Tag Archive for: Love

Beyond Belief: April 24

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Armodoxy for Today: Beyond Belief, April 24, or another way of looking

Meet Father Khoren Hampartzoumian. He was a priest who served the Armenian Church in Sepastia, Western Armenia. During the Armenian Genocide he was mocked and ridiculed for his Christian beliefs by the Turks. He was dragged out onto the church’s courtyard where they placed a dog in his lap and order him to “baptize” the dog as a show of their distain for Christ and the Christian faith that Fr. Khoren proclaimed. When the good priest refused to do so, they killed him in a public execution by flaying him, that is, taking his skin off of his bones.

Fr. Khoren, is one of one-and-a-half martyrs of the Armenian Genocide who the Armenian Church canonized as saints of the Church. On April 24, we remember the saints and ask for their intercession in our prayers. Saint Khoren is one of over 1,200 saints whose martyrdom is recorde by a scribe named Teotig in a book published in 1922 called “Golgatha of the Armenian Clergy.” These barbaric stories are not merely murder, they are expressions of hatred and intolerance to the nth degree, manifesting in the phenomenon called Genocide.

In 2006, I visited a camp in Rwanda set up for widows and orphans. I met with 200 widows who had survived the Rwandan Genocide a decade earlier. When I inquired how they survived I was told they were allowed to live because they were infected with HIV-AIDS, and as such they were vital to the cause of extermination, by infecting others. I understood – and I’m sure now you understand – why Genocide is called a crime against humanity. This is not mere hatred, it’s amplified beyond imagination.

Today, in Artsakh, also referred to as Nagorna Kharabagh – a small areas of Armenia that was taken by force by Azerbaijan, churches and cathedrals – sacred spaces where Christ’s precious body and blood is distributed for redemption – are being destroyed, imploded, torn apart.

These examples, whether Fr. Khoren, the Rwandan widows or the churches in Artsakh I shared with you to accent the extreme extent of hatred and intolerance. These examples are beyond belief. They are manifestations of pure evil – extreme examples of hatred, intolerance, contempt, hostility – amplified and multiplied beyond human reasoning.

The answer to these crimes must equally be beyond human reasoning. The answer has to defy human logic. That’s what Armodoxy is all about, and what we teach. Follow the extreme example of Love and Forgiveness as taught by Jesus Christ.

You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”

That’s right. It’s beyond logic, but it’s our only hope as civilization. Not guns, not politicians or negotiators, but an understanding that we are all children of One God and that God is defined by Love.

From our Lord Jesus Christ,

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

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

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

6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

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

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

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

11 “Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5)

Prelude to the Second Coming, Love

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Armodoxy for Today: Prelude to Second Coming, Love

This final week of the Lenten Season is dedicated to the Second Coming of Christ. As I’ve shared over the last couple of days, the Church talks about preparedness for the Second Coming in terms of living a life based on Christ’s first coming, namely, living in harmony with God and your fellow man. We read that the leaders of the religious community tried to trick Jesus by asking which is the greatest commandment, thinking that he might choose the Do not murder, or perhaps, Do not make false oaths and in return they would argue the merits of another commandment. But Jesus gives them an answer that cannot be disputed: Love God and love neighbor and he seals this commandment by saying, “On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.”

Today we meditate on the simplicity of Christ’s call to love God and our neighbor. If you love God you cannot murder, you cannot lie, you honor your parents, you cannot be apathetic about life. Every commandment hinge on these two essentials.

We hear the reports from war daily. There is a vocabular of war with phrases such as targeting innocent people, friendly fire and war-crimes, in other words, there are certain crimes inside of war confrontations that are criminal, as if war itself is not a crime?  Think of it for a moment, if you love God how can you possibly drop a bomb on another human being? Whether military or the civilian target, aren’t they all innocent? Aren’t they all children of God?

The 17th century French archbishop François Fénelon expressed it eloquently: All wars are civil wars because all men are brothers… Each one owes infinitely more to the human race than to the particular country in which he was born.”

Christ’s path is the higher road to take. In the context of the Second Coming, if fear of a final judgment stops people from hurting and killing one another, then let us promote that day. But let us promote it with the terms by which Jesus promoted it: Love God and love your neighbor! Everything is built on these two commandments. Love is an action that must be demonstrated not with words but with deeds.

Today I leave you to meditate this simple parable offered to us by our Lord Jesus Christ.

