Tag Archive for: Jesus Christ

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

Prodigal Son – Day 14 of 50

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Armodoxy for Today: The Prodigal Son – Day 14 of Lent

Jesus taught by using parables. They are precise and so packed with meaning that scholars, teachers and preachers have dissected and challenged themselves and others with their interpretations of the story lines. Jesus shared his parables by putting them out there. We don’t know if he interpreted or further elaborated on the parables. If he did, save for a few exceptions, they are not remembered in the Gospel narratives.

This Sunday of Lent is know as the Sunday of the Prodigal Son, a parable that is recorded in the fifteenth chapter of the Gospel of Luke. I firmly believe that if nothing else reached us from the time of Jesus except for this one parable, it would be enough to explain our relationship to and with God, and the extent of His Love for us.

Jesus shares this parable: A certain man had two sons.  And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. Then he went and [found work with a man who] sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”

And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.

That’s the story of the Prodigal Son. Yes, you heard right, the man did have two sons. I’ll share the story of the other son in the coming days along with a look at the elements of this powerful parable. Today I wanted you to hear it as it appears in the Gospel narrative.

Your act of charity is to examine the story and consider why it is presented during the Lenten season. Fast today from excessive analysis. And try hot and sour cabbage from the recipe below.

We pray with St. Nersess Shnorhali from his third hour of prayer, Heavenly Father, true God, who sent Your beloved Son to seek the wandering sheep. I have sinned against heaven and before you. Receive me like Prodigal Son and clothe me with the garment of innocence, of which I was deprived by with sin. Have mercy upon your creatures and upon me a great sinner. Amen

Lenten Recipes by Deacon Varoujan: Recipe 14: Hot and Sour Cabbage

Alpha Omega – Day 8 of 40

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Armodoxy for Today: Alpha Omega

The person of Jesus Christ is central to our Armenian Church and everything that we do within our Church. To fully engage in the Lenten season and the spiritual exercises that are tied to the season, it is essential to understand this very basic premise.

We began this second week of Lent, yesterday, Expulsion Sunday, with the reading prescribed for the day from the Gospel of Matthew chapter 5, where Jesus pronounces, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill …”

Jesus is the fulfillment of the law and the prophets. He is the “Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.” (Revelation 22:13) Or, in our vernacular, the A and the Z, the Ա (ayb) and the Ք (keh).

The Lenten season and the exercises are about connecting to the fulfillment and the completeness of life. Our journey takes its first turn today, from the foundation and fundamentals to the applications.

Today’s exercise involves gaging your acts of charity. Turn within to question your motives and your feelings in doing unto others. Do you feel comfortable with those motives and feelings? Or, should there be something more.

Fast today from motivated giving. Give without any expectation in return, including your own personal satisfaction. Is that possible?

The week begins with a recipe for Almond French toast (below).

We pray, from St. Gregory of Narek, (44)  As the soul is for the living beings and
thought for the rational beings, as radiance is for glory, and form for substance,
as caring for life, and mindfulness for mercy, as giving in charity, and resolve in salvation,
as abundance in generosity, flow in continuity, as fullness for perfection, richness in inexhaustibility,
as long in forbearance, exalted in unreachableness, they are one perfect trinity,
of three persons, blessed forever. Amen. (Translated by Thomas J. Samuelian)

Lenten Recipes by Deacon Varoujan: Recipe 8: Almond French Toast

St. Sarkis Especially for Today

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Armodoxy for Today: St. Sarkis

There are a few saints that stand out above others and are revered specially by the Armenian people. One of them is St. Sarkis. Parents name their boys Sarkis, and as a family name, Sarkisian is fairly common. A few years back, the Catholicos of All Armenians, His Holiness Karekin II, designated St. Sarkis as the patron saint of youth. Today, young people line up in churches to receive a special blessing on the feast of St. Sarkis which is celebrated this time of year, after Theophany and before Great Lent.

Sarkis is a 4th century saint, a Roman by birth and was appointed by Constantine the Great as Prince of Cappadocia, (next to Armenia, today’s Kayseri). And while he is separated from us by space and time, the message that comes from his story speaks directly to our day and age.

