Next Step with Fr. Vazken, The Turn-it-off Solution, #806 – September 21, 2025
Freedom, Independence and Speech in America on the anniversary of Armenian Independence. Step-by-step instructions on how to turn off what you reject. Checks and balances. Aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s death, Palestinian death. Editorial perogative. Varakakhatch coming up: The Stones will speak, they did and do in Varak. Rallying around the Shnorhali formula of Unity in Essentials. Epostle.net – for all of our programs and announcements Fast & Pray App
Music to share: Skating Away on the Thin Ice of a New Day
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https://epostle.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Remote-Control-Off-Switch-NS806-e1758496053414.jpg1125848Vazken Movsesianhttps://epostle.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/final_logo_large_for_epostle_web-300x189.pngVazken Movsesian2025-09-21 17:13:152025-09-21 17:23:04La solución para apagarlo
¿Qué es la oscuridad? Muy sencillo, es la ausencia de luz. La oscuridad solo se puede definir ante la presencia de la luz.
¿Qué es el mal? Muy sencillo, es la ausencia del bien. El mal se define en relación con el bien.
Algunos van un paso más allá y definen el infierno como el lugar donde hay ausencia de Dios. Con esta sencilla definición, es posible encontrar el infierno aquí en la Tierra ahora, no en algún momento futuro. Aun así, otros argumentarán que, por definición, no puede existir un lugar donde Dios no esté presente.
Preguntas y reflexiones como estas son más que gimnasia mental; salen a la luz cuando la claridad se ve amenazada. Es parte de nuestro sistema de defensa natural porque le tememos a la oscuridad. Como seres humanos, queremos permanecer en la luz, pero a veces la oscuridad puede ser tan abrumadora que sucumbimos ante su poder.
El poder de la luz solar es tan grande que ilumina todo nuestro planeta y también lo calienta. Del mismo modo, el poder de Jesús, como Luz del Mundo, es tan grande que Su luz vence a la oscuridad.
Jesús comienza su ministerio haciendo referencia a las palabras del profeta: “…El pueblo que habitaba en tinieblas vio una gran luz; y a los que habitaban en región de sombra de muerte, luz les resplandeció”.
El evangelista San Mateo continúa la narración (capítulo 4): “Desde entonces comenzó Jesús a predicar: Arrepentíos, porque el reino de los cielos se ha acercado”.
Oramos: Cristo, luz verdadera, haz que mi alma sea digna de encontrar con alegría la luz de tu gloria divina, el día en que seas llamado por ti; y de descansar con buena esperanza, en las mansiones de los justos, hasta el gran día de tu venida. Ten piedad de tus criaturas y de mí, pecador. Amén. (San Nerses Shnorhali, Confieso con fe)
Si quieres mantener la paz en la familia o entre amigos, desde pequeño te han dicho que evites hablar de política y religión. Incluso Linus Van Pelt, el personaje de Peanuts, con su manta de seguridad en mano, sabe que: "Hay tres cosas que he aprendido a no discutir nunca con la gente: la religión, la política y la Gran Calabaza".
Fue el satírico del siglo XVIII, Jonathan Swift, quien señaló la razón de esta mezcla poco amistosa cuando escribió: "No puedes convencer a alguien de algo en lo que no fue convencido mediante la razón". Sí, la mayor parte del tiempo "nacemos" dentro de nuestras convicciones, ya sean religiosas o políticas; las adoptamos de nuestra familia y amigos.
Pero el entendimiento básico en la Armodoxia es que todas las cosas están conectadas en una red universal de vida. La economía nos da los recursos para comprar la Biblia, la cual define el pecado, que la psicología intenta disminuir. La física explica el movimiento de los bloques fundamentales que la química y la biología explotan en realidades físicas, que el arte presenta en formas que expresan ideas que forman ideologías que la filosofía disecciona y analiza. La política crea sistemas que organizan esas ideologías, y la religión está ahí para asegurar la equidad en la distribución, afirmando tener una conexión con un entendimiento superior de la justicia.
Nos metemos en problemas cuando afirmamos que un sistema de distribución es mejor que otro. Un viejo proverbio hindú dice: "Hay cientos de caminos hacia la montaña, todos llevan al mismo lugar, así que no importa qué camino tomes. La única persona que pierde el tiempo es la que corre alrededor de la montaña diciéndole a todos que su camino es el equivocado".
Jesús evita la discusión trasladando la responsabilidad al individuo. La equidad se logra mediante el sacrificio, entregándote a ti mismo. Él enseña esto y luego lo demuestra con su propia vida. Aquí no hay discusión, porque cuando damos, es entre nosotros y Dios. No damos para demostrar que un sistema es mejor que otro, ni damos para justificar el sistema. Damos porque es la expresión del amor, que es la expresión de Dios. No está sujeto a discusión ni a debate. Si quieres practicar el cristianismo, entonces ama, entonces sacrifícate. Sencillamente, la religión no es para debatirse, sino para vivirse.
