And of course, for those who are not there at that moment, the opportunity to interact is lost because the priest processes through the church and ascends back to the altar area to continue the Liturgy.

This part of the Divine Liturgy, symbolizes Christ’s descent from the comfort of heaven to live, walk and be among us, after which he ascended back to heaven. During Jesus’ life, there were people who sought him for miracles and healings, while others engaged with him for a blessing and merely to touch his garment. And, of course, for many, the opportunity to be made whole was there and they let him pass by.

In life, there are moments that are singular and they demand our interplay at that moment, otherwise, they go by. Sometimes, events demand that we interact.

Today a genocide takes place. Ethnic cleansing is the plot. Hatred raises its head in a variety of places. And love also walks in our midst. What’s your reaction? To stay quiet and/or to ignore the horror, or to allow opportunities of love and healing to pass by are opportunities missed and lost. Unfortunately, they may never come back again. Like Jesus who walked this earth, those who interacted were healed and the made whole. Those who didn’t lost the opportunity.

In the Gospel of John (4) we read of a woman who encounters Jesus at a water well. Jesus asks for a drink of water and she is consumed by the politics of the day –“If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”

You never know when that moment of singularity arrives. It is a moment that engages you into action.

Jesus told this woman, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

We pray, Heavenly Father, I see pain and suffering in this world. I have walked that path in the past. I said, Never Again. Today, grant me the courage to speak out against evil everywhere, so that I may have the moral authority to voice myself whenever evil confronts me. Give me the strength to accept and carry the love you have put in my heart and for me to be an agent of that love through my actions. Amen.

Cover Photo: Lunabelle Beylerian, 2023

And there’s still much more…

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Armodoxy for Today: What More?

Before finishing his Gospel, St. John writes:

And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. (chapter 20)

And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. (chapter 21)

Armodoxy maintains that we come to know Jesus through the stories we read but also by the Tradition that has been handed down to us through the centuries from the time of Christ, in other words, “all the things that could not be contained in the books.” These verses are important reminders of the vastness of Christianity and the unique place of the Armenian Orthodox Tradition, and Apostolic Tradition, which was there at the time of Christ and represents the most ancient form of Christianity. It is the calling card of Armodoxy.

Let us pray,

O glorious Lord, receive the prayers of your servant; and fulfill my requests that are deemed good. Through the intercession of the Holy Mother of God, and St. John the Baptist, and St. Stephen the first martyr, and St. Gregory our Illuminator, and the Holy Apostles, Prophets, Doctors of the Church, Martyrs, Patriarchs, Hermits, Virgins, and all your saints in heaven and on earth. Unto you, O indivisible Holy Trinity, be glory and worship, forever and ever. Amen. -St. Nersess Shnorhali