Tag Archive for: Cross

St. Macarius’ prayer

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Armodoxy for Today: St. Macarius’ prayer

There are four major feasts dedicated to the Holy Cross of Jesus, Exaltation – the one we just celebrated on Sunday – is the greatest. Exaltation, or Elevation of the Cross, encompasses the others feasts, which are Discovery of the Cross, Apparition of the Cross, and the Cross of Varak.

The Cross of Christ is mystically connected to the power of healing. Yesterday I shared one story from my personal experience. Throughout the centuries there have been thousands of such events that have been well documented. The first takes place when the Holy Cross of Christ was discovered.

Christianity was an underground religion for the first few centuries after Christ. When Christianity was accepted in the Roman Empire, many pious converts went on expeditions to preserve relics and sacred objects connected to Christ. The greatest of these was the Cross.

The mother of Emperor Constantine, Queen Helena, was one of those pious individuals. She ventured off to Jerusalem to find items to bring her closer to Christ. With the help of the Bishop of Jerusalem, St. Macarius, she discovered the site where the Crucifixion took place. There, she found three crosses. Which was the true Cross of Christ? Apparently there was a terminally ill woman there. St. Macarius offered this prayer: “Lord, through the suffering of Your only Son on the cross, You chose to bring salvation to humanity. And now, You have moved Your servant Helena to search for the sacred wood on which our Savior was crucified. Please reveal clearly which of these three crosses was raised for Your glory. Set it apart from the ones used for ordinary executions. Let this dying woman be restored to life the moment she touches the cross that brings salvation.”

The woman was healed when touched by the True Cross of Christ. St. Helena had a shrine built on the spot. The Armenian Church is a custodian of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

Pray, as St. Macarius did, not as a test of the power of God, but rather, to have God guide you to the power which heals and brings us salvation.

Tomorrow, we continue.

A Special Elixir made of Basil

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Armodoxy for Today: A Special Elixir

Yesterday, at the Feast of the Holy Cross, a special ceremony known as antastan took place in all Armenian churches worldwide. The word literally means land, as in a piece or patch of land. During the ceremony the four corners of the World – West, East, South, North – were blessed.

A cross is decorated with basil, and processed around the church. The significance of basil was explained in one of last week’s daily messages leading up to the Holy Cross Feast. Today, a small story, from my pastoral experience that I share for your consideration.

It happened during the early days of the first pastorate near San Jose, California. A young man in his late teens was stricken by a mysterious illness that left him in a coma-like state. He could not take anything by mouth. He was being fed intravenously. The doctors were baffled. His parents called me for prayers. I too was young, only recently ordained a priest, and filled with questions. I visited him a few times but wasn’t sure if he even knew that I was in the room. We prayed with his parents.

After two weeks, on the feast of the Holy Cross, blessed the four corners and I took some of the basil home with me. That Sunday, I called my grandmother. She lived in Los Angeles, and I knew that the feast was important in her life. During our conversation, I mentioned the plight of the young man, Armen. Without hesitation she instructed me to boil some water with the blessed basil leaves and take this “tea” to the boy. It would help, she said.

I’m all for science and medicine. I wasn’t really up to taking a homemade concoction into a modern hospital. What he had was still a mystery for the doctors, but, out of my respect and love for my grandmother and her wisdom, I took a thermos of this elixir to the hospital, put it under my coat to avoid embarrassment, I got it into the room.

The parents touched the basil tea to Armen’s lips. If this did not happen in my presence I would not have believed it. He reacted. He moved. They called me the following day and told me he had woken up and drank the tea. A few days later he was up, eating and drinking as normal. They never knew what caused or what the illness was, only that he came through and now, 40+ years later, I remember that episode, especially every Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.

As mentioned earlier, I present it here for your consideration and ask that we continue on the mystery of the cross tomorrow.

