Tag Archive for: Cross

A Cross where Hearts are Presumed to be

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Armodoxy for Today: Form is Function in the Case of Love

The word for the Divine Liturgy in Armenian is Pataraq which literally means sacrifice. The Holy Cross, along with its witness as victory of good over evil, death over life and love over hatred, is the ideal symbol of sacrifice.

Over the past several days shared the story of the Apparition of the Holy Cross by looking at the Cross as a messenger witnessing the essence of Christianity to us.

On the Day of Resurrection two of Jesus’ disciples meet Jesus yet do not recognize him. In this story, relayed to us by St. Luke, in the 24th chapter of his Gospel, the disciples spend the entire day with Jesus without a clue to who he is. It is only in the evening, when they sit to eat that Jesus breaks the bread. It is only at that point, scripture tells us, that “their eyes were opened and they knew him.”

Now review the story of the Apparition of the Holy Cross. St. Cyril tells us that the Cross was visible throughout the city, that the populace ran to the church in praise of God. In the Holy Communion, we find that Sacrifice shining as great as the Cross. During the Pataraq the priest presents the Holy Communion to the congregation with the words, “This life, hope, resurrection, expiation and forgiveness of sins.”

Today we learn that the meaning of the Cross and the Holy Communion – specifically the Liturgy which prepares the Communion, the Holy Pataraq, is interchangeable with the Cross, and with Christ himself, ergo, the Holy Communion is, in fact, the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. As we have taught in Armodoxy, the symbol of Love is Cross (vs. the Western tradition of using a heart as the love symbol.)  When the Holy Cross appears across the sky it is Love shining over the world. And that LOVE is the power that conquered death and is what shown in the sky that day in 351. That LOVE is the only thing that is brighter than the sun! Or in the words of the Evangelist St. John, “In Him was life, and the life was the light of humankind.  And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it…. The true Light gives light to every human being coming into the world.” (John 1)

We pray, O Christ, Light of the world, You shine where shadows cling, You rise where hearts have fallen, You kindle hope where fear has taken root. You are Light in our darkness, Love in our hands, Life in our midst— remain with us, now and always. Amen.

The Cross of Sacrifice

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Armodoxy for Today: The Cross of Sacrifice

The Cross is the main symbol of Christianity. We erect them atop holy shrines, churches, hospitals, and sacred spaces. We have tiny version of the cross around our neck, pinned to our lapel, and even decorate clothes. The Cross, a symbol of torture and death, was transformed by Christ, into a symbol of victory and life. Jesus conquered the Cross and the empty cross is a symbol of victory, and today we add, it is also a symbol of Sacrifice.

For the last few days, we’ve been diving into the Feast of the Apparition of the Holy Cross and leading up to the glow, or what St. Cyril of Jerusalem described as brighter than the sun. With the theme of Sacrifice, we get closer to finding that brightness.

The central act of worship in the Armenian Church is in the Sacrament of Holy Communion. What other communities refer to as the Divine Liturgy, in Armenian is called Pataraq, literally meaning Sacrifice.

Sacrifice is how love is demonstrated. St. John the Evangelist tells us God is Love. (IJohn 4:8). God is demonstrated through Sacrifice. Take some time to think about this for a moment. Meditate on sacrifice. We have many human examples of sacrifice. Parents – a mother and/or father’s love is expressed through sacrifice of personal time and personal pleasure to tend to the needs of the growing child. Spouses express love to one another by sacrificing, especially through the act of forgiveness, which is a unique type of personal sacrifice. Think of those who put their life on the line for the sake of higher ideas, including community and country safety and welfare. Take some time to think of these examples of sacrifice and how they demonstrate love.

Continue your meditation on Sacrifice. God sacrificed his son as a gesture of His immense love for us. That is what is meant by the most sacred words, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His Only Begotten Son…” (John 3:16) In this meditation understand that Sacrifice is the verb. It’s in the giving – God gave his son. That action is love.

Now, understand that the word Sacrifice is a descriptor and the name for the Divine Liturgy. In the Armenian Church. It is the Pataraq and it is celebrated every Sunday. (Note: No lambs were slaughtered for this exhibition.)

