Tag Archive for: Cross

Holy Friday – The Great Equalizer – Crucifixion

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Armodoxy for Today – Holy Friday – Participants in the Crucifixion

The journey through Lent, and now through Holy Week culminates today. It all comes together at the foot Cross. The Cross is the great equalizer. No one is exempt from the Cross – young and old, rich and poor, statesman and transient all have their crosses, but today, we witness that even God is crucified.

The Crucifixion of our Lord, Jesus Christ is an event of singularity. It stands unique in the history of humankind. The acts of love, kindness and the message of hope with which Jesus came and showered us was repaid by acts of hatred, prejudice and death. He was crucified as a death sentence; a death sentence for spreading love.

With the help of St. Nersess Shnorhali, and his magnificent Aysor Anjar prayer we can come to understand the significance of this day as he takes love and juxtaposes it next to the hate that led to the Cross. First, we understand that this is not an ordinary man being punished, or even falsely punished for crimes. Rather, this is the Creator. This is the same One who breathed that first breath of life in the first human (and each of us) and now that Breath was being beaten out of Him. St. Nersess reminds us that the One who cried down from the Cross saying, I am thirsty was the same One who was offered vinegar, when, in fact, He was the one who made the rivers flow out of Eden.  The same Hands which were nailed to the Cross and from which Blood was now dripping, were the same Hands which had fashioned the heavens and the earth, the same Hands which had written the law on the tablets. Those same Hands had given sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf and had pulled Peter from the sea and then hushed the sea. Those same Hands which had created all of us were now being nailed by us to the Cross.

Today’s meditation is one of not only walking with Jesus to the Crucifixion, but understanding our place within the story of Crucifixion. That is, those people who nail Christ to the Cross are none other than us. When we practice hatred, when we allow prejudice, when we carry anger in our hearts, we are basically putting Christ back up on that Cross. We are the ones who are pounding those nails into Him, because just as we learned that when we practice good deeds to the least of Christ’s brothers and therefore do it to him, so too when we hate, when we allow anger to rule our emotions toward our brothers and sisters we therefore allow that hatred to go to Christ, and we participate in this Crucifixion,

Our Lenten journey, together with our Holy Week journey, is now ending. We arrive at the cross of Christ. We stand there at the foot of the cross, looking up and seeing our Savior beaten, bleeding and now killed.

We see Jesus looking down at us, asking for water, asking for assistance, asking for his mother. We hear him say to Here is your mother…  reminding us that in this world we are united. The Crucifixion reminds us about the common thread that unites us all: the suffering of humankind. In fact, we may never be able to understand in human terms what a resurrection is, but when you talk about crucifixion, each and every one of us understands some portion of betrayal, of denial, of loneliness, of hurt, of pity, of being nailed for things that we never will understand, and at that final hour, Jesus cries out. Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? (=My God, my God. Why have you forsaken me) cry that we share, a cry that comes from the bottom of our hearts as well.

Cover: The Bulleted cross at Gyumri

Do You Believe This? (Lazarus Saturday)

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Armodoxy for Today: Do you believe this? – Lazarus Saturday

The Lenten season is over, and now begins the holiest of all days and journeys, as we prepare to greet the Empty Tomb, that is Easter Sunday. This preparation is an actual walk with Christ, walking with him as he enters the holy city of Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, through his passion, through His crucifixion, even His burial, and ultimately finding ourselves at the Resurrection as a witness to life beyond the grave.

Welcome to Holy Week.

The first day of Holy Week is called Lazarus Saturday. The story comes to us from the Gospel of Saint John chapter 11, where we learn of the death of Jesus’ close friend Lazarus. When Jesus arrives at his friend’s home, Lazarus’ sisters, Mary and Martha, turn to Jesus and say, If you had been here, our brother would not have died, an acknowledgment of Jesus’s Lordship and power even over death. Jesus turns to them and says, Your brother will rise again. Martha agrees and says, I know he will rise in the resurrection of the last day. But Jesus says to her, I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live even though he dies, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.

Having proclaimed this truth, Jesus turns to Martha and says, Do you believe this?

I invite you to read the entire story of Lazarus resurrection (John 11). For today, I’d like to focus on the words that Jesus speaks to the sisters, Do you believe this? Because it is the same question that he asks us. We can recognize Jesus at many levels. We can even proclaim His Lordship. We can call him the Son of God, the question that he asks to the sisters he asks now of us, Do you believe this? Do you believe that I am the resurrection and the life. Do you believe that I am love incarnate? If you believe that, then you must believe that love is the resurrection and the life. You must believe that it is love that prevents any of us from dying, that love is the one factor that allows us to live forever.

