Tag Archive for: Church

Conduit

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Armodoxy for Today: Conduit

Every effect needs a conduit to carry its cause. Jesus brought a message of hope, love and peace. His message was and is that the Kingdom of God is accessible to all. He established the Church to share this message here on Earth. In essence, the Church is the medium by which Jesus reaches us. Through an oral tradition, the Scriptures took form. Languages were created and codified to transmit the message. Icons, paintings and stained glass allowed for visualization in artistic imagery that stimulated imagination. Music, hymns gave a beat and melody to the message. Churches with spires reaching the heavens were erected so that the hands and legs of Christ could reach the poor and the hurting, through hospitals, orphanages and homes. In essence, the Church is the conduit by which Jesus reaches us.

As we approach the feast of Pentecost this coming Sunday, the lessons from Scripture point to the importance of the Church in defining Christianity. The stories of the early Church are recorded in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles. Here we see how a small band of diverse people, who the system considered appalling, and even escalating them to enemy status, and whose leaders were sentenced to death, became the ones who carried and delivered the most influential and important message of all human history.

And it all begins with the “Great Commission” at Jesus’ Ascension: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:16-20)

When we refer to the Apostolic Church, we are talking about the Church that links itself to this event and becomes the conduit to deliver the goods. Each of those eleven (and later 12 with the addition of Mathias) went to different areas in the world. Peter went to Rome, Thomas to India, Matthew to Ethiopia, Jude Thaddeus to Armenia, just to mention four of them. Each to carry out the commission. They ended up in areas that were hostile to their message and them, as we know all of them were martyred, except for John who ended up exiled on an Island.

And by the Power of the Holy Spirit, ordination, that is, the laying on of hands, this conduit continues to today, in the deacons, priest, and bishops, entrusted to keep the lines clear to ensure delivery. Yes, you are connected.

A prayer from the Orthodox Tradition to the Holy Spirit, Heavenly King, Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, everywhere present and filling all things, Treasury of blessings and Giver of life: come and abide in us, cleanse us from every impurity and save our souls, O Good One. Amen.

Heavenly directions

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Armodoxy for Today: Heavenly Directions

Forty days after Easter… in Armenian, it is called hambartzoum. This is the Ascension of Jesus Christ.

We read about the event in the first chapter of the Book of the Acts of the Apostles. The author is the Evangelist, St. Luke, whose Gospel narrates Jesus’ earthly life from his Conception to his Resurrection. In the second “volume” he begins with the Ascension, and thus, he chronicles the development of the Christian Church.

St. Luke writes, “In my former book… I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.  On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

“…After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

And so begins the journey of the post-Resurrection community. It begins with them looking up! Up to the sky! And thus begins the notion that heaven is somewhere in the sky, in an upwardly direction, not necessarily North, but up.

Much of our concept of heaven comes from this particular passage. Think of the familiar globe or world you might find in geography classrooms. At the top is the Arctic circle and at the bottom is Antarctica. If you’ve even seen this map flipped, you know how odd it seems. Its oddity is in the fact that we are not familiar with the image.  Likewise, the concept of heaven is engrained in us from images that have been projected in movies, stories, and even in Scripture.

Heaven is not only up, it is also around, within and without. St. Luke marks this occasion, “When Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation;  nor will they say, ’See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”

Ascension Day: The disciples were looking up. Where are we looking?

Today we pray from the Armenian Church’s prayers, on by St. Hovhaness Mantakuni, We give you thanks, O Lord our God, who have awakened us from restful sleep by the grace of your mercy. Awaken our minds in righteousness for you, Lord our God, so that our eyes may see your salvation. May your divinity come and abide in us, and may your mercy shelter and protect your servants. By day and by night and at all times make us, your servants, reflect always on the love of your commandments, in thanksgiving to glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Now and always and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

 

Stale Vision of War

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Armodoxy for Today: Stale Vision

The word “stale” describes food that is “No longer fresh and pleasant to eat; hard, musty, or dry,” says the dictionary. The word easily can be applied to nonedible items, even to the abstract.  A quick glance at the geopolitical situation of our world and you can easily apply the “stale” descriptor to visions that breed hatred, vie for power and lead to wars. As it states in Proverbs, Where there is no vision, the people perish. (29:18)

The stale vision of fighting fire with fire, that might makes right, or stratagems such as, appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak, only guarantee the perpetuation of wars.