Today we leave with a meditation from the Gospel of St. John. It is essential to understanding the Cross and the apparition of the Cross in this lesson. In this passage, Jesus defines Sacrifice with a simple metaphor, a metaphor which emphasizes an action: unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor. (John 12:24f)

The Transformed Cross

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Armodoxy for Today: The Transformed Cross

St. Cyril of Jerusalem witnessed to the Apparition of the Holy Cross, which lit the sky in the year 351 from the hill of Golgotha to the Mount of Olives. I shared that witness with you yesterday, which described the rays of light being brighter than the sun.

The cross was an instrument of torture and death. The act of crucifixion took place on a cross, where those who were sentenced to death would slowly die of asphyxiation and exhaustion over the course of several hours. The word “torture” finds its meaning in the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, when he was whipped, beaten, physically abused, made to carry his cross up the hill to Golgotha where he was nailed to the cross and mocked as he died a slow death.

Christians celebrate the cross. It’s hard to imagine that anyone would celebrate an instrument of torture and death. Certainly not the rifle from a firing squad, nor an electric chair, gas pellets from the death chamber nor a hypodermic needle delivering deadly toxins to the central nervous system of a prisoner. No. It would be absurd to celebrate these instruments of torture, and certainly we would never hang a replica around our neck, nor adorn our houses and spires with them. However, when we Christian point to a cross with joy, wear it around our necks or lapels, or see it as an ornament, we’re doing exactly that – we are celebrating an instrument of torture, with one major difference! Jesus defeated the cross! He resurrected! He beat evil with good, overcame darkness with light and dismissed hatred with pure love. In other words he turned the Cross into a symbol of holiness and victory. It is there that we Christians find an expression of joy.

The Cross which appeared in the sky was brighter than the sun, of course. It could not be anything but brighter. The Cross symbolizes the ultimate victory of Life over death and Jesus is the one who demonstrated that. But I did promise a connection to a bright cross in our world and in our lives today. Tomorrow, we get closer to that reality as the Cross appears in our lives.

Today we pray, O Christ, Redeemer of the world, You took the wood of shame and made it the Tree of Life. Upon the beams meant for torment, You stretched mercy wide, and turned the nails of cruelty into the keys of salvation. May we lift our eyes to that holy sign, and remember that You have changed its meaning forever: from torture to triumph, from despair to deliverance, from death to the radiant victory of life. Amen.

When the Cross Appeared

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Armodoxy for Today: When the Cross Appeared

On the fifth Sunday of the Feast of Resurrection (28 days following Easter) the Armenian Church celebrates the Feast of the Apparition of the Holy Cross, remembering an event which took place in the fourth century (351) when a luminous cross appeared over Jerusalem, stretching from Golgotha to the Mount of Olives.

St. Cyril of Jerusalem documents the event in a letter that has been kept by the Armenian Church and is read during the feast. He writes that during the Holy Easter Season, a large cross of light – “a vast luminous body” – appeared in the sky above Holy Golgotha and stretching to the Mount of Olives. It was revealed to everyone in the city of Jerusalem, unmistakably, he says, not just a few people. And very clearly, that is, it was not an optical illusion. It was visible for several hours. The light emitted, he insists, was brighter than the rays of the sun. Everyone in the city, ran to the holy church, with fear and joy at this vision from God. Christians, as well as foreigners sang hymns of praise to God’s Only Begotten Son.

St. Cyril says this event took place “On the nones of May.” The nones is the nineth day before the ides by inclusive reckoning, or in this case, the 7th day of May, placing it on the Feast of Pentecost of that year. The Apparition of the Holy Cross is one of four feasts dedicated to the Cross that the Armenian Church celebrates. The three others are the Elevation of the Cross, the Discovery of the Holy Cross and the Cross of Varak, which are all celebrated as Summer moves to Autumn.

I leave you with this historic account of a phenomenon, miracle, or demonstration, which ever you wish to call it, as the background to the excitement of discovering that the luminous Cross is still shining. Yes. Our receptors have weakened, even to the rays brighter than the sun, but it is necessary to take this break before I continue tomorrow so you will  not be overwhelmed by the incredible opportunity to view the Apparition of the Holy Cross now, seventeen centuries later. Yes! As we continue tomorrow with our next Armodoxy for Today.

We pray today, O Christ, whose glory once stretched across the sky, stretch now Your mercy across our souls, that we may reflect Your light in every word and deed. Amen.