As we begin this Holy Week, ask yourself this very personal question: Do I believe this? The road in front of us is a tough one. We’re going to go all the way to the cross and then to the tomb. Love is the one thing that cannot be killed. It is the resurrection and the life. It’s only with this commitment and with this confession on our part that the rest of the week will make any sense that the rest of the week will rise from the pages of history and become a living testament to what faith means today in our lives, how that faith will actually allow us to be participants in the Resurrection.

We pray, Lord Jesus Christ, who are Resurrection and the Life, fill my heart with your Love so I may forgive my enemies and care for others, and share that Love in my life. I await the travel before me, to accompany you to the Cross. Amen.

Cover photo: 2023 Luna & Gregory Beylerian

Winding up to Maturity – Day 38 of 40

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Armodoxy for Today: Winding up to Maturity – Day 38 of Lent

St. Paul’s treatise on love is a staple at wedding ceremonies and anniversary parties. Love is kind, patient, not boastful, not envious, says the Apostle, among many other qualities of what love is and what love is not. This list, from St. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians (chapter 13), is a great reminder of this most essential part of life, whether its read at a wedding, at a recommitment to vows, or just as a stand alone daily-reminder of what it means to love.

Later in that same chapter, St. Paul makes a statement which is often quickly glanced over, but on closer inspection is the purpose of our Lenten travels. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. Love demands maturity of faith so that it rises from the emotional writings on greeting cards, to becoming the indispensable element in a way of life. For this reason, in the Armenian Church the symbol of love is not the small heart, or the plump Cherib angel, but the Sign of the Holy Cross is the ultimate symbol of love because it stands for sacrifice. So it follows that in mature manner, with a mature understanding of the Holy Cross, we come to understand the Apostle John’s words that God is love. Unconditional love. If we have love in our heart and if we have love for one another, Jesus tells us, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” We are Christians by the love that we share and spread. So great is this condition in the Christian experience that not loving excludes you from using the title “Christian.”

Jesus words follow: Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.  Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’  And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ (Matthew 7:21-23)

As the Lenten period is coming to an end, we have matured. We should understand our place in the world and Love must be the guiding force behind our actions.

Your act of charity today is to reflect on the maturity that has come over you during the Lenten period. Fast from childish expressions that are void of meaning. Tonight’s menu treat is Peach Salsa, with the recipe at the link below.

Let us pray, O Father Almighty, I stand before you on these last days of the Lenten Season, disciplined by the exercises of the last several weeks. Imprint on me the sign of Love, that I may always hold it high as a symbol of selfless giving and love, to be worthy to be called your child. Amen.

Lenten Recipes by Deacon Varoujan: Recipe 38: Peach Salsa

Three to One Love

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Armodoxy for Today: Love Defined

The statement made by Christ is John 3:16, “God so loved the world that He gave his only Son” has been referred to as the “Gospel in brief.” It is recited and re-recited by the young and old so frequently that many would be pressed to explain its meaning.

God sending His Son is the reason given as a demonstration of His love for the world. The statement presupposes that we know how the story is going to pan out, namely that Jesus will be Crucified. It is the Crucifixion that gives meaning to the statement, “God so loved the world that He gave his only Son.” The fact that God gives up and sacrifices His Son is the qualifier for His love. In other words, we understand that God must love us so much that He sacrifices His very best. Without this sacrificial act, the statement is empty.

In Armenian Orthodoxy the symbol of love is the cross. Quite different from the Western symbol of the red heart made popular by Hallmark and candy companies vying for your dollars on Valentine’s Day, the Cross is true romance because in the symbol there is pain and suffering that is voluntarily given out of love.

Reflect on your own circumstance, on your own life… Who are the people that sacrificed for you? If you can think of a person, then you are also thinking of the person who loves you. Love is painful because sacrifice hurts. Love is beautiful because sacrificing is the ultimate expression of beauty. The Cross is set apart as a symbol of magnificence because in it we understand, albeit only partially but still enough, that God’s love for us is the ultimate expression of caring, compassion and affection for us, because He gave His very best.