With Constantine’s conversion to Christianity and the joy of the newly found Christian religion, Sarkis went throughout the Empire converting people with the message of faith, hope and love. However, when he reached Persia, the King, Shaboo, demanded that Sarkis stop preaching Christ and instead worship before his pagan altars. Sarkis’ response to the King was “I believe in one God, the All Holy Trinity, who has created heaven and earth. As a man, who is made of the earth, I can destroy your pagan statues and the fire you worship.”

This proclamation against the religion of the day infuriated the people and they began beating Sarkis with stones and clubs. They finally imprisoned him in the hopes that he would deny Christ, but he remained loyal to his faith. He was sentenced to death for his Christian faith and the “crime” of bringing people to Christ. As he was about to be executed, he prayed a prayer for his followers, “O Lord, Christ our God, all those who remember my name during their trials and tribulations, and who remember this event with prayers and fasting, hear their prayers and grant to them all their desires.”
A voice was heard from heaven saying, “I will give you what you have requested, as for you, come home to enjoy the goodness that has been prepared for you.”

I spared you the details of his death, which are rather gory, but I need to mention that he left an indelible mark on the psyche of the people. To this day, even among the Persians, Sarkis is referred to as “The invincible witness and grantor of all requests.”

Often the physical disciplines (e.g. fasting) have replaced the more important reasons for the fasting, namely the message of Jesus Christ. Even today, some folk myths still circulate among the people with seeing St. Sarkis in dreams, eating salt and water as signals for falling in love and betrothal.

Today, as we recount the story of St. Sarkis, we have to lift it off the pages of history and see it as a lesson in convictions and faith. In fact, today, Christians are being persecuted daily for their beliefs. We may not see the swords of the emperors or outright proclamations such as King Shaboo’s, but the weapons that strike us are just as deadly. Our lives are filled with temptations by materialism – believing that our possessions define us and carry some kind of intrinsic worth – while being swayed by a general attitude of indifference towards the plight of others. Death comes to us because of contempt for Christ’s call to Love.

We’d be well advised to take the call of our Catholicos to heart. St. Sarkis gives us an example of conviction, of faith, of discipline and true strength. In a world that teaches otherwise, this saint of the Armenian Church should be welcomed, not only in the lives of our youth but in all of our lives.

Let us pray, “O Christ, director of life and eternity, as your servant St. Sarkis demonstrated with his life, let your message and glory be reflected in my life. May I honor St. Sarkis, and all the saints, by living with you centered in my life, today and always. Amen.”

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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.”

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Message Not to be Omitted

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Armodoxy for Today: The Message

When we proclaim our faith about Jesus Christ, we often do so about the person and inadvertently forget a fundament element of the faith, namely the message he preached. In the Nicene Creed, adopted in 325AD by the Church and recited in churches throughout the world every Sunday, we proclaim our belief in the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and the exclusivity of the Holy Church. We have shorter forms of the profession of faith, one of which is confessed by the godfather during baptism in the Armenian Church. In the Western churches, such as the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches, the Apostles Creed is pronounced. In St. Nersess Shnorhali’s prayer of the 4th hour, we read an even more abbreviated form about Jesus, the Son of God, “Who descended from the bosom of the Father, and took flesh of the Holy Virgin Mary for our salvation, who was crucified and buried, and rose from the dead and ascended to the Father.”

In all of the creeds and professions of faith, the person of Jesus, the Son of God, is defined. What is missing is his message, or even more simply, mention or reference of his message. I use the word “missing” rather than “omitted” or “forgotten” because I believe the development of these creeds were products of the times and societal needs. In the case of the Armenian Church, her constituency during the early centuries was homogeneous. The people attending church and shared common values and so it wasn’t necessary to reference the message in a creed.

