Seven Humans to One Divine

Armodoxy for Today: Seven humans to One Divine

This week, in examining the concept of Expulsion, we found that what separates us from God is our sin. Like the curtain that is draped across the Holy Altar in our Armenian churches, which prevents us from witnessing the celebration of the Holy and epic Divine Liturgy, our sin prevents us from witnessing the grandeur and glory of God in the fullest.

We learned that sin means missing the mark of perfection and in that sense, we are all sinful because we are imperfect. Jesus makes sure that we understand that perfection as a goal, means going beyond the human expectations. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus contrasts the human with the Divine, saying “You have heard…” for instance “do not murder” “But I tell you…” anger / hatred toward another is the same as murder. Or having lustful thoughts about another’s wife is committing adultery. And the higher standard of loving your enemies and praying for those who persecute you. (Matthew 5)

Herein, we begin to understand why the Church singled out seven expressions as the “deadly sins.” Namely, pride, envy, gluttony, lust, covetousness, anger and laziness. These are the feelings, the expressions, that prevent us from attaining perfection. They are expressions that are under our own control. These are the human expressions that must be managed and overcome in aiming for the Divine.

We pray from the nineth hour of St. Nersess Shnorhali’s “I confess with Faith,”  All provident Lord, place Your holy fear as a guard before my eyes so they may not look lustfully; before my ears so that they may not delight in hearing evil words; before my mouth so that it may not speak any falsehoods; before my heart so that it may not think evil; before my hands so that they may not do injustice; before my feet, that they may not walk in the paths of injustice; but so direct them, that they may always be according to all Your commandments. Have mercy upon Your Creatures and upon me, a great sinner. Amen.