The Greeks use many words to describe Love, but three of them have been popularized in the Christianity, namely eros, philia and agape. Eros is the physical or sexual love. Think of the word erotic. Philia is the love between siblings, between friends. Think of Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love. Agape is the God-love. It is unconditional. It is sacrificial and therefore, sacrificial love, as in “God so love the world…” is unconditional. Think Jesus Christ.

Armodoxy goes one step further. In the Armenian language, there is only one word for love, “սէր” (pronounced sehr) In this one word, the erotic, brotherly, and unconditional elements of love all come together, remarkably, but not surprisingly.

Let us pray, the prayer of St. Mary Magdalen de Pazzi, All the greatest pains become sweet for whoever looks at Jesus Christ on the Cross. Amen.

25i23 /24i24

When $2Billion Plus is Not Enough

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Armodoxy for Today: The Search

Last weekend the Armenian Church celebrated the “Discovery of the Holy Cross of Christ.” As I prepared my Sunday sermon, an email crossed my desktop from one of the churches. The subject line heralded, “Discovery of the Cross, this weekend.” I read the first few lines of the message from a well-meaning soul. It spoke of the most inspiring story of Queen Helena who searched and found the Cross of Christ. I kept reading the story looking to see where this was going. It didn’t. It was a very nice history lesson from the 4th century and it pointed to one of the real dilemmas we face in the Orthodox churches: How to tie the history lesson with life today?

On the one hand, the story has to be told. After all, if not us, the Church, then who will tell this story? On the other hand, what do characters from 1,700 years ago, their exploration of lands in search of the Cross of Christ, have to do with our daily concerns inflation, wars and threats of nuclear annihilation, intolerance on every level, and personal issues of health care and broken relationship? The challenge I face as a priest is, how can I tell the stories from our tradition in a manner that will share the Gospel?

There used to be a Labor Day tradition called the “Jerry Lewis Telethon for muscular dystrophy.” Every year, for a couple of days, entertainer Jerry Lewis would stay up for days in front of television cameras, host guests, share stories and, most importantly, solicit donations for the fight against muscular dystrophy. Throughout the years he collected over $2.4Billion for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. After years and years of carrying on this tradition, I remember reading a story saying that Jerry Lewis had been dismissed from his position and would not be conducting the telethon. Can you imagine, an organization dismissing a person who was responsible for raising over $2Billion for the organization? In a statement, the head of the Muscular Dystrophy Association said something to the effect, In a 140-character world, we can’t justify a telethon of several days! In other words, the 140 character world of Twitter was defining the mode of communications, and therefore the funding of the organization.

And hence, our dilemma in the Church. How to we package the story and the message in the least amount of characters and stay faithful to our calling of spreading the Gospel?

Armodoxy addresses this dilemma by not discounting the story but emphasizing the message that the story yields for us today. Without the bridge to today, it is yet another history lesson that can be received from a textbook or a lecture. Armodoxy is looking at the world today through the lens of the Tradition of Armenian Orthodoxy.

Queen Helena left everything to search for the Cross of Christ. Why did she leave the comforts of her royal palace to go through garbage piles at Golgotha, looking for a wooden instrument of torture and capital punishment? Can you imagine in 400 years, someone going through dumps looking for the needle of a vial of lethal injection? We can’t, it’s ridiculous. Yet, that’s exactly what Queen Helena did. She did so because the One who was killed by that torture was the key to salvation. And what she found is what we find today when we look for and discover the Holy Cross.

The Cross, in Armenian Orthodoxy, is the symbol of love. Unlike what Hallmark and Hollywood try to sell us with an emphasis on the heart and the little fat angels with bows and arrows, the true symbol of love is the cross. On The Cross Christ expressed the greatest expression of Love, and in a day and age that is hurting from all sides, the quest for Love begins with each of us. We can’t find what we do not search. The message today is not about finding the Cross, but discovering, that is, searching for the Cross in our lives by searching for Love in our lives. Take it as a challenge to not be scared to search, with body, soul and mind.

Pray the prayer of St. Nersess Shnorhali, O Searcher of secrets, I have sinned against you, willingly and inadvertently, knowingly and unknowingly. Grant me forgiveness, a sinner, since from my birth through the holy baptism, until this day, I have sinned before you Lord. Have mercy on me. Amen.

Khatchkar Messages of Christ

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Armodoxy for Today: Khatchkar messages of Christ

Khatchkars decorate Armenian Church, monasteries and the landscape of Armenia. They are tall. They are telling. Many of them can be read like a map pointing to the heavens and eternity.