Armodoxy is about taking that ancient faith and placing it in today’s world and society. In a globalized society, where many different messages are vying for your attention, Jesus’ message can easily be dismissed, omitted or even forgotten because of the zealous efforts to proclaim Jesus as superior to other choices. Mature faith understands that it is Jesus’ message, that is unique and superior to all else. In his message we understand the fulness of the statement that God is love. Jesus’ message is what connects us to the beginning of time, and therein we find the Divinity of Jesus as the Son of God. “I am not here on my own authority, but he who sent me is true.” (John 7:28)

Let us pray St. Nersess Shnorhli’s prayer of the 4th hour, with addendum, Son of God, true God, who descended from the bosom of the Father, and took flesh of the Holy Virgin Mary for our salvation, [who taught the message of true love and compassion, with his words and his life,] who was crucified and buried, and rose from the dead and ascended to the Father, I have sinned against Heaven and before You, remember me like the robber when You come into your kingdom. Amen.

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Meditation in Prayer

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Armodoxy for Today: The Advent Series – Meditation in Prayer

Meditation is a vital part of the Christian experience and a practice that is alluded to by Jesus in the next section of the Sermon on the Mount.

Jesus says, “When you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore, do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.”  (Matthew 6:5-8)

Once again, Jesus asks us to practice our piety in private. The religious experience is between you and God and not a demonstration for others. Jesus, in authority, tells us that our Father knows our needs before we ask Him. Therefore, prayer is contemplative and meditative, that is, prayer is a conversation with our inner self. God already knows your needs, now you must realize them. Meditation is an opportunity to “Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10) It is a quiet time with God, who is inside of you. Pray with the knowledge that God knows your needs and feel His love. That knowledge is given to us by the One who was begotten of the Father, that is, from Love Incarnate.

For your Advent journal, make note of the adversary, the hypocrite. For today, we will conclude with the prayer from the tenth hour of St. Nersess Shnorhali’s Confession of Faith, Christ, the living fire, inflame my soul with the fire of your love which you sent forth over the earth, so that it may burn the stains of my soul; sanctify my conscience and purge my body from sin, and kindle the light of your knowledge in my heart. Have mercy upon your creatures and on me, a sinner. Amen.

Cover: Gregory Beylerian, 2014

Imagine…

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Armodoxy for Today: The Advent Series – Imagine

These last couple of days on our Advent Journey we have spoken about Jesus’ commandment to not resist evil. The champions of good, by virtue of that title, are the heroes of folklore, history and even fantasy. All of them have left their mark by opposing and fighting evil, hence, the great disconnect between the good guys in our life and Jesus’ commandment to not resist evil. In Jesus’ case, his opposition to evil is not defined by increased violence. His opposition to evil came without inciting more evil.

John Lennon, in a song widely regarded as one of the greatest songs of all time, challenged us to Imagine, there’s no heaven… above us only sky… people living for today. Imagine countries… nothing to kill or die for… no religion… no possessions, no need for greed or hunger, a brotherhood of man… Imagine all the people sharing all the world… and the world will live as one.

This song was written in opposition to the Vietnam War (1971) and Lennon himself regarded it as an “ad campaign for peace.”

In our encounter with Jesus’ commandments, and in particular with this one which asks us to not resist evil, we are understand that opposition to evil cannot come by adding evil to the equation. Evil + evil will never equal an absence of evil. We can’t fight fire with fire when it’s only reasonable (and preferrable) to fight it with water.

“Whoever slaps you on your right cheek,” Jesus instructs, “Turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.” (Matthew 5:39-41)

Absence of evil is love and so “love your enemies” is a natural next step, and a necessary step on the road to peace.

Within the Armenian Church, the phrase “Peace unto all” is repeated often in its seven hours of worship, and most notably during its Divine Liturgy. Imagine that, a people that have not known peace, and at the same time have possessed no military power or elaborate military strategy, and yet they proclaim and offer peace.

We pause today with an invitation and an Advent challenge, in preparation for Christmas, can you imagine an alternative to evil to resolve evil? Jesus’ call to “Be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect,” (Matthew 5:48) implies that there are means that require us to use our God given talents to overcome the tragedies we identify as evil.

