Tag Archive for: Advent

And in the End…

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Armodoxy for Today: And in the End…

A week spent on the theme of the Second Coming of Christ, culminates today with this message, one which I only preface with the note that I needed to undo so much misconception and misunderstanding about the Second Coming of Christ be before I could share this with you. Indeed, today’s message was given to us by Jesus Christ but is often run over and/or forgotten because of the appeal that sensationalized and dramatized readings of the Book of Revelation or Old Testament mythology that accentuates end-of-world disaster.

If you’d listened to the last daily messages of the last four days – those dedicated to the Second Coming of Christ – then you are ready to hear truth about the end by Jesus Christ himself. This will only make sense if you have followed the Armodoxy manual of eschatology as presented over the last few days, so if you have not read or heard those messages please do so before proceeding.

This, then, is the description of the Second Coming according to Jesus Christ, offered to you here on this 40th day of Lent as a fitting culmination of our Lenten Journey as we engage in the life that is before us. And Jesus says,

“When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.  Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats,  and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left. Then the King will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink? And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and clothe thee? And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit thee?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.’ Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to thee?’ Then he will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.’ And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

In Space and Time

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Armodoxy for Today: In Space and Time

All things are affected by their environments. Few things exist in vacuums, and those that do are not organic, obviously they die of suffocation. Even religion is a product of its environment. And so begins today’s examination of yet another aspect of this week’s study of the Second Coming of Christ.

The Book of Revelation seems to be a favorite among people who want to decipher dates and times about the Second Coming, despite the fact that Jesus says it is not for us to know the dates and times and instructs us to live for the day. We discussed this over the last few days explaining that life is the gift that God to us, meant to be lived and not wasted with worry about tomorrow. And the best way to be prepared for the Second Coming is to accept the teachings of the first coming.

Furthermore, the Book of Revelation comes with a warning,  “Everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if any one adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book,  and if any one takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.” You’ll find this at the end of the Book, chapter 22, verses 18-19. A book of prophesy, demands interpretation, and those who interpret – in the words of the warning, are adding and subtracting to the prophesy.

The Book of Revelation was written by St. John, the same one who wrote the fourth Gospel, from the island of Patmos toward the end of the first century. He was talking to the Christian community of that time in a code that they would understand. The Christians for the first century were under tremendous persecution and gist of the Book is to let them that in the end, God will prevail.

Revelation was the last book to be accepted in the Biblical Canon by the Church in the fifth century. It was written in a time and place far from us. Revelation, as anything else, must be understood in context of space and time.

If I wrote in my journal, today, that I was facing some challenges and I decided to bite the bullet we would all understand that with courage and decisiveness I did something that was difficult and unpleasant. Yet, 2000 years from now, if someone found my journal they would certainly pity me thinking that in the face of my challenges began chewing on live ammunition!

In Armodoxy we allow God to be God and we live the day as best we can according to the guidelines given to us by Jesus Christ.

Today we pray a prayer from the Armenian Church’s Book of Hours, Jamakirk, Lord our God, we give thanks to You, for You have granted us to pass this day in peace. Grant us, O Lord, to pass this evening and the night before us without sin and stumbling, and to stand firm and abide steadfastly in faith, in hope and in love and in the observance of Your commandments. Give peace to the world and stability to Your holy Church and salvation to our souls. For to You is befitting glory, dominion, and honor, now and forever and ever. Amen.

Prelude to the Second Coming, Love

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Armodoxy for Today: Prelude to Second Coming, Love

This final week of the Lenten Season is dedicated to the Second Coming of Christ. As I’ve shared over the last couple of days, the Church talks about preparedness for the Second Coming in terms of living a life based on Christ’s first coming, namely, living in harmony with God and your fellow man. We read that the leaders of the religious community tried to trick Jesus by asking which is the greatest commandment, thinking that he might choose the Do not murder, or perhaps, Do not make false oaths and in return they would argue the merits of another commandment. But Jesus gives them an answer that cannot be disputed: Love God and love neighbor and he seals this commandment by saying, “On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.”

Today we meditate on the simplicity of Christ’s call to love God and our neighbor. If you love God you cannot murder, you cannot lie, you honor your parents, you cannot be apathetic about life. Every commandment hinge on these two essentials.

