Tag Archive for: July 4

Independence Day (250) Prayer

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On the 250th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence a group of clergy and laity assembled with their spiritual leader, Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Diocesan Primate, at the St. Leon Ghevondyants Armenian Cathedral in Burbank California to offer the following prayer of thanksgiving. Happy Independence Day!

Independence Day Prayer

Lord our God, we come in a spirit of thanksgiving and joy on this 250th Anniversary of the United States of America, to mix our prayers with those of people throughout this nation, for the freedoms we enjoy.

O Father, great and merciful, You comfort us in our time of need, You never pull away Your hand from those who call on Your name. You brought forth in  this land a country that is founded on the principle of liberty, equality and justice. A country that declared that life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are God-given and unalienable rights for everyone. A country that dared to proclaim, “Give me your tired, your poor and your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…”

Our forefathers heeded the call to the shores of America. Having escaped persecution, death and even genocide, our forefathers were the huddled masses that embraced America and were embraced in return by this great country. They found peace, and a haven where dreams for a better life for themselves and for their children could be realized.

We assembled back then in our houses of worship, and continue to do so today, to give thanks for the blessings you so abundantly bestow upon us. We thank you for the freedom to pursue dreams and build on those dreams that come from our God-given imagination. Thank you for the safety we enjoy, and the harmony that we can achieve. Let us never be complacent or in contempt of these very special and unique expressions that are part of the American Dream.

Look upon this great nation, the United States of America in your mercy, O Lord. Open our hearts to hear and act upon your call to live in harmony with one another, working together to build for better days and the dreams that reach for the highest heights. Protect and shelter its people from harm. Rest the souls of them that sacrificed for the liberties we enjoy. And keep the spirit of freedom alive in each of us.

Amen.

Declaring is half of it

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Armodoxy for Today – one minute for Summertime

Declaring is half of it

On this third day of our dive into ideas of freedom, it’s important to understand that we take this dive without regard to political ideology. Sure, we offer this series in anticipation of the Fourth of July celebration, and we live in political realities, and each of us comes to the mix with our own persuasions, but freedom is in itself a God-given and considered the birthright of the human soul.

The Armenian Church has lived within monarchies, kingdoms, dictatorships, oppressive and barbaric regimes, and even through atheistic Soviet society. The Gospel Message of Christ is greater than any political ideology and within the expression of the ancient Apostolic Church, that Message maintains its integrity despite the political climate of the age.

Declaring these truths is only half of the story. Living out the dream with our actions is the other half. The Independence Day celebration grants us an opportunity to reflect on our responsiveness to freedom and liberty, to the declarations we make, and to how those declarations are played out. Contemplate true freedom and independence as we continue tomorrow. This is today’s one-minute for Summertime.

 

Something to Say

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Armodoxy for Today – One minute for Summertime

Questions to More Questions (On Freedom & Independence part 2/5)

The United States of America celebrates its 250th Anniversary of declaring independence from England on the Fourth of July. For a quarter of a millennium, this country, a nation of states, has wrestled with the concept of freedom and its limits. The Declaration of Independence signed on July 4, 1776 expressed that equality among men was self-evident as an unalienable right given to these men by their Creator.

Which men? All men? Define “men”. Does that include women? Questions that have been asked and answered, and have provoked new questions along the way, have tested and continue to test the boundaries defined in the Declaration and subsequently in the Constitution of the United States. Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

This week, we are looking and listening to that voice… today’s one minute for Summertime.

Independence means Responsibility

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Armodoxy for Today: Independence Means Responsibility

On this day in 1776, the Thirteen Colonies of the British Empire signed the Declaration of Independence making them the thirteen United States of America. The document has been revered internationally for its eloquence in proclaiming the basic human right of self-determination. Herein is the tie with religion in general and with the Christianity in particular.

“When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another,” begins the Declaration. The document is a masterpiece which talks about self-governance, and consequently, the case for personal responsibility, because there is no one else to blame but yourself for your actions.

A child who is caught doing something wrong, passes the buck onto a friend, a sibling or perhaps even exclaiming, “The devil made me do it.” To believe in predestination means that your actions are predetermined by some higher power. The expression “written in the stars,” is commonly used and in Armenian, the word “jakatagir” is used for “fate” because it literally means “written on your forehead.” There is no escape from this fate, for it is written beforehand! And therefore, what mistakes or evil you do is not your fault. You are not accountable because you had no choice to do otherwise.

Christianity rejects fatalism. You are indeed responsible for your actions. Over and over again Jesus teaches lessons on personal accountability and responsibility. He speaks about forgiveness and repentance because these require the acceptance of responsibility for actions.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident,” continues the Declaration, “That all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed…”

Life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, are identified as gifts from God, and to exploit these gifts is done with the consent of the people.

Today, we celebrate freedom as a gift from God along with a reminder that these ideas were etched in the Declaration of Independence a quarter of a millennium ago and are still being pursued. The celebration of the oldest continuous democracy, the United States, is an opportunity for us contemplate the divine gift of life in all of its ramifications. Take time to read the parables of Jesus. He instructs us to live life, to enjoy the freedom granted to us by God, so that we may enjoy this life in the pursuit of happiness.

Let us pray, Heavenly Father, we thank you for the gift of life and the freedom to choose the direction of our life. Open our eyes to the beauty of life so that we may better appreciate the wonders of freedom that are granted to us. May we be moved to action as directed by our Lord Jesus. Amen.