A khatchkar, literally means “cross stone.” On a large stone, usually rectangular in shape, about six or seven feet tall and three feet wide, engravings reflecting the faith and determination of a person dedicated to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. These stones have survived and have been sharing a message for hundreds and even a thousand years.

The central carving is of a cross, ornate with swirls and designs that depict different theological concepts or ecclesiastical symbols. One khatchkar which is found at the Monastery at Gōsh is especially telling. Gōsh was a seat of education in Armenia as such, the khatchkar there stands tall to tell a story of heaven-earth relations. It may not seem very unusual to see earth depicted as a large sphere in this carving, until you learn that this stone was carved in the 6th century, some 600 years before the Inquisition in Europe, Armenians had already understood the earth to be round and rejected the flat-earth concept.

The messages on the khatchkars are many and in different varieties. However, the greatest story that is often  forgotten is that the khatchkar depicts resurrection and victory. Every cross, without exception, and especially every khatchkar is the story of Jesus Christ. Without Christ, the khatchkar has no meaning, in fact, without Jesus Christ, a cross is merely two perpendicular lines.

We stand between two feasts of the Cross – the elevation and the Cross of Varak. The Cross is defined by Jesus Christ, as the instrument of torture, now turned into a symbol of victory.

Yes, the khatchkar decorates the Armenian landscape, and in that decorative form it has been a constant reminder to the people of the power of love over hate, and good over evil. The khatchkar stoically standing on the sidelines of history as the ever-present messenger of hope is a nonstop witness to the reality that has been central to the survival of a people.

Imagine that, a people who have turned around in their journey, and everywhere they have looked, they have been reminded of the hope in the eternal and aligned themselves with the Divine through Christ. “If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31)

Tomorrow, we’ll look at one special khatchkar, decorating a village house, in Varak. Today we pray, from the 13th hour of St. Nersess Shnorhali’s “I Confess with Faith”: Heavenly King, grant me your kingdom, which you have promised to Your beloved; and strengthen my heart to hate sin, to love you alone, and to do Your will. Have mercy on all Your creatures and on me. Amen

Cover photo: Luna & Gregory Beylerian, 2023

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.

After Birth Cross

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Armodoxy for Today: After birth Cross

Before new life can enter the world there is pain and suffering that the mother endures (and we’d like to believe we fathers share in it to some degree). But the agony of childbirth is quickly forgotten with the celebration of new life. During the experience of childbirth we encounter both feelings of pain as well as of happiness.

We Christians participate in a similar experience when facing the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. The sorrow of Good Friday is forgotten with the arrival of Easter. Within a few hours, Christ’s cross is transformed from an instrument of destruction to a symbol of victory. With the resurrection, the cross is conquered and our pain disappears.

We stand today between two celebrations of the Holy Cross: the Elevation of the Cross and the Cross of Varak.  St. Paul tells us, “For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (ICor. 1:18) As Christians the lifesaving message of the Holy Cross plays a unique role in our lives. The Cross is the symbol of the Christian Church encompassing the entire life of Christ and the entire Christian experience. It identifies an unparalleled event in History and for the believer it emphasizes God’s constant love and care for us, His children.

God gives us the supreme example of responsibility and care. In the symbol of the Cross we can see the story of a Father who cared and loved His children so much, that He gave His Very Best. He did not exempt His Son from suffering but made His Crucifixion a part of the liberation process. As the Apostle Peter writes, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.” (IPet 2:24)

On the feast of the Holy Cross we look up and see the Cross is empty. We see an opportunity to change pain to joy, for new life to overcome our agony. And that opportunity is given to you – to each of us – to meet the challenges of our own crosses head on.  You have an opportunity of changing pain into joy, yet we are never alone. The power of God flows through His Holy Community, the Church and there we find strength as we help one another to meet the challenges before us.

As we pray, look up and see the Cross radiating the Power of God. The hymn “Khatchun genarar” The Life-giving Cross which has become our salvation; through this, let us all praise thee, O Lord, and worship the All-Holy Trinity. Lord have mercy on us and especially on me a sinner, as I accept your promise and know that I will conquer my cross. Amen.