Manageable Balance

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Armodoxy for Today: Heaviness Explored

On Holy Friday, you meditated on the cross, that is, suffering for a greater purpose. You looked at the crosses in your life along side the Cross of Christ. You heard Christ’s challenging invitation,  “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23)

The Cross on Friday is quite different from the Cross on Sunday. For one thing, there is no body on the cross. He who was Crucified has come out victorious over the Cross. For another, the Cross has proven not to be an end in itself, but rather, a path to the greater good, and the Victory.

The invite we have received from Jesus has always been after the Resurrection. The only Cross we have known is the conquered Cross. Feel the weight of the crosses in your life today. If they feel lighter and manageable, you have found the balance of Armodoxy.

O Christ, protect and guard me under the shadow of your Holy Cross in peace. Deliver me from enemies visible and invisible. I will glorify you along with the Father and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Cover Photo: Luna & Gregory Beylerian, 2023

Crushed thorns don’t hurt

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Armodoxy for Today: Crushed Thorns

Fear breeds worry. Worry, like a can of carbonated soda which is shaken over and over, will push through the weakest point, to find relief. The can of soda explodes when the top is pulled, and even worse, if the top isn’t pulled, will burst at the seams. In the case of humans, the body has many points that are not meant to be put under such stress. Pressure builds up and something has to give, sooner or later. The sooner you abandon the worry, the less chance of catastrophic effects on the body.

God speaks to us through His Holy Church. His Voice is heard through the Scriptures and Teachings, and often in ways that our dull faculties find it difficult to sense.

A few days ago, a friend sent me a picture of the interior of a Catholic church in Rome. The message accompanying the picture asked if I could decipher the writing under one of the arches. I zoomed in on the picture and found Armenian letters ոչ եղիցին փուշ ցաւոց staring at me. I looked at the words and translated the words respectively, “no be thorn pain.” I didn’t understand much else beyond the individual words, and my mind, which is usually up to the challenge of deciphering codes, was preoccupied with worries over recent health issues affecting a loved one.

The worry caused by those concerns kept me up that night and the following day I went into church with the baggage of these worries weighing me down. I happened to run into a priest that morning, one who had spent many years at the Vatican. Just the right person to ask, I thought. I showed him the picture and asked if he was aware of this writing and he too had not seen it, but he went beyond a word-for-word translation and gave me the gist of the message: Not even a thorn will hurt you!*

It was a message that came to me loud and clear. My worries were to no avail. Not even a thorn could hurt us.

If this was only one example in my life, I would not bring it up, but God’s promise has been reiterated to me. Ask and you shall receive, says the Lord. Why do we continue to doubt? Or in the words of our Lord, “…Do not worry…  For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things.”

I leave you with this important adage which I never tire from reminding myself: If you’re going to pray, don’t worry. And if you’re going to worry, don’t pray.

*cf. Ezekiel 28:24

First Discovery is Enough to Celebrate

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Armodoxy for Today: First Discovery is Enough

One of the celebrations of the Holy Cross takes place this week. It commemorates the discovery of the Cross of Christ. It comes from the fourth century. The mother of the Roman Emperor Constantine, having converted to Christianity, sets out to find the Cross of Christ. She travels from the Roman Empire to Jerusalem and there finds the True Cross of Christ.

It is a story that is laced with beauty, wonder and what is often described as miracles. It points to one of the most precious objects of our faith, the Holy Cross, and of course, its discovery is a reason for joy and celebration.

But there is a very special message that is woven into the Scriptural passage of the Day. The Church Fathers have assigned to this day a passage from Matthew chapter 24 (verses 27 to 36). In it, Jesus speaks about the Second Coming of Christ, and likens it to “the lightning [which] comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be… the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” At the end of the description Jesus reveals, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.”

Discovering this “second Cross” of the Jesus has turned into an obsession with so many people, with books, seminars, sects and denominations that have sprouted in particular over the last century. Some churches have even published timelines and dates for the Second Coming. Dare I say, the Second Coming of Christ has turned into big business, bringing in millions of dollars for access to this information. Tragically, these groups and sects even confuse people by using titles such as “church” and have misinformed people about Scripture. The real tragedy is that many have abandoned the opportunity to live, in hopes of deciphering God’s will.