Friday to this Friday

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Armodoxy for Today: Friday to this Friday

On this Friday, with thoughts of the Holy Cross, we go back to the original day of the Cross, the day of Crucifixion, on a day that has now been designated as “Good Friday.” On that day, an innocent man was condemned to death. He was beaten and flogged for spreading a message of love. He was mocked and humiliated on made-up political charges. Standing at the foot of the Cross were only five or six of his followers, in stark contrast to the thousands who ushered him into Jerusalem only four days earlier (on Palm Sunday).

If you were one of those people standing at the foot of the Cross, or if you heard this story up and only to this point, you would hardly believe this to be a Good Friday. The horrifying torture and death of Jesus Christ was anything but a good event.

Then came Sunday. On Easter Sunday, Jesus’ tomb was empty! He has Risen! The first gospel – good news – is what changed an evil and “Bad” Friday into Good Friday! By his glorious Resurrection, Jesus made the instrument of torture and death, into a symbol of victory and goodness. He taught us that the cross – our trials and tribulations – are not to be avoided but must be embraced. And herein we learn the lesson that Resurrection can only follow Crucifixion.

Today we pray the Armenian Church’s prayer (from the Book of Hours): By this Holy Cross let us ask the Lord, that through it He would save us from sin and sustain us by His goodness; Keep us in peace, Christ our God, under the protection of your Holy and venerable Cross. Save us from visible and invisible enemies. Make us worthy to thankfully glorify you with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and always and unto ages of ages. Amen. 

Translation: Thomas J. Samuelian, Ph.D. St. Gregory of Narek

Basil from the Trash

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Armodoxy for Today: Basil from the Trash

The Feast that we celebrate this coming Sunday is the Exaltation of the Cross. The story behind the Feast has to do with Christian forces liberating the true Cross of Christ in the 7th century, from enemies who had held it captive. This story will be repeated in most Armenian Church, as well as Orthodox Churches, this Sunday. You will also notice basil prominently used during the service.

The association of basil with the Cross of Christ comes to us from the time of Constantine and his acceptance of Christianity, twelve years after Armenia’s conversion in the 4th century. Him mother, Queen Helena went in search of the True Cross of Christ and found in a trash heap. At the foot of the cross there were beautiful purplish-green basil leaves, filling their eyes with beauty and the air with the royal aroma that the plant exudes. Amidst all the debris and filth, there grew this vibrant vegetation, on the spot where the ugliness of hate took our Lord’s life, and His Sacred Blood dripped mixed with the tears of his mother, the Blessed Asdvadzadin. Basil.

Over the past few days, I have shared with you how Christ transforms the Cross from an instrument of torture to a symbol of victory. Everything about the Armenian Cross mirrors the ultimate victory found in the Resurrection of Christ, teaching us that beyond troubles there is a safe haven, beyond evil there is good and after crucifixion there is resurrection. Believe.

Today we pray, an expression from  St. Gregory of Narek, “… the Lord’s cross, a sign of good fortune, glorious and resplendent, unshakable in its exalted light, invincible in the strength on high, standing as an irresistible champion, unmovable forever against the immoral ways of Satan’s tyranny. For the discerning soul, it is a treasure of spiritual goods, showing the defeat of death and the absolution of sin, plus double hopes for each, now and eternally. (Prayer 51)

Translation: Thomas J. Samuelian, Ph.D. St. Gregory of Narek

Beauty in the Cross

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Armodoxy for Today: Beauty in the Cross

Jesus transformed the Cross, an instrument of torture and death, into a symbol of victory. “In this world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) With these words Jesus assures us that our most trying times are temporary. They can and 0will be defeated. You will be victorious over every one of your crosses because he overcame and conquered the worst-of-the-worst.

Jesus’ words tell us that the cross is a part of life. Trials and tribulations, evil, endings, hurt, death, are all crosses that will be defeated. It is important to note that Jesus said these words before he rose to the Cross. His assurance is based on Divine knowledge, a priori, asking us to accept on faith.