Look closer at the holders of these so-called visions, and you’ll find they belong to older men who draft the young ones to fight those wars.

Jesus came to the world to challenge the stale visions with an option for life.  “Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’” (Matthew 9) says Jesus, to a world that is desperate for a vision, a vision which is articulated by love and its manifestations, such as mercy.

Today we fund wars throughout the world based on stale visions which propagate more hatred and more war. Death, disease, famine instead of life, health and wealth. Think of the billions, if not trillions, of dollars that can be used to fight larger wars, such as housing and sheltering homeless populations, or truly finding meaningful solutions to refugee issues, abolishing slavery or physically transferring flood waters to areas devastated by drought or exploring new innovations in medicine and technology to improve the quality of life. Yes, life, health and wealth.

The stale vision of war is literally and figuratively a one-way ticket to death – “the people perish.”

As the Body of Christ, the Church, has a responsibility and duty to continue to herald the vision for peace as delivered to us by Christ, “Peace on Earth and goodwill toward one another.” This a sacred calling which is pronounced by God and heeded by humanity.

Armodoxy is a testament to the power of Life, and it comes from the Body that proclaims that power, the Body of Christ, His Holy Church. Here, Faith, Hope and Love are advocated, in the Divine Vision offered by the One who is The Way, the Truth and the Life!

We end today with a prayer by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. O God, we thank you for the lives of great saints and prophets in the past, who have revealed to us that we can stand up amid the problems and difficulties and trials of life and not give in. We thank you for our forefathers, who’ve given us something in the midst of the darkness of exploitation and oppression to keep going. Grant that we will go on with the proper faith and the proper determination of will, so that we will be able to make a creative contribution to this world. In the name and spirit of Jesus we pray. Amen.

Mother: A Second Womb

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Armodoxy for Today: A Second Womb

In the not-so-distance past, in a time before cell companies offered unlimited calling plans, the connection between two telephones cost money. The farther the distance between two points – between two callers – the higher the price of the call.

AT&T, which was once generically known as the phone company, kept statistics of calling patterns. The most telephone calls made were on Mother’s Day. And on Father’s Day, they reported the most collect calls were made! A collect call was one in which the charges were reversed from the caller to the called number. An interesting statistic which offers a look at the changing times, in many ways, including phone calls and gender roles.

On the second Sunday of May, we celebrate Mother’s Day in the United States. A beautiful tradition, indeed. The Hallmark greeting-card company offers us another tidbit of information that Mother’s Day ranks third in the number of cards sent in the US, and ranks number one for card exchange in the Hispanic community.  Some cynically will point to Hallmark as fabricating this celebration, for profit motives.

The Church had a day on its calendar, from the early centuries, known at “Mothering Day.” On that day people would visit the church where they were baptized. There they would offer gifts of flowers, candles and incense to their spiritual mother, the Holy Church.

The font of baptism is known as the womb of the Church. We are “born again” from this womb to our Mother, the Holy Church. This is based on the scriptural exchange twixt Jesus and a man named Nicodemus who questioned, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” (John 3)

Today we pray, Lord our God, we thank you for the blessing of motherhood. We remember the mothers that have nourished us and led us in paths that bring us closer to You. Keep us ever respectful of all mothers especially our Holy Mother Church which has renewed us in a new life in Christ. Amen.

And Matthias Makes Twelve

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Armodoxy for Today: And Matthias makes twelve

The selection of Pope Leo XIV took place in the weeks following Easter because the Apostolic Seat of St. Peter was vacant following the death of Pope Francis the day after Easter.

Each church tradition has rules and orders by which vacated positions are filled. The world caught a glimpse of the Roman Catholic tradition with the convocation of the college of cardinals. In the Armenian Church tradition, not only priests, but laity make up the National Ecclesiastical Assembly which selects, again by vote, the person to fill the vacancy of the Catholicos.

The New Testament Book of the Acts of the Apostles chronicles the beginning of the Christian Church following the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The book was written by the same author as the Gospel of St. Luke and can be considered as a “part 2” to the Gospel. The opening verses of the Book of Acts mentions that it is a continuation of Gospel. He writes, “The former account I made… of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen.”

The first chapter of the Book of Acts tells us that Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus, took his own life, and the remaining Disciples decided it was necessary to fill the vacancy cause by the death of Judas. They prayed and found two men who had been in their midst, in the company of Christ, from the time of Jesus’ Baptism to his Crucifixion.