We hear the reports from war daily. There is a vocabular of war with phrases such as targeting innocent people, friendly fire and war-crimes, in other words, there are certain crimes inside of war confrontations that are criminal, as if war itself is not a crime?  Think of it for a moment, if you love God how can you possibly drop a bomb on another human being? Whether military or the civilian target, aren’t they all innocent? Aren’t they all children of God?

The 17th century French archbishop François Fénelon expressed it eloquently: All wars are civil wars because all men are brothers… Each one owes infinitely more to the human race than to the particular country in which he was born.”

Christ’s path is the higher road to take. In the context of the Second Coming, if fear of a final judgment stops people from hurting and killing one another, then let us promote that day. But let us promote it with the terms by which Jesus promoted it: Love God and love your neighbor! Everything is built on these two commandments. Love is an action that must be demonstrated not with words but with deeds.

Today I leave you to meditate this simple parable offered to us by our Lord Jesus Christ.

A man had two sons; and he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’  And he answered, ‘I will not’; but afterward he repented and went.  And he went to the second and said the same; and he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the harlots believed him; and even when you saw it, you did not afterward repent and believe him. (Matthew 21)

Missing the Destination

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Armodoxy for Today: Preparedness

Sunday was the sixth Sunday of Lent, known as the Sunday of Advent, or coming, referring to the Second Coming of Christ. We continue from yesterday’s message…

Since Apostolic times we, the Christian Church, confesses to Christ’s return to judge the living and the dead. And we have traveled the course prescribed by our Church for two Millenia. Sadly, somewhere along the way of two-thousand years of Christianity, someone pulled the switch and took the train off course. I don’t know how, who or when, all I know is those on board will miss the destination.

It has become quite popular for people to interpret prophecies, especially the Book of Revelation. Millions are spent by innocent victims who are being given misleading information – false interpretation of philosophy – for a chance to be part of the select group that will outlast horrifying and cataclysmic events, trials and tribulations and end up sitting with Jesus on his return.

Furthermore, these false readings have caused wars and escalated anxiety and fear in an effort “help God usher in the Kingdom.”

Is it any wonder that our Church Father designated the Gospel Passage from Matthew chapter 22 as the passage for the Second Coming. Listen attentively, because you may think you missed something…

But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they came together. And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, to test him.  “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.  This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.  On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.”

Did you hear that? Or, I should ask, what did you NOT hear? Nothing about horseman, tribes, the sun falling out of the sky or 666? That’s right! The Church Fathers ask us to read this passage on the Sunday of Advent because they don’t want us to miss the destination, that is, life! Just as Christ asks us, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well. Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day’s own trouble be sufficient for the day.” (Matthew 6:33-34)

It is easy to be consumed by end time discussion, and lose track of life itself. With this passage we learn, the best way to be prepared for the Second Coming of Christ is to adhere to the teachings of the First Coming of Christ: to love God and neighbor. “On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.”

We continue tomorrow.

Theophany: God Revealed

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Armodoxy for Today: The Theophany – Christ is born and revealed!

We have arrived at the Theophany. Advent has prepared us to accept with clarity and purpose, the great news: Christ is Born and Revealed. More than a “Christmas Celebration” we now understand the great Revelation: “For God so love the world that he gave his only begotten Son…” (John 3:16) Most have learned or memorized this passage by heart. Following Advent, and this Advent Journey, I trust that these words resonate deep in your spiritual consciousness.

It is not by accident that we have not spoken about the virgin birth, the obedience of Joseph, the visit of the Magi or the shepherds’ vigil thus far. No worries, we will. But today we move to the Baptism of Jesus, the starting point of his ministry. The Baptism is recorded by all the evangelists – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John – in their Gospels. In a very real sense, his baptism was the “birth” of him ministry. Reading the account of St. Matthew (chapter 3) we find, “When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’”

At this one moment in history, God is revealed as the Holy Trinity. The Son of God stands in the River Jorden, the Holy Spirit descends on Jesus in a dovelike manner and the voice of God the Father is heard. The Revelation of all three Persons of the Holy Trinity gives definition to the Feast of “Theophany.” Asdvadzahaydnoutiun

In the Armenian Church the Feast of Theophany encompasses all of the events in the life of our Lord Jesus from his Birth to his Baptism. At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, water is blessed to symbolize the Baptism of Jesus. Into the water is poured Holy Miuron, that is chrism or “Holy Oil” which comes from the time of Christ and is preserved and renewed in the Armenian Church every seven years.