El santo de la Iglesia Armenia, Hovhaness Voskeberan (= San Juan Crisóstomo) del siglo IV, escribe: "Si no puedes encontrar a Cristo en el mendigo a la puerta de la iglesia, no lo encontrarás en el cáliz".
Terminamos con una de sus oraciones: Dios Todopoderoso, has prometido a través de tu Hijo que cuando dos o tres se reúnan en su nombre, estarás en medio de ellos: cumple ahora, oh Señor, nuestros deseos y peticiones de la mejor manera para nosotros; concédenos en este mundo el conocimiento de tu verdad, y en la vida venidera la vida eterna. Amén.
https://epostle.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/all-connected-e1758160133399.jpg1125908Vazken Movsesianhttps://epostle.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/final_logo_large_for_epostle_web-300x189.pngVazken Movsesian2025-09-18 00:01:102025-09-17 18:49:27Todo está conectado
In the post-Resurrection encounter between Jesus and his apostle Thomas, tactile affirmation is presented as the necessary proof for after-death existence. Thomas refuses to believe Jesus has resurrected, unless he can touch and feel his wounds. Following their encounter Jesus says, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” This, then, becomes the challenge for all Christians from time zero to today: believing without seeing. A difficult task for anyone, especially us in a world that is defined by our interaction with it, through our senses.
For this reason alone, symbols are important. Symbols help us understand things and concepts that are difficult to explain. For instance, a flag symbolizes a country and can stir deep rooted feelings of patriotism. The main symbol of Christianity is the cross. Two planks, placed perpendicular to one another, joined together and the horizontal plank dissected in its center constituting a left and right arm. Two planks of wood can be cut, whittled, and used as kindling in a fire, or to build a staircase, but create them in the shape of a cross, they now have a deeper meaning.
The many stories about the Holy Cross of Jesus involve people interacting – tactile interaction – with either the Cross or pieces of it – finding them, gathering them, decorating them, and, even, fighting for them. People take on great personal challenges and difficulties to find and preserve those fragments. In return, they discover a Power that goes beyond understanding. They find protection and a haven in the shadow of the Cross,
The stories we tell are meant to serve as the witness to the Power that emanates from the saving Cross. Challenge yourself to tap into that power.
We continue tomorrow.
Cover: 2019 “Custodian for an Hour” – Artsakh
https://epostle.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/artsakh-cross.jpeg17622448Vazken Movsesianhttps://epostle.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/final_logo_large_for_epostle_web-300x189.pngVazken Movsesian2025-09-17 00:01:292025-09-16 14:23:32Objetos tangibles de fe
There are four major feasts dedicated to the Holy Cross of Jesus, Exaltation – the one we just celebrated on Sunday – is the greatest. Exaltation, or Elevation of the Cross, encompasses the others feasts, which are Discovery of the Cross, Apparition of the Cross, and the Cross of Varak.
The Cross of Christ is mystically connected to the power of healing. Yesterday I shared one story from my personal experience. Throughout the centuries there have been thousands of such events that have been well documented. The first takes place when the Holy Cross of Christ was discovered.
Christianity was an underground religion for the first few centuries after Christ. When Christianity was accepted in the Roman Empire, many pious converts went on expeditions to preserve relics and sacred objects connected to Christ. The greatest of these was the Cross.
The mother of Emperor Constantine, Queen Helena, was one of those pious individuals. She ventured off to Jerusalem to find items to bring her closer to Christ. With the help of the Bishop of Jerusalem, St. Macarius, she discovered the site where the Crucifixion took place. There, she found three crosses. Which was the true Cross of Christ? Apparently there was a terminally ill woman there. St. Macarius offered this prayer: “Lord, through the suffering of Your only Son on the cross, You chose to bring salvation to humanity. And now, You have moved Your servant Helena to search for the sacred wood on which our Savior was crucified. Please reveal clearly which of these three crosses was raised for Your glory. Set it apart from the ones used for ordinary executions. Let this dying woman be restored to life the moment she touches the cross that brings salvation.”
The woman was healed when touched by the True Cross of Christ. St. Helena had a shrine built on the spot. The Armenian Church is a custodian of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
Pray, as St. Macarius did, not as a test of the power of God, but rather, to have God guide you to the power which heals and brings us salvation.
Tomorrow, we continue.
https://epostle.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Macarius-praying-at-three-crosses-e1757976314791.jpg705906Vazken Movsesianhttps://epostle.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/final_logo_large_for_epostle_web-300x189.pngVazken Movsesian2025-09-16 00:01:482025-09-15 15:45:59Oración de San Macario
Yesterday, at the Feast of the Holy Cross, a special ceremony known as antastan took place in all Armenian churches worldwide. The word literally means land, as in a piece or patch of land. During the ceremony the four corners of the World – West, East, South, North – were blessed.