They prayed and said, “You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen to take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.” And they cast lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

More than a bit of trivia, I mention the selection of Matthias so that we understand that the Church which Jesus Christ established, the Apostolic Tradition, has order and structure. It is not a haphazard collection of people who gather based on their interpretation of Scripture. The Apostles took the Gospel message to different nations, so that the Church that was established in Rome by Peter or the one in Armenia by Thaddeus, carries the title of One, Universal, Apostolic, Holy Church. It is in this structure that the message of Jesus Christ was transmitted from the generation to generation and reaches us today.

We prayer, from an Orthodox prayer book, Be Mindful, O Lord, of Thy Holy, Universal and Apostolic Church; confirm and strengthen her, increase her and keep her in peace, and preserve her unconquerable forever. Amen.

Adding a Simple Prayer to His

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Armodoxy for Today: Adding a Simple Prayer to His

Pope Leo XIV offered his first blessing and prayer as the head of the Roman  Catholic  Church, to thousands assembled at St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican yesterday, as millions more throughout the world watched and received the blessing virtually. Indeed, it was an emotional moment for the Pontiff as he transitioned from Cardinal Robert Prevost to head the 1.3 billion member Roman Catholic Church. Even from a distance, watching on screens and phones in different parts of the world, Catholics, believers, and even non-believers were visibly moved as many understood the gravity of the event.

Interesting to me was how quickly and readily the term “American” was volleyed around in the media, conveniently forgetting that the previous pope, Francis, of blessed memory, also came from the Americas. But, homeland is a major factor in defining and giving identity to an individual. Think of some of the first-day discussion that consumed news outlets when they discovered Pope Leo was from the City of Chicago: Was he a Cubs’ fan or a White Sox fan? Perhaps, excitement for geographic identity provides a good explanation as to why churches, which are united in their belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, are separated along ethnic and national lines, whether we’re talking about the Armenian Church, the Roman Catholic Church, or the Greek, Bulgarian, Georgian, Russian Orthodox, and even the American congregations of Presbyterian and Methodists. There is of course the AME, the African Methodist Church and of course, the Church of England. Often, the Christ, the center of Christianity, is lost in some of the traditions that align us with national preservation. Bishop Daniel Findikyan, of Holy Etchmiadzin, talks extensively about this in his book, Building up the Body of Christ. And musician John Lennon, as a dreamer points to the grave dangers of the consequence of national pride, when he asks us to “Imagine there’s no countries, it isn’t hard to do. Nothing to kill or die for and no religion too. Imagine all the people living life in peace…”

With that in mind, we turn to the first words of Pope Leo XIV, in his message. “Peace be with all of you! Dearest brothers and sisters, this is the first greeting of the Risen Christ, the good shepherd who gave his life for God’s flock. I too would like this greeting of peace to enter your heart, to reach your families, to all people, wherever they are, to all peoples, to the whole earth. Peace be with you! “

To his prayer, tonight, we add most appropriately, Amen.

New Access, Negate the Negative

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Armodoxy for Today: Negate the Negative

Immediately after the Resurrection of Christ, Scripture tells us that Jesus appeared to the disciples “Over a period of forty days and spoke about the Kingdom of God.” (Acts 1)

The Kingdom of God is often thought of as something or some place that is accessible only after we pass from this life. Jesus refers to the Kingdom as something accessible in the here and now. “The Kingdom of God is at hand,” was a message John the Baptist heralded even before Christ’s baptism. It was enacted by Christ and the active Church today.

Access to the Kingdom is available for everyone. The condition is to live a life of love demonstrated by action. In the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 25, Jesus speaks of the Kingdom predicated on our actions of readiness and good deeds. Standards of goodness have no limits for Jesus, as is demonstrated in the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10). Even more, non-action is grounds for expulsion from the Kingdom.

We read: Then the King will say to those on His left…, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed… 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 take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’  Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ … He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’

The world we live in is real. The problems that plague it are under our control. We are the agents of Christ. Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, happens with our involvement. You can’t close yourself off from the suffering in the world.

We pray, St. Nersess Shnorhali’s 9th hour of prayer, All-provident Lord, place a guard before my eyes, so that I may not look lustfully, before my ears, not to delight in hearing evil discourses, before my mouth, not to speak falsehood,  before my heart, not to think of wickedness, before my hands, not to commit injustice, before my feet, not to walk on the paths of righteousness;  rather, guide my motives, that they may be according to all your commandments. Amen.