Today is a new beginning. It is a new day of celebration. In modern terms, you can think of it as a hard reset, it is like hitting the reset button on your device and coming back to the original form. In this case, were back – reset – life as it was meant to be. Today, the Light shines bright, for the Author of Light is shining in our hearts.

Now that you have arrived at Theophany after this intense period of Advent, I invite you to follow along the daily podcasts, “Armodoxy for Today” where we will explore the intricacies of the Armenian Church and her faith. The OG – original Gospel message as presented by the Armenian Church. If you have missed any of the Advent series, you’ll find the lessons archived on Epostle.net. Moving forward, we’ll learn where the Christmas narratives of shepherds, wisemen and stars fit into our Faith? What is the mystical and magical quality of Holy Miuron? What is the strength of the Holy Divine Liturgy that is repeated every week? Because Armodoxy for Today connects the dots between the ancient and the current, the sacred and the secular, our relationships today with the beauty of God’s Kingdom and His Love and Kindness for each of us.

On this special day, our prayer is the prayer of the Angels, let there be peace on earth and good will toward all. I leave you today with a special hymn, Aysor Hayragan, Today the Voice of the Father, is heard at the River Jordon and in our lives today. It is meditative and I invite you to be swept away by the melody and this celebratory rendition by the Vem Radio Choir.  (Visit the Vem website for broadcasts and information.)

Christ is Born and Revealed! Blessed is the Revelation of Christ.

Nativity: Part of Theophany

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Armodoxy for Today: And Now the Nativity

When we first began to journey through Advent I mentioned that there are three Gospel narratives concerning the birth of Jesus Christ. We are all familiar with St. Matthew’s account of the Nativity, with the virgin birth, to the visit of the Magi. Likewise we know that St. Luke presents the Nativity in the context of the census and with Joseph and Mary finding a birthing area in a barn because there was “no room at the inn.” The angels herald the Good News with the words “Peace on Earth and good will among men.”

The third Nativity story does not read like the other two. It is recorded by the Evangelist St. John in His Gospel. The time referenced is not two thousand years ago, rather it at the beginning of all time. It reads as follows:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”

The final narrative, the one according to St. John, is about the eternal presence of the Christ. The holy words of scripture point to the Eternal One, the Creator and the Source of Light. And now, “The Word became flesh” and “Dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” (14)

We refer to this event as the Theophany, that is, the Revelation of God. In Armenian, the word is descriptive of the event, Asdvadzahaydnutiun. In Jesus Christ, God is revealed to humanity. The Nativity is part of the Theophany. He that was at the beginning, the One that took nothing and created the stars and the sky, the sea and scenery, is now in our midst. Advent has prepared us for this moment and we now understand that no matter how long we prepare, we can never be prepared enough to stand in His presence. It is only by His grace that we can find the expression of awe that lifts up from our inner being.

January 6 is the feast of Theophany, Asdvadzahaydnutiun. It arrives in two days. The 50 days of Advent have been filled with lessons from Holy Scriptures and the teachings of Jesus Christ. We are ready to view the Theophany through the lens of Armodoxy. That means, with awe we await to witness the Nativity from Bethlehem to our homes. We look up to the heavens and see the shining star guiding us to the stable where the Child Jesus is wrapped in swaddling clothe and lays in a manger. And the spot under the star is in our neighborhood, close to home. Armodoxy asks us to understand that the star shines above Artsakh, Ukraine, the Congo, Ecuador, and San Salvador, Moscow, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Darfur, and even under Wall Street, and the seemingly glowing hubs on the world, because most of all, we understand that Jesus Christ is revealed where humanity struggles, whether physically, emotionally or spiritually. The Theophany will be here and we are ready to greet one another with a message of hope, love and faith.

Let us pray, Lord God, on this Holy Day you came into a world in the most lowly of all conditions. You came to share Your Divine message with us. Fill us with the power of the Holy Spirit. Give us strength to marvel at the wonders of this Day and to stand in awe. Give us the perception to see the star of Bethlehem everywhere where you are born to those in need, to us and those who hurt. Amen.

New Year Lesson: Never on a Sunday

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Armodoxy for Today: Lessons from Pasadena

Today’s lesson comes not from the Church but from the City of Pasadena. Ten miles northeast of downtown Los Angeles, at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains, lies the City of Pasadena. The town has the distinct honor of ushering in the new year, every January 1st with the Tournament of Roses Parade. It is estimated that about one-million tourists enter the city to watch the five-and-a-half mile parade which features floats, bands, horses with riders, celebrities and football champions. Another 50 million people watch the television broadcast.