A cross is decorated with basil, and processed around the church. The significance of basil was explained in one of last week’s daily messages leading up to the Holy Cross Feast. Today, a small story, from my pastoral experience that I share for your consideration.
It happened during the early days of the first pastorate near San Jose, California. A young man in his late teens was stricken by a mysterious illness that left him in a coma-like state. He could not take anything by mouth. He was being fed intravenously. The doctors were baffled. His parents called me for prayers. I too was young, only recently ordained a priest, and filled with questions. I visited him a few times but wasn’t sure if he even knew that I was in the room. We prayed with his parents.
After two weeks, on the feast of the Holy Cross, blessed the four corners and I took some of the basil home with me. That Sunday, I called my grandmother. She lived in Los Angeles, and I knew that the feast was important in her life. During our conversation, I mentioned the plight of the young man, Armen. Without hesitation she instructed me to boil some water with the blessed basil leaves and take this “tea” to the boy. It would help, she said.
I’m all for science and medicine. I wasn’t really up to taking a homemade concoction into a modern hospital. What he had was still a mystery for the doctors, but, out of my respect and love for my grandmother and her wisdom, I took a thermos of this elixir to the hospital, put it under my coat to avoid embarrassment, I got it into the room.
The parents touched the basil tea to Armen’s lips. If this did not happen in my presence I would not have believed it. He reacted. He moved. They called me the following day and told me he had woken up and drank the tea. A few days later he was up, eating and drinking as normal. They never knew what caused or what the illness was, only that he came through and now, 40+ years later, I remember that episode, especially every Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.
As mentioned earlier, I present it here for your consideration and ask that we continue on the mystery of the cross tomorrow.
https://epostle.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Candles-e1757913309729.jpg1110720Vazken Movsesianhttps://epostle.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/final_logo_large_for_epostle_web-300x189.pngVazken Movsesian2025-09-15 00:01:432025-09-14 22:15:42Un elixir especial hecho de albahaca
On this Friday, with thoughts of the Holy Cross, we go back to the original day of the Cross, the day of Crucifixion, on a day that has now been designated as “Good Friday.” On that day, an innocent man was condemned to death. He was beaten and flogged for spreading a message of love. He was mocked and humiliated on made-up political charges. Standing at the foot of the Cross were only five or six of his followers, in stark contrast to the thousands who ushered him into Jerusalem only four days earlier (on Palm Sunday).
If you were one of those people standing at the foot of the Cross, or if you heard this story up and only to this point, you would hardly believe this to be a Good Friday. The horrifying torture and death of Jesus Christ was anything but a good event.
Then came Sunday. On Easter Sunday, Jesus’ tomb was empty! He has Risen! The first gospel – good news – is what changed an evil and “Bad” Friday into Good Friday! By his glorious Resurrection, Jesus made the instrument of torture and death, into a symbol of victory and goodness. He taught us that the cross – our trials and tribulations – are not to be avoided but must be embraced. And herein we learn the lesson that Resurrection can only follow Crucifixion.
Today we pray the Armenian Church’s prayer (from the Book of Hours): By this Holy Cross let us ask the Lord, that through it He would save us from sin and sustain us by His goodness; Keep us in peace, Christ our God, under the protection of your Holy and venerable Cross. Save us from visible and invisible enemies. Make us worthy to thankfully glorify you with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and always and unto ages of ages. Amen.
https://epostle.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Crosses-at-Golgotha-with-sunlight-782-e1757554546537.jpg910898Vazken Movsesianhttps://epostle.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/final_logo_large_for_epostle_web-300x189.pngVazken Movsesian2025-09-12 00:01:342025-09-10 18:36:20Del viernes a este viernes
The Feast that we celebrate this coming Sunday is the Exaltation of the Cross. The story behind the Feast has to do with Christian forces liberating the true Cross of Christ in the 7th century, from enemies who had held it captive. This story will be repeated in most Armenian Church, as well as Orthodox Churches, this Sunday. You will also notice basil prominently used during the service.
The association of basil with the Cross of Christ comes to us from the time of Constantine and his acceptance of Christianity, twelve years after Armenia’s conversion in the 4th century. Him mother, Queen Helena went in search of the True Cross of Christ and found in a trash heap. At the foot of the cross there were beautiful purplish-green basil leaves, filling their eyes with beauty and the air with the royal aroma that the plant exudes. Amidst all the debris and filth, there grew this vibrant vegetation, on the spot where the ugliness of hate took our Lord’s life, and His Sacred Blood dripped mixed with the tears of his mother, the Blessed Asdvadzadin. Basil.
