Tag Archive for: Humanitarian

Filtering the Ceasar Noise

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Armodoxy for Today: Filtering the Noise

This week we have been examining Christ’s admonition to Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, what belongs to God to God. I took some time with this passage to show the absurdity of trying to attach more meaning to the words of Christ, than what he initially intended. In the case of taxes, he said, give to the government what belongs to it. He did not set a blanket policy to exclude ourselves for governance nor to hand over humanitarian pursuits to politicians.

Give to God, what is God’s. And so, give the precious life that God has given to you, back to God by committing to be compassionate and caring to those in need.

I selected this topic intentionally during this week of April because on April 24 the Armenian Genocide is remembered. One and a half million Armenians were barbarically slaughter from 1915 to 1922. An attempt was made in 1915 to, in today’s parlance, “wipe out an entire civilization.” And the plot continues today with new strikes against Armenians and Armenian historic monuments in an area called Artsakh as the same perpetrator of Genocide of 1915 is even more emboldened thanks to the politics and politicians of today.

In 1915, Armenians rendered unto Ceasar in an appeal for assistance, with only shattered dreams and broken promises in the end. And ever since, even today, the Ceasar-card attracts the masses and they play it. Check the local demonstration near you and chances are you will find, like this in my area, a stage filled with ineffective or retired politicians, dismissed military men, and for show a defrocked priests show. This time, in my area, even a priest impersonator is invited to share the podium, which makes a mockery of this horrid and evil page of human history. Of course I resent it. These are my people. My grandparents went through that reality and now they are turning into a circus with freak acts and mockery.

Giving to God is to find the humanity in helping and tending to the hurting souls of our world. Commemorating a Genocide from over 100 years ago can only properly be expressed in the actions of helping and others who are suffering the same. Today, the sound of children and people crying from under bombs, bullets and rubble are the expressions despair and further violence for the next century as reflections of their shattered life.

We will continue tomorrow with some positive directions moving forward. Let us pray, Heavenly Father, You have bestowed life in me. Help me to filter the noise of nonsense so I may hear the cries of those who call out to me. Amen.

God’s is Humanity

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Armodoxy for Today: God’s is Humanity

Rendering unto Ceasar what is Ceasar’s and unto God what is God’s, makes for a nice and convenient escape from world problems and situations. Recently, while commenting on the devastation in Gaza and the famine that became a product of the attacks, I was interrupted by a self-appointed watch-dog of such matters, claiming that Gaza and the plight of the Palestinians was in the hands of the politicians. “Remember,” he told me, “Jesus told us to Render unto Ceasar what is Ceasar’s…”

Ah yes, we’ve heard that many a-time. It’s a convenient cop-out. Don’t mess with the horrors of society… there’s nothing that can be done… suffice it, that we should pray, for an end to war and more… It’s very convenient: Let the politicians and the government they represent deal with it.

Perhaps it’s a bit too convenient, because if you want to go that route, then go the entire way: Render unto God what is God’s! That’s right. God’s is the humanitarian heart. In Jesus’ words, “… To proclaim good news to the poor, to proclaim freedom for the prisoners, heal the brokenhearted, grant recovery of sight for the blind, and set the oppressed free… (Luke 4:18)

You see, rendering unto Ceaser is not an escape clause. Quite the opposite, it’s taking responsibility by rendering unto God. It’s a humanitarian issue! God is love. God is compassion. And we, the Church established by Christ, are called to be the agent for change, to be love, to be compassion. War, famine, hatred, division are not political issues, they are humanitarian issues, pure and simple.

We pray, Lord Jesus Christ, you taught us to see the face of God in everyone. You taught us to be the hands, legs, and mouth of God. Fill us with your compassion to reach out and tend to the hurting of our world. Amen.

World Central Kitchen, here and there

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Armodoxy for Today: WCK, here and there

The day after the Feast of Theophany this year, wildfires broke out throughout Los Angeles. Our area was hit severely forcing evacuations. After three days away we were allowed back to our home in Pasadena. Thank God we had one to return to. Many of our friends and acquaintances returned to find their houses leveled, burnt to the ground along with memories. The standing brick chimneys in neighborhood are an eerie reminder of those ravaging fires.

For the weeks, which turned into months, the World Central Kitchen was busy at work throughout the city, providing meals and supplies to the victims. The World Central Kitchen serves chef-prepared meals to communities impacted by natural disasters and during humanitarian crises. Check out their website for a map of all the places on Earth where they are cooking tonight. Over 450 million meals!

One of the greatest humanitarian crises on our planet right now is in Gaza. World Central Kitchen was there. In April, seven of their aid workers were killed in an air strike by Isreal. They were recently eulogized at the National Cathedral by the founder of the World Central Kitchen, Jose Andres.

Seven people who went to help in a humanitarian effort were killed. You wonder, where is the justice in all of this?

Just a couple of days ago, World Central Kitchen announced that it was halting all aid to the Gaza, “After serving more than 130 million total meals and 26 million loaves of bread over the past 18 months, World Central Kitchen no longer has the supplies to cook meals or bake bread in Gaza,” it said in a post on X.

This, while more than 2 million people, the United Nations humanitarian agency OCHA announced, face severe food shortages.

As I mentioned in yesterday’s message, what I am talking about is not about the politics there, but about the humanitarian crisis of innocent children and people being deprived of medicine, food and water.

Tomorrow, I’ll share with you how an encounter in post-genocide Rwanda explained this reality and what it means.

Today, we pray, “Lord Jesus Christ, you who opened the eyes of the blind man, open our eyes which are blinded by hatred. You who gave hearing to the deaf man, open our ears which can no long hear the cry of babies. You who loosened the tongue of the mute, open our mouths so we may share our voice for justice. You who restore strength in the legs of the paralyzed man, gives us the stamina to the walk to bring aid. You who opened the hearts of those who hate, open our hearts to give those in need. Amen.

Next Step with Fr. Vazken #802 – Listen Here

Now, I understand

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Now I Understand

Next Step #795 – August 29, 2024 – It’s the question that has bother him from the beginning of time: How can they let this happen?
Fr. Vazken brings it together with a look at 1915 in Armenia and today in Gaza. Is it just politics as usual? The politicians would like you to believe that. Variations of the WWJD. Zvartnots, the resting place of the angels.
40K killed in Gaza
Kamala Acceptance Speech
Armodoxy for Today
Epostle’s Internation Page (Videos)
Zvartnots Cathedral
SAIN
Eric Burdon & Animals
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for http://Epostle.net
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