The Pasadena Tournament of Roses parade began in 1893. The floats are constructed of all natural herbs and plants, with over 18 million flowers used annually to construct the displays, taking 80,000 hours of human power.

But of all the remarkable statistics that I can rattle off about the parade there is one that sets it apart from all others. Pasadena has a “Never on a Sunday” rule! The parade takes place on January 1st, unless January 1st falls on a Sunday, in which case the parade is moved to the following day, on Monday January 2nd.  The rule was put in place when Pasadena started having parades in the 1890s to avoid interference with church services. It is a simple rule and an overt expression of the city’s priority.

The new year begins a few days before the Theophany. January 1st is a convenient time to access our life directions and make necessary changes to our course. It is a time to set goals and priorities. Jesus instructs us with the words, “No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; or else the new piece pulls away from the old, and the tear is made worse.” The new year doesn’t need to be patched and if it does, not with old habits. You don’t want to carry old baggage into the new year. Begin by a simple assessment of your life and what are the priorities you would like to implement. Think of the lesson of Pasadena’s Rose Parade. Are you ready to implement policies that will prioritize God in your life?

Let us pray. A prayer for the New Year by Rev. Marcy Sheremetta

As the dawn breaks on a new year, let us give thanks for all we hold dear: our health, our family and our friends. Let us release our grudges, our anger and our pains, for these are nothing but binding chains. Let us live each day in the most loving ways, the God-conscious way. Let us serve all who are in need, regardless of race, color or creed. Let us keep God of our own understanding in our hearts and to chant God’s name each day. Let us lead the world from darkness to light, from falsehood to truth and from wrong to right. Let us remember that we are all one, embracing all, discriminating against none.

May your year be filled with peace, prosperity and love. May God’s blessings shower upon you and bestow upon each of you a bright, healthy and peaceful new year.

New Year, Discipline and Theophany

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Armodoxy for Today: The New Year, Discipline and Theophany

All good things come with discipline. The New Year brings with it a convenient mark on the calendar – a before and after moment, a restart button, so to speak, and discipline seems to somehow be connected to everyone’s resolutions.

Discipline for the Christina includes a regular prayer life, engaging with the Teachings of Jesus, and regular participatory practice in community worship. Christianity engages the body, soul and mind with its teachings and practices.

Toward the discipline of the body, the Church prescribes fasting. We are now in the fasting period for Theophany.

Every major event in the Armenian Church, is preceded by a period of fasting. The practice can take different forms. Whether you fast completely or partially, the matter is between you and God, and no one else. In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) Jesus instructs us to keep our religious practices, including fasting, between ourselves and God.

When you fast you only naturally think of food. Hunger brings pain physically and psychology you experience discomfort because you know that food is only a few steps or minutes and yet you are being deprived of food of your own will. In that discomfort you understand Christ’s words, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4)

The first day of fasting is truly the hardest because your body is acclimating to the hunger. On the second and third days your body begins to understand that there is a change and accepts hunger and focuses on strengthening the spiritual and psychological senses.

Theophany is in sight. It is the revelation of God, the Creator, Jesus Christ on earth, in our midst. Being ready psychologically and emotionally has been the journey of the last several weeks. This last week, with the addition of fasting, we bring these all elements together to meet and greet Christ in his Incarnation.

If you were to see Christ in your midst, that is, with you and your family and friends, what would be your reaction? Would you say, “Merry Christmas?” Would you say, “Christ is in our midst?” or would your reaction be more profound? Would you be shocked and in awe? Finding that perfect expression of joy in meeting the Christ Child in our midst is the focus of this Advent Journey.

Let us pray, Lord Jesus, you were born and revealed, bringing Light into the world. Fill the darkness that surrounds me with the Light that is you. Fill my heart with your Love, so that there is no room for hatred, disease and evil. Strengthen me, allow me to grow in discipline so that I may meet you as disciple of your love. Amen.