Over the past few days, I have shared with you how Christ transforms the Cross from an instrument of torture to a symbol of victory. Everything about the Armenian Cross mirrors the ultimate victory found in the Resurrection of Christ, teaching us that beyond troubles there is a safe haven, beyond evil there is good and after crucifixion there is resurrection. Believe.
Today we pray, an expression from St. Gregory of Narek, “… the Lord’s cross, a sign of good fortune, glorious and resplendent, unshakable in its exalted light, invincible in the strength on high, standing as an irresistible champion, unmovable forever against the immoral ways of Satan’s tyranny. For the discerning soul, it is a treasure of spiritual goods, showing the defeat of death and the absolution of sin, plus double hopes for each, now and eternally. (Prayer 51)
https://epostle.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Cross-in-Basil-781-e1757554372305.jpg454737Vazken Movsesianhttps://epostle.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/final_logo_large_for_epostle_web-300x189.pngVazken Movsesian2025-09-11 00:01:462025-09-10 18:33:16Albahaca de la basura
Jesus transformed the Cross, an instrument of torture and death, into a symbol of victory. “In this world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) With these words Jesus assures us that our most trying times are temporary. They can and 0will be defeated. You will be victorious over every one of your crosses because he overcame and conquered the worst-of-the-worst.
Jesus’ words tell us that the cross is a part of life. Trials and tribulations, evil, endings, hurt, death, are all crosses that will be defeated. It is important to note that Jesus said these words before he rose to the Cross. His assurance is based on Divine knowledge, a priori, asking us to accept on faith.
Every tear will be wiped away from your eyes and there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. (Revelation 21:4)
The Armenian Church venerates the Holy Cross. Crucifixes are not present, aside from during the Lenten Season, in the Armenian Church. The Cross is beautiful, ornate. It stands as a testament to Jesus’ Resurrection, to the Victory that is assured each of us who believe and follow him.
Today we pray from St. Gregory of Narek, Grant your mercy upon my forsaken self, good king, who inspires awe, loves humanity and cares for his people, living and holy Lord who always enlightens us by the power of the mystery of your exalted cross. In my barren fields, hardened by sin, filled with folly, with fruitless heart, I am still sustained by your compassion, Almighty. May my soul be refreshed with springs of water and my sore eyes quenched with streams of tears, offered for purification and salvation and released by your acceptance, all-giving Lord, who is glorified forever. Amen. (excerpt from prayer 36)
Translation: Thomas J. Samuelian, Ph.D. St. Gregory of Narek Cover: Khatchkar-2Bp-2B292-2BMatenadaran-2BMs-2B3833.jpeg
https://epostle.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Khatchkar-2Bp-2B292-2BMatenadaran-2BMs-2B3833.jpeg1024775Vazken Movsesianhttps://epostle.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/final_logo_large_for_epostle_web-300x189.pngVazken Movsesian2025-09-10 00:01:542025-09-10 16:51:26La belleza en la Cruz
Walk into an Armenian Church and you’re sure to be overwhelmed all the symbols. God is a mystery. Jesus Christ gives us a glimpse into that mystery with his life and teaching. We can all agree that if God could be explained with words, He no longer is God, that is, by virtue of definition, God is greater than and beyond our thoughts and words.
The greatest symbol within the Armenian Church is that of the Cross. It is an instrument of torture and death, yet we exalt it. We bless people and objects by the “sign of the Cross.” We wear crosses ornamentally, on necklaces, rings, earrings, tattoos, and embossed on clothing. If you were to imagine someone wearing today’s devise of torture and murder, such as a hypodermic needle for the lethal injections, or an electric chair, we would then understand St. Paul’s words, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing…´(I Corinthians 1:18) Yes, it would truly be humorous, it would be foolishness to praise a gas chamber.
And here is where the switch comes. Through the salvific act of Crucifixion and Resurrection, Jesus transformed the instrument of torture and death, the Cross, into a symbol of victory.
“In the world you will have tribulation;” says Jesus. Yes, you will have difficulties, suffering and yes, crosses to overcome. “But be of good cheer,” Jesus continues, “I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) Indeed, the victory over the Cross transformed the symbol into one of triumph.
We pray today, a prayer from 8th century by Sahak Tzoroportsi, “May your Cross be our refuge with its blazing brilliance. That which is named the tree of life destroyed the enemy and dissolved our death sentence, for the salvation of the universe. Amen.”
https://epostle.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Artsakh-Cross-779-e1757391276822.jpg1060902Vazken Movsesianhttps://epostle.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/final_logo_large_for_epostle_web-300x189.pngVazken Movsesian2025-09-09 00:01:442025-09-09 16:17:23Cambio de cruz