Cover: Once you see it, it’s impossible to not see it. (Quite literally too!)

Catechumens: Oral to Written

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Armodoxy for Today: Bible Origins

We are in a four-day period on the Armenian Church calendar called the Fast of the Catechumens. This fast is unique to the Armenian Church. To follow on our lesson from yesterday, regarding the lack of specific scriptural readings for these four days, today we will look at the structure and make-up of the Bible.

On Pentecost, 50 days after the Resurrection of Christ, (Acts 2:1ff) the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles and the Church was born. The Apostles were the first Christian community, the first Christian Church.  They had no “Bible.” The Gospel or the “Good News” which they preached was that Christ had risen – resurrected! This was an earth-shaking experience in the lives of the Apostles, and their mission was to spread the Good News—Christ had risen, giving an opportunity for all humankind to share in this new life.  This was the first Gospel and it was transmitted orally.

The first Christians felt that Christ’s return would be imminent. In fact, throughout the first century, they were living with the expectation that the Second Coming of Christ was right around the corner. They lived their lives accordingly.  (See I Thessalonians 4:13-18.)

The Apostles spread the Gospel to various parts of the world. New Christian communities sprouted. As time went on, problems arose in the communities – daily problems – which were complicated by their expectation of an imminent end. The communities were faced with questions such as, “Should we obey the local authorities if Christ is due back any day?” Or “Is it proper for us to marry, if Christ will be returning soon?” Or, “What will happen to all those who die before Christ returns?”

To address these problems, the Apostles, now scattered throughout the known world, wrote responses to the communities, giving specific instructions on how to conduct their lives until Christ returned. Among the most popular letters were those of the apostle Paul. The books in the New Testament which follow the Gospels are the letters St Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome, Corinth, Thessalonica, Ephesus, and so on. The first of these letters (I Thessalonians) was written in the 40’s.

The Church existed without a bible. The Church had its worship services, which included partaking of the Holy Eucharist, reading psalms or prophetic literature of the Old Testament, and prayer. The letters they received such as those from the apostle Paul, were read during the gathering of the faithful, and are regarded as epistles, that is general letters to the community.

As more time went on, and Christ had not yet returned, further problems developed. For one, all the eyewitnesses to Christ’s life on Earth were passing away.  Who would covey the stories of Christ’s life to future generations? Furthermore, the communities and churches were asking about the details of Christ’s life, for example, His birth, His upbringing, whether He was baptized, and so on.  For this reason, the Gospels were written to provide the details of Jesus’ life. Again, the point must be made that they were written for the sole use of the Christian Church.  The Church demanded it, and, therefore, they were produced.

The Gospels according to St. Matthew, St. Mark, and St. Luke, including the Book of Acts, (called the synoptic gospels) were written between 60 and 80 AD.  The Gospel according to St. John was written sometime later. Although these books were written, they had not yet been put into the form of a “Bible.”

There were other books about Jesus’ life as well.  For example, there was the Gospel of Thomas, or, as the author called his book, The Secret Words Which Jesus the Living Spoke and Jude Thomas Wrote Down. It might be thought of as a more complete Sermon on the Mount. There was also a book called the Gospel of the Infancy of Jesus Christ.  It is one of the more fascinating books of what is called the New Testament “apocrypha” or “hidden books.” One story relates how Jesus, while still in the cradle looks up at his mother and says, “Mary, I am the Son of God.” Another story is generated from the account of the anointing of Jesus by Mary Magdalene.  The story claims an old lady kept Jesus’ navel string in an alabaster box of old oil of spikenard.  It was out of this box that Mary took the oil to anoint Jesus. Still another story relates how Jesus and some other young boys were molding clay figures of animals. Upon Jesus’ command, the clay figures begin to walk and fly.  The entire book is filled with miraculous stories of this nature. This was one of many books that were circulating in the 2nd Century.

It was the Church that decided which books would be considered “The Bible,” designating them as scriptural canon. All of the books that are in The Bible as we know it today are in a list compiled in the 2nd century, except the Book of Revelation. It was in 419 AD, at the Regional Council held in Carthage that the Book of Revelation was accepted as being canonical. So until the 5th century the Church existed without the Bible that we know.

Tomorrow, we will journey further through the Fast of the Catechumens to learn closer the beauty of Christ and the Christian faith.

Let us pray, a prayer for Catechumens, from the Roman Catholic Tradition, We thank you for these catechumens whom you have called. Strengthen them in faith, that they may know you, the one true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. Keep them clean of heart and make them grow in virtue, that they may be worthy to receive baptism and enter into the holy mysteries. Amen.