Plainly, Jesus says, dates and times are in God’s domain. Trust God. Don’t miss the opportunity to live and celebrate the day has God has given you. Live your life today. Or as Jesus so eloquently stated, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness… do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6)

Varak Dialect of Khatchkar

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Armodoxy for Today: The Khatchkar dialect of Varak

As Jesus entered Jerusalem on that first “Palm Sunday” the people went to the streets with joy, singing in loud voices, “Hosanna. Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

In the Gospel of Luke (19) we read that the religious elite of the day called Jesus from the crowd and ordered him to rebuke the crowd, but Jesus answer, “I tell you that if these [people] should keep silent, the stones themselves would immediately cry out.”

There is a small little village just off the shore of Lake Van in Western Armenia called Varak. In the third century the nun Hripsime, escaping persecution for her Christian beliefs hid in the hills of Varak. In her possession was a piece of the Cross of Christ. She hid the fragment on the mountain where it lay for over three hundred years until a hermit named Totig found it in the seventh century. This Sunday marks the celebration of this event, the Cross of Varak.

I had a chance to visit Varak. Today the town as well as all of Western Armenia is occupied by Turkey. The once beautiful and spiritually active monastery of Varak is now in shambles. Among the ruins you can make out the markings of the interior of the church. Small niches where candles once lit the interior are now exposed to the elements with the roof and huge dome in piles of rubble.

Next to the foundation stones which act as a footprint of the Varak Monastery are houses of the villagers. Kids were playing on the unpaved streets and we struck up a conversation with some of the villagers. One of them invited us into their house. The walls were stones stuck together with a dry pack type of mortar. Stones of different colors and different shapes indicating a variety of sources and suggested they were gathered from different time periods. And… there were khatchkars – cross stones – taken from the monastery and stuck on the wall to protect the inhabitants of the house from outside weather conditions.

The destroyed monasteries and ruined churches, are part of a campaign to erase history and are the final act of destruction following Genocide. Michael Arlen, in his book Passage to Ararat, (1975) searches his roots in Armenia and in Western Armenia. Speaking to the erasure of history, Arlen writes, “What was it except hatred to say that a people did not exist?”

The khatchkar answers back. Khatchkars speak to us in a distinct language, or perhaps, it is a different dialect, because if you listen carefully, you can always understand the message. Khatchkars are the stones that counter the hatred by proclaiming peace of heaven on earth. Even in destructed form, in the ruins, the khatchkars are sharing the Divine message of hope and love as an antidote to the hate.

We pray this prayer for peace, Lord Jesus Christ, who are called the Prince of Peace, please grant us peace. Make all men and women witnesses of truth, justice, and brotherly love. Amen.

Khatchkar Messages

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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

Tangible Items of Faith

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Armodoxy for Today: The Tangible Items of Faith

In the post-Resurrection encounter between Jesus and his apostle Thomas, tactile affirmation is presented as the necessary proof for after-death existence. Thomas refuses to believe Jesus has resurrected, unless he can touch and feel his wounds. Following their encounter Jesus says, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” This, then, becomes the challenge for all Christians from time zero to today: believing without seeing. A difficult task for anyone, especially us in a world that is defined by our interaction with it, through our senses.

For this reason alone, symbols are important. Symbols help us understand things and concepts that are difficult to explain. For instance, a flag symbolizes a country and can stir deep rooted feelings of patriotism. The main symbol of Christianity is the cross. Two planks, placed perpendicular to one another, joined together and the horizontal plank dissected in its center constituting a left and right arm. Two planks of wood can be cut, whittled, and used as kindling in a fire, or to build a staircase, but create them in the shape of a cross, they now have a deeper meaning.

The many stories about the Holy Cross of Jesus involve people interacting – tactile interaction – with either the Cross or pieces of it – finding them, gathering them, decorating them, and, even, fighting for them. People take on great personal challenges and difficulties to find and preserve those fragments. In return, they discover a Power that goes beyond understanding. They find protection and a haven in the shadow of the Cross,

The stories we tell are meant to serve as the witness to the Power that emanates from the saving Cross. Challenge yourself to tap into that power.

We continue tomorrow.

Cover: 2019 “Custodian for an Hour” – Artsakh