Առաքելության մի մասը

Armodoxy for Today: Part of the Mission

In the Gospel according to St. Luke Jesus states his mission clearly. He is here to preach the gospel to the poor, heal the brokenhearted, liberate captives and the oppressed and recover sight to the blind. (4:17-8)

It is tempting to consider these groups in the category of the other – people outside of ourselves. We may think of the blind as those missing sight receptacles in their eye sockets, when in fact we know many who walk around with eyeballs and yet are blind to the beauty around them. We think of the captives as those who are imprisoned or held in slavery against their will, yet there are those who living in freedom are enslaved to their money and their possessions.  When we categorize the hurting and frail as the other, we deny ourselves the opportunity for self-evaluation and thereby self-improvement.

Մենք բոլորս բժշկության կարիք ունենք, բոլորս ձգտում ենք ճշմարիտ ազատության, և բոլորս կյանքում փնտրում ենք կատարյալ սեր, ըմբռնում և պատկանելություն։ Հիսուս ասաց. «Ոչ թե առողջներն ունեն բժշկի կարիք, այլ հիվանդները. չեկա արդարներին կանչելու, այլ մեղավորներին՝ ապաշխարության»։ (Մարկոս 2)

Let us pray the prayer of St. Nersess Shnorhali, “Lord, who wills that which is good, and are the director of the will, let me not follow the inclinations of my heart, but lead me to live always according to Your good will. Have mercy upon Your Creatures and upon me, a sinner.“