Catechumens: The No Bible Experience

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Armodoxy for Today: No Bible Today

Today begins the Fast of the Catechumens. This four day period is unique to the Armenian Church. It takes place a few weeks before Great Lent and offers an opportunity for purification, by restricting diet to bread and salt.

There are no Biblical passages assigned to the four days of the Fast of the Catechumens. The Lectionary is a list or book of portions of the Bible appointed to be read at church services. Every day of the year is assigned with Bible readings that pertain to that day. For instance, the lectionary for Easter includes a narrative of the Resurrection from the Gospel accounts. These four days of the Fast of the Catechumens are the only days with no lectionary assignment, which begs the question, how can you have a Church without a Bible? Actually, the more correct question is, how can you have a Bible without a Church?

We have been conditioned to believe that the Bible is a book that was handed down to us by God. With the Protestant reformation came the proclamation that the Bible alone is the final authority on all matters of belief and practice. And so, hearing that the Church is the seat of authority in Christianity seems against religious conventions for many outside Orthodox and Roman Catholic traditions.

The truth is that the Bible was not given to us by God. God gave us something much greater than the Bible. He gave is His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ. Even Christ, did not give us the Bible. He did not write anything that we know of, nor did he hand down a book to his disciples. More important, He gave us His Body, the Holy Church and he said with his words which cannot lie “The gates of Hell will not prevail against it!” (Matthew 16:18). It was in turn that the Church produced the Bible, and that Bible was meant as a tool for the Church to evangelize and teach the catechumens.  (A catechumen is a recent convert to Christianity who is under instruction before baptism.)

A quick look at history will lend more to the puzzle of which came first, the Bible or the Church? At the time of Jesus there was no Bible. At his Crucifixion, there was no Bible. At his Resurrection, there was no Bible. The Bible as we know it was finalized by the Church, with the different books in the 5th century. For five centuries, the Church existed and led the Christian community without a Bible.

The authority of the Church is singular: Jesus Christ. The ascription of “Apostolic” to the Holy Church means that it is in direct succession with the Holy Apostles who were commissioned by Jesus Christ himself. The Holy Bible has a unique place in the Armenian Church and referred to as the “Breath of God.”

These next few days, we will journey through the Fast of the Catechumens to learn closer the beauty of the Christ and the Christian faith.

We pray, a prayer of the Catechumens, “O Lord our God, who dwells in the heavens, and looks down upon all Your works, look down upon Your servants, the catechumens, and us, who have bowed our necks before You, and grant us a light yoke. Amen.”

31i23

The Church the Cyrene

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Armodoxy for Today: The Church the Cyrene

In the Gospel of Matthew (27) we read about the road to the cross as follows:

The soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole garrison around Him. And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” Then they spat on Him and took the reed and struck Him on the head. And when they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to be crucified.

Now as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. Him they compelled to bear His cross. And when they had come to a place called Golgotha, that is to say, Place of a Skull… they crucified Him…

At the Crucifixion, they mocked, tortured and eventually killed Jesus. The story remembers a man named Simon who was forced to bear Jesus’ cross – to help him up the hill. In the end, however, it was Jesus who had to climb the Cross.

This week, as we stand between the two remembrances of the Holy Cross, the elevation and the Cross of Varak, we are reminded that the Cross is part of the Christian life journey – that, there is no escaping the cross. We each have our crosses to bear – relationships go sour, health issues arise, financial difficulties force life patterns to go in different directions. Our crosses can get heavy. You may look around and hope for someone to help you – for a Simon the Cyrene – to pick up your cross, even for a little while. That Simon the Cyrene is the Church – the body of believers connected to one another through the power of Jesus Christ. The Church is that able body, that strong one who can pick up the cross and help us move from one point to the other. In the Church you find faith to believe in tomorrow, the hope of resurrection beyond the cross and the love that gives you the strength and courage to conquer  your cross, because in the end, it is your cross and you must rise to the occasion. That is Christian responsibility. This is the strength of the Church. This is Armodoxy.

We pray from the 12 hour of St. Nersess Shnorhali’s “I Confess with Faith,” Lord, who has will all that is good, and who is the director of the will, allow me not to follow the inclinations of my heart; but lead me to always walk according to your good pleasure. Have mercy on your creatures and on me a sinner. Amen.