Irony of Cross and Independence

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Armodoxy for Today: Irony of Cross and Independence

Between two feasts celebrating the Cross of Christ is the Anniversary of Independence for Armenia. Last Sunday was the Feast of the Elevation of the Holy Cross. Next Sunday is the feast of the Holy Cross of Varak.

Armenia is a landlocked country. It is surrounded by hostile neighbors, some of which openly proclaim their desire to do away with the country of Armenia and its people. For the size of the country and its population, Armenia has a well-organized diaspora, nevertheless its populations is small, with less than three million in the country.

While Armenia may not have military power nor military strategy, it has survived against all the odds:  peril, barbarism, exile, massacres and even genocide. Its survival strategy is rooted in the Cross. “If anyone desires to come after Me,” says Jesus, “Let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23)

The Cross is a symbol of sacrifice. In the message of the Cross you understand that you are loved by God, so much so, that God continually blesses you.

Struggle is a part of life and therefore the Cross is the symbol of a fulfilling life. Your Christian identity carries with it responsibilities that are predicated on sacrifice. Life lived for others is the most fulfilling life because ego is placed in check. When ego is out of the way, God has room to work. With God’s help, you can conquer all of your difficult and the challenges before you. God will not let you go. “If God is for us, who can be against us?” writes St. Paul. (Romans 8:31)

A Christian who has put on Christ cannot say no to difficulties. Ironically, in the scope of independence, a Christian has no other choice but to help the oppressed, the sick and the troubled. Herein the Christian understands true independence in service to others.

Military strategies may be classified as top secret, but I share this survival strategy because it was never meant to be a secret. Just the opposite it was meant to be evangelized, that is spread.

We pray, Christ, protector and guardian of the faithful, protect and deliver us under the shadow of Your Holy and Precious Cross in peace. Deliver us from enemies visible and invisible. And we glorify you with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Muiron Blessed

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Armodoxy for Today: Muiron Blessed

At some point oil becomes Muiron. For days, the oil has been absorbing the prayers and energy from Etchmiadzin and the sacred land in the shadow of the Biblical Mount Ararat. The Catholicos of All Armenians, with representatives of the hierarchical sees of Cilicia, Jerusalem, Constantinople and the Dioceses in Armenia and the Diaspora, now gather for the blessing. When the Catholicos mixes the Muiron from the previous batch to the oil, he then refers to the content of the cauldron as Muiron.

There are four sacred articles with which the Catholicos blesses the Muiron: The Holy Cross, The Gospel, the Lance, and the Relic of St. Gregory the Illuminator.

The Cross – Surb Khatch – which the Catholicos uses to bless the Muiron, sits in his hand. It is ornate and decorated with precious and semi-precious stones. It should be because it houses a piece of the Cross of Christ. The ornate shell or case in the shape of a cross was prepared for Catholicos Pilibos (Phillip) in the middle of the 17th century. St. Helena, the Mother of Emperor Constantine (4th century) is credited with finding the Cross of Christ at Golgotha. Several fragments of the Cross are kept at Holy Etchmiadzin.

The Gospel – the Holy Avedaran – refers to the first four books of the New Testament – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Here is documented the life, ministry, teaching and events in the life of our Lord Jesus Christ. These books are housed in an ornate  metallic covering, and held by one of the assisting bishops.

The Lance – the Holy Geghart – was brought to Armenia by the Apostle Thaddeus. The Gospel of John (19:34) records that a Roman guard pierced the side of Jesus while he gasped on the Cross. Scripture records that blood and water spilled out. The name of the soldier is Longinus (from the Gospel of Nicodemus). Most tourists who visit Armenia visit the monastery of Geghart, which is carved out of a mountain. The Holy Geghart was kept there for centuries.

The Relic of St. Gregory the Illuminator – Loosavorchi ach – is a fragment of the bone from the right arm of the first Catholicos who blessed the first batch of Muiron after Armenian’s acceptance of Christianity in 301 A.D. The relic is housed inside a life size gold arm, which the Catholicos lifts, stretch across Cauldron, blessing the Muiron and then blessing the people.

We pray today, a prayer from the Blessing of the Holy Muiron, Christ, our God, You are a sweet aroma to those who believe in You, and to those who are connected to You through Your love. Through Your love for humanity, You have welcomed us into the eternal habitats, and You make us worthy to work for You, with all of our senses, all the days of our life. Lord, fill us with the gifts of that sweet smell, and place within us the graces of the Holy Spirit. Allow us to stand before You clean and without blemish. Amen.