A man had two sons; and he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’  And he answered, ‘I will not’; but afterward he repented and went.  And he went to the second and said the same; and he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the harlots believed him; and even when you saw it, you did not afterward repent and believe him. (Matthew 21)

All the Ingredients

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Armodoxy for Today: Make it Complete with the Message

In rounding up the theme of Maturity of Faith this week, we make it complete with the most essential ingredient, namely the Message. In all the messages we have shared this week, Jesus stands in the center. Often, in our zeal to express our love and commitment to Him, we forget the message he preached and the call of that message to move us to action.

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. The largest portion of the Creed is dedicated to Jesus, the Son of God. 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 a proclamation about 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 attended 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.”

Peace without more evil

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Armodoxy for Today: Peace without more evil

In our encounter with Jesus’ commandments, one in particular stands out from the rest, the commandment to not resist evil. We are to 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.

Thanksgiving Daily

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Armodoxy for Today: Advent – Thanksgiving Daily

If the retailers can extend Black Friday to the entirety of the month of November, we certainly can extend Thanksgiving beyond the traditional one-day commemoration to a series of thoughts on the subject.

Thanksgiving is not prayer. Thanksgiving is an acknowledgement of something greater than yourself. As such, it falls into the category of worship. In the Armenian Church, worship takes place seven times a day. From the early morning hours to the moments before restful slumber, there are seven hours of worship. For a people who have known very little peace and prosperity, that have been attacked, raped and murdered, it is extremely unusual that this group of people offer so much thanksgiving. It is unusual, unless viewed under and through the lens of Armodoxy. Thanksgiving, and therefore worship, is not about stroking God’s Ego. The Evangelist John tells us God is love. Accordingly, love has no ego-issue. Love is giving and sacrificing. When we worship and give thanks, we are acknowledging the power of love. The words of the Apostle (I Corinthians 13) come to life, “Love is patient; love is kind,” and we are forced to come to terms with the power of love, as St. Paul writes, “Love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.”

Love is God, God is Love. Thanksgiving is, in fact, about acknowledging God, and therefore acknowledging the power of love.

Let us pray, Bless us with Love, O Merciful God; that we may Love as you Love. That we may show patience, tolerance, kindness, caring and spread love to all. Amen.

 

Forgotten: The Message

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Armodoxy for Today: The Forgotten, part 8 – the Message

The document that professes the faith of the Christian Church, and Christian world is known as the Nicene Creed. It is a set of definitions that establish who is a Christian. It was formulated 1700 years ago, in 325, by representatives from different countries, gathering for the first time since Pentecost as the Universal Christian Church in Nicaea.

The four parts of the Creed explain God, as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and the function of the Holy Church.

The longest portion in the Creed is the one about Jesus Christ – Begotten, not made, of the same substance as the Father, true God of true God…  Actually, the council was called together by the Emperor Constantine to “sort out” the many misconceptions and heresies regarding the person of Jesus.

With all the details about Jesus Christ articulated, there is one crucial point that is forgotten, it is his message! The message of Jesus, as the fulfilment of the law and the prophets, as this revolutionary understanding that we are all children of God, that our only hope in this world is to extend ourselves to one another, that love is the most powerful weapon against hatred and evil. As mentioned, the purpose of the meeting was about the person of Jesus, which the Creed articulates. So, it is not that it was intentionally left out, but today, even a simple, “We believe in the message of faith, hope and love as expressed by Jesus Christ” would have been welcomed by this 21st century observer.

For us today, the understanding of Christ’s message is essential in defining a Christian. What good is it to proclaim Christianity without living the life prescribed by Christ? For this reason his teaching in the Sermon on the Mount is so over-the-top important -that if going to the altar of God, you remember you have a grievance with someone, leave your gift at the altar, go first and make up and then come to the altar. (Matthew 5:24) In very simple terms, more important than God (leaving your gifts) is our relationship with one another.

We pray, Lord Jesus Christ, the way, the truth and the life, you have given us a message of unconditional and uncompromising love. Open my heart so that I understand that that love is the only way, truth and life. Amen.

Family Affair

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Armodoxy for Today: Family Ties

The reading for this Sunday came from the eight chapter of the Gospel of Luke. While Jesus is actively engaged in His ministry, by teaching and sharing profound parables, his mother and brothers come to him, but, Scripture records that they “could not approach Him because of the crowd.” (19) He’s told that his mother and brothers are standing outside and want to see him.

Jesus, changes the conversation, taking the emphasis off of the actual characters of his family, including the Blessed Mother by saying, “My mother and my brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.” (21)

With this statement Jesus has opened the doors to God, the Kingdom and to all of Eternity to everyone. Hearing the word of God and doing it, is a formula that is simple and doable. It implies that the word of God is action. It has to be done. “A new commandment I give to you,” says Jesus, “that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35)

Being a member of Jesus’ family, that is, being a Christian, comes down to doing, loving, sharing, caring, reaching, hugging, consoling, praying, comforting, listening, sacrificing, extending yourself to others.