Lightning: Sons of Thunder

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Armodoxy for Today: Sons of Thunder: Disciples

“The Sons of Thunder” is how Jesus referred to two of his disciples, two sons of a man named Zebedee, according to the Gospel of Mark (3)

We can imagine why Jesus gave them such a nickname. Perhaps, like thunder they were uncontrollably loud? Brash? Maybe ready for a brawl? Or perhaps like Thunder they didn’t care if their message was welcome or not, they were ready to yell it out. Aggressive? Confrontational? Jesus called James and John the “The Sons of Thunder.”

St. Luke records an event when the people of Samaria did not want to receive the message of Christ, James and John seeing this said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?”

In the Gospel according to St. Mark we see Jesus telling his disciples (chapter 10) that  “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles;  and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.” Perhaps a bit of surprise, discomfort, disbelief might have been the case for the disciples. Not so with the sons of Zebedee who came to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, we want You … to grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory.” Definitely low on the sensitivity scale. Imagine, your friend of 3 years tells you he’s going to die and you first question to him is about status in the afterlife?

But at the same time, we know that Jesus welcomed them. They were in the “Inner Circle” of friends, who, along with Peter, Jesus invited to join him at some very critical moments of his ministry, such as when he resurrected the young girl, (Matthew 9) or at the Transfiguration which revealed the Light of the Creator (Mark 9).

The Sons of Thunder, in the years after the Resurrection went on to witness for the Resurrected Christ. James became the first disciple to be martyred for the faith, while John went on to be known for the manner in which he articulated the Love of God. He was the author of the fourth Gospel and the letters at the end of the New Testament. This thunderous voice expounded the message of love as the ultimate God connection.

During these last days of the year, and in preparation for the Theophany, the Armenian Church remembers James and John, the Sons of Thunder. For us, we ask ourselves, how comfortable are we with the message of Christ and his love? Are we able to unashamedly proclaim it? How thunderous is our voice when we speak about Christ and the Love of God?

We pray from the 10th hour of St. Nersess Shnorhali’s prayers, O Christ, who are the Living Fire, inflame my soul with the fire of Your love, which You did send forth upon the earth, that it may burn the stains of my soul, sanctify my conscience, purge the sins of my body, and kindle in my heart the light of Your knowledge. Amen.

James and John: Sons of Thunder (copy)

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Armodoxy for Today: Sons of Thunder: Disciples

“The Sons of Thunder” is how Jesus referred to two of his disciples, two sons of a man named Zebedee, according to the Gospel of Mark (3)

We can imagine why Jesus gave them such a nickname. Perhaps, like thunder they were uncontrollably loud? Brash? Maybe ready for a brawl? Or perhaps like Thunder they didn’t care if their message was welcome or not, they were ready to yell it out. Aggressive? Confrontational? Jesus called James and John the “The Sons of Thunder.”

St. Luke records an event when the people of Samaria did not want to receive the message of Christ, James and John seeing this said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?”

In the Gospel according to St. Mark we see Jesus telling his disciples (chapter 10) that  “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles;  and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.” Perhaps a bit of surprise, discomfort, disbelief might have been the case for the disciples. Not so with the sons of Zebedee who came to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, we want You … to grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory.” Definitely low on the sensitivity scale. Imagine, your friend of 3 years tells you he’s going to die and you first question to him is about status in the afterlife?

But at the same time, we know that Jesus welcomed them. They were in the “Inner Circle” of friends, who, along with Peter, Jesus invited to join him at some very critical moments of his ministry, such as when he resurrected the young girl, (Matthew 9) or at the Transfiguration which revealed the Light of the Creator (Mark 9).

The Sons of Thunder, in the years after the Resurrection went on to witness for the Resurrected Christ. James became the first disciple to be martyred for the faith, while John went on to be known for the manner in which he articulated the Love of God. He was the author of the fourth Gospel and the letters at the end of the New Testament. This thunderous voice expounded the message of love as the ultimate God connection.

During these last days of the year, and in preparation for the Theophany, the Armenian Church remembers James and John, the Sons of Thunder. For us, we ask ourselves, how comfortable are we with the message of Christ and his love? Are we able to unashamedly proclaim it? How thunderous is our voice when we speak about Christ and the Love of God?

We pray from the 10th hour of St. Nersess Shnorhali’s prayers, O Christ, who are the Living Fire, inflame my soul with the fire of Your love, which You did send forth upon the earth, that it may burn the stains of my soul, sanctify my conscience, purge the sins of my body, and kindle in my heart the light of Your knowledge. Amen.