Tag Archive for: Meditation

Advent 25-50: Meditation

Advent Day 25 of 50: Meditation

Meditation is a vital part of the Christian experience and a practice that is alluded to by Jesus in today’s teaching.

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 Lenten 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: Luna & Gregory Beylerian, 2023

Imponderable 1: Being the First

Next Step #493: Imponderables and the Call of Christ especially as it pertained to the First Called disciple St. Andrew. Courage for the risk taker, a meditation for today. Spirituality without religiosity – what’s missing? The missed opportunity of the heavyweights. Emptiness and filling up. All this and more.
Jazz Iz Christ, Serj Tankian
Spiritual but not religious
St. Andrew icon
Imponderables
St. Andrew for the kids – FMWDH
Advent Bible Study begins
Cover Photo: St. Andrew at Ghazanchetsots Cathedral in Artsakh, 2014 by Fr. Vazken Movsesian
Engineered by Ken Nalik
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for InHisShoes.org
Subscribe to In His Shoes » Next Step with Fr. Vazken by Email
Look for The Next Step on blubrry.com
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The Sound of One Hand

Next Step #404: The Zen koan as the backdrop for this Lenten meditation. Finding the Kingdom within and without as a Jesus-instructed First step. Armodoxy: Understanding faith as a means of living today, alleviating anxiety about future promises. The Multiverse: A universe with different rules.
Prayer in Passing by Anouska Shankar
The Sound of One Hand
AC101 – www.Youtube.com/Armodoxy
St. Peter Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/StPeterArmenianChurch/
Parable of the Judge
koan
Desi Arnaz
Accidental Universe
Cover Photo: Salvation at Sevan (2009) by Fr. Vazken
Engineered by Ken Nalik
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for InHisShoes.org
Subscribe to In His Shoes » Next Step with Fr. Vazken by Email
Look for The Next Step on blubrry.com
Listen via Stitcher Radio on demand! 

Freedom to Weed it Out

Next Step #108 – July 1, 2010

Matthew Chapter 13 gets a special pruning, as the weeds are pulled from the grass. You won’t find a theodicy here, instead, it’s a meditation on true freedom from within. Blasting away the bonds of hatred and animosity. A most fitting reflection on this pre-Independence Day Celebration. It’s all here, even if you only hear “leb” along with a Fathers’ Day wish.  Now? Here’s a theory of why things happen at epostle.net. Drugs in Glendale: http://araratmagazine.org/2010/06/lost-kids-arm-america-1/ 
Music: “About God” by Gor Mkhitarian; Purchase SPIRIT album
Ani’s Bubbles: Ice Cream; (http://scrubsmag.com/author/aniburr/)
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for epostle.net

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