The Advent Journey is about preparing ourselves for the great Theophany, the Revelation of God. That preparation is through the struggle to understand – “imagine,” if you will – our existence as children of God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

We pray a prayer by Nobel Peace Prize recipient, Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. O God, the Creator and Preserver of all mankind; in whom to dwell is to find peace and security; toward whom to turn is to find life and life eternal, we humbly beseech Thee for all sorts and conditions of men; that thou wouldst be pleased to make thy ways known unto them, Thy saving health unto all nations. We also pray for Thy holy Church universal; that it may be so guided and governed by Thy Spirit, that all who profess and call themselves Christians may be led into the way of truth, and hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life. Finally, we commend to Thy Fatherly goodness all those who are in any way afflicted or distressed in mind or body. Give them patience under the suffering and power of endurance. This we ask in the name of Jesus. Amen.

 

Missing from the Creed

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Armodoxy for Today/Advent Journey 50: The Message

The Nicene Creed – “We Believe in the Father almighty, creator heaven and earth…” You know it, “We believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, begotten of the Father… Light of Light, Very God of Very God…” It’s the standard by which we proclaim Faith as members of the Christian Church, whether in the Orthodox or Roman Catholic traditions or in mainline protestant churches, the Nicene Creed is the Confession of Faith… This is what we believe.

And while we proclaim faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and confess his birth, baptism, passion, crucifixion, burial and resurrection, there is something that is not proclaimed in the Creed. We remember the events of Jesus’ life without mention of his teachings! We believe in what he taught!

What are the teachings of Christ? You’d be surprised to learn them, because some of them sound so outlandish: “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” “Blessed are the meek.” “Do not resist evil.” “Turn the other cheek.” And “Love your enemies.”

These examples all come from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, recorded in the Gospel of St. Matthew chapters 5, 6 and 7. I refer to these three chapters as the “essential teachings” of Jesus. In fact, when students ask me how to read the Bible, I have them start at this point, because Jesus lays out what is asked of us by God. This Advent Season, we will be focusing on the Sermon on the Mount: The Essential Teachings of Jesus. Each one leading us to finding the Christ in Christmas.

Today, we begin with the reading of what is known as the Beatitudes. It is the introduction to the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus outlines what is considered a blessing. Contemplate these today. You may wish to keep a journal, written or mental, through the 50 days of Advent. When we finish at the Theophany, we will read these once again, it will be interesting to compare your thoughts then with what you hear today.

St. Matthew records this in his Gospel, “And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

 

Celebrating with God

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Armodoxy for Today: Celebrating with God

Jesus’ words should never be confined to the Church audience nor should they be restricted to any limit imposed by the boundaries of space or time. In other words, Jesus’ words are relevant at all times and to everyone. This, in fact, is another testament to his divinity, but that is the topic for another day. Today we’ll focus in on the topic of celebration within the Church.

The Divine Liturgy – the Holy Pataraq – the central act of worship in the Armenian Church is a celebration. It is never performed, rather it is celebrated, with the officiant being referred to as the “celebrant.”

Tragically, life conditions in the Armenian world left very little to celebrate, especially during the last couple centuries. The Armenian experience has been filled with disasters and war which have led to heartbreak. Armenians sought and found refuge in their church. Church became a place where the poor, the maimed, the brokenhearted and the mourners found comfort. Understandably, the word “celebratory” was hardly the descriptor of the feelings they harbored.

Furthermore, the atmosphere in church is often filled with a sense of reverence and awe, as congregants gather to worship and reflect on their faith. This can be felt through the quiet moments of prayer and the solemnity of rituals. Unfortunately, reverence or sacredness is often interpreted as somber, a state void of positive emotion.

We refer to Jesus’ message as the Gospel – in Armenian Avetaran. It literally means “Good News” – in Armenia Avetis. The Good News should be greeted with joy and festivity – hence the expression of celebration for our community worship. The words of the Divine Liturgy – the hymns and prayers all point to celebration. The Good News is God’s love for each and every one of us, rich or poor, tall or short, black or white, male or female, old and young, and fill in all the blanks you want. They all apply. God’s love is expressed through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Celebrate with song, dance and excitement.

We end with the celebration that our Lord describes when he says,
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Amen. (Matthew 5)