Accordingly, todays  prayer asks for the essentials to be a member of Christ’s family. Lord, open my soul to the courage and strength to be a member of your family. Amen.

Translating Today

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Armodoxy for Today: Translator

Translating is the first step in understanding. The fact that there is so much misunderstanding in our world today points to an inability (or unwillingness) to translate. The Armenian Church celebrates the “Holy Translators” (Srbots Tarkmanchats), this coming weekend. The men in this group were not contemporaries of one another, that is, they lived in different time periods, separated over a span of 700 years or so, yet they are known as a group, The Holy Translators. Yesterday we looked at the group and found the common thread among them was their ability to communicate by simplifying that which was complicated and complex.

Jesus was the ultimate translator. He came to a world that was wrapped up in laws and regulations which kept people alienated from the essence of Faith, namely from God. He simplified it. With parables about wheat, seeds, soil, and talents, he simplified the most complex ideas of purpose and God-centeredness. He simplified the complicated laws. There are 617 laws in the Old Testament. Moses brought it down to 10 commandments. Jesus, simplified it even further, down to one word: Love. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind,” He answered when questioned which is the greatest commandment.  “And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:37-38)

Consider how simple this is. If you love God and love your neighbor, you can’t murder, you can’t lie, you can’t steal, you are filled with honor for others. Accordingly, it follows then, that the simplification of the law and the prophets was found in the person of Jesus Christ. He is the fulfilment of the law and prophets. He said so distinctly, “I am the way, the truth and the life.” (John 14:6)

The Holy Translators directed people to Christ. It was St. Nersess Shnorhali, the 12th century member of this group, who equated Christ with Love. “The name of Love is Jesus” he wrote in the Aravod Luso hymn. In pointing to Christ, the Holy Translators were pointing to love as the golden key of understanding. That is, through love, the most complex and complicated realities are translated and simplified.

The translators are persons in history, but we have translators in our midst today. Think of a mother, who stands between her husband, children, sometimes parents, sometimes extended family, and somehow translates the differing ideas and tones to bring about harmony. Think of the teacher who spends extra time with a student to assure him or her that there are options after a failed test. Or think of the priest who brings comfort to a family who cannot understand how they will survive the tragic loss of a loved one. These are all people who have accepted the invitation to translate, that is, to understand others. And the invitation is now given to us – you and me. Accept the invitation. Translate the complexity of bitterness, hatred, separatism, and everything else that prevents us from understanding one another, translate them to the simplicity of the message of Christ: love.

Let us pray, “Lord Christ our God, through the intercession of your Holy Translators, Saints Mesrob, Yeghishe, Movses the poet, David the invincible philosopher, Gregory of Narek and Nersess of Kla, I ask that you open my heart to understanding so that I may be in harmony with my surroundings and those with whom I come into contact. May I find joy in the simplicity of your Love commandment and keep that ever before me as I go through this life. In all things I glorify you with the Father and Holy Spirit. Amen.

The Symbol of Productivity

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Armodoxy for Today: Grapes, the Symbol of Productivity

In John chapter 15, Jesus sets up a metaphor, with himself being the vine, his Father the vinedresser and us, the branches. No matter how you twist or turn these three, the message is clear: Life is about productivity. Life is meant to be lived. We are the branches of the metaphor and the only way to be productive – to bear fruit, grapes – is to be connected to the vine.

The Vine, Jesus Christ, is incarnate Love. A productive life is one that is nurtured and the fueled by Love. Only when you are connected to the Vine, to Love, does life have purpose and meaning. A life of love is not selfish. The branch is not preoccupied with self-love and self-preservation. The ego is placed to one side and fruit – robust, juicy, flavorful, aromatically alluring grapes poke through the hard and rough branches to bring joy to those who partake.

Only by being connected to the vine does this happen. A branch cut from the Vine, cut from Love, only stands alone and withers.

Today’s one minute for Summertime.

The Grapes

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Armodoxy for Today: The Grapes

The first fruits of the season, grapes, are blessed on the Feast of the Assumption of the Asdvadzadzin. Last week, we built up to the Feast with reflections on the Blessed Mother, Mary. This week, we meditate on the meaning of the grapes based the Jesus’ words, recorded in John, chapter 15:

I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.  Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit….  

I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.  If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.  By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

Today’s one minute for Summertime.