Every tear will be wiped away from your eyes and there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying.  (Revelation 21:4)

The Armenian Church venerates the Holy Cross. Crucifixes are not present, aside from during the Lenten Season, in the Armenian Church. The Cross is beautiful, ornate. It stands as a testament to Jesus’ Resurrection, to the Victory that is assured each of us who believe and follow him.

Today we pray from St. Gregory of Narek, Grant your mercy upon my forsaken self, good king, who inspires awe, loves humanity and cares for his people, living and holy Lord who always enlightens us by the power of the mystery of your exalted cross. In my barren fields, hardened by sin, filled with folly, with fruitless heart, I am still sustained by your compassion, Almighty. May my soul be refreshed with springs of water and my sore eyes quenched with streams of tears, offered for purification and salvation and released by your acceptance, all-giving Lord, who is glorified forever. Amen. (excerpt from prayer 36)

Translation: Thomas J. Samuelian, Ph.D. St. Gregory of Narek
Cover: Khatchkar-2Bp-2B292-2BMatenadaran-2BMs-2B3833.jpeg

Cross Changeover

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Armodoxy for Today: Cross Changeover

Walk into an Armenian Church and you’re sure to be overwhelmed all the symbols. God is a mystery. Jesus Christ gives us a glimpse into that mystery with his life and teaching. We can all agree that if God could be explained with words, He no longer is God, that is, by virtue of definition, God is greater than and beyond our thoughts and words.

The greatest symbol within the Armenian Church is that of the Cross. It is an instrument of torture and death, yet we exalt it. We bless people and objects by the “sign of the Cross.” We wear crosses ornamentally, on necklaces, rings, earrings, tattoos, and embossed on clothing. If you were to imagine someone wearing today’s devise of torture and murder, such as a hypodermic needle for the lethal injections, or an electric chair, we would then understand St. Paul’s words, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing…´(I Corinthians 1:18) Yes, it would truly be humorous, it would be foolishness to praise a gas chamber.

And here is where the switch comes. Through the salvific act of Crucifixion and Resurrection, Jesus transformed the instrument of torture and death, the Cross, into a symbol of victory.

“In the world you will have tribulation;” says Jesus. Yes, you will have difficulties, suffering and yes, crosses to overcome. “But be of good cheer,” Jesus continues, “I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) Indeed, the victory over the Cross transformed the symbol into one of triumph.

We pray today, a prayer from 8th century by  Sahak Tzoroportsi, “May your Cross be our refuge with its blazing brilliance. That which is named the tree of life destroyed the enemy and dissolved our death sentence, for the salvation of the universe. Amen.”

Prelude: Is the Cross Necessary?

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Armodoxy for Today: Is the Cross Necessary?

The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, is one of several Christian celebrations focusing on the Cross of Christ. This week, we look at the Holy Cross with reflections. St. Paul writes, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (I Corinthians 1:18)

Let’s begin these reflections with a very fundamental question, Is the Cross necessary for  salvation?  Or more simply, Is the Cross necessary in Christianity? … the Christian experience?

Writer Nicholas Kazantzakis, best known for his novel “Zorba the Greek,” first pondered these questions in his 1955 novel, “The Last Temptation of Christ.” What if Jesus had not accepted “the cup,” as was his prayer in the Garden of Getsemani (Luke 22:42). What if he did not accept or refused his appointment with the Cross? Deeper still, was it even possible for Jesus not to take the cup, not to rise to the Cross? And if he had not, what would that have meant (or not meant) for us today?

This week we look at the Cross, biblically and in the prayers offered by the Holy Church. We begin with St. Nersess Shnorhali’s 14th hour of prayer, Upholder of all creatures, preserve by the sign of your cross, my soul and body, from the allurements of sin, from the temptation of evil, from unjust people, and from all dangers physical and spiritual. Have mercy upon your creatures, and on me. Amen.

Cover: Gregory Beylerian, 2014

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