Tag Archive for: Prayer

Prayer, without Permission (Judge)

/0 Comments/in ,

Armodoxy for Today: Prayer, without Permission

We continue today with a deeper dive into the Parable of the Unrighteous Judge, a story offered by Jesus and recorded in the 18th chapter of the Gospel of Luke.

Today we look at a phrase in the Lord’s Prayer – the “Our Father” – where Jesus teaches us to prayer, “Thy Will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” When we say these words, it is not an affirmation that God’s Will can be done on earth as it is in heaven. As such the phrase might give the impression that we are giving permission to God: Let Your will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven! Go ahead God, You can do it!

God does not need our permission, rather he waits for our participation. In other words we need to accept the invitation to make His Will come to fruition here in this world.

Jesus’ parables and his message are packed with invitations for us to move to action. God’s Will has been clearly announced at the Birth of Christ: Peace on Earth and Goodwill toward men. (Luke 2:14) That is His Will in Heaven. That is the basis of the harmony that we understand in Heaven. Now the challenge is ours, to be the agents – the hands, the feet, the mouth, the embrace, the desire – to usher in His Will on here on earth.

Don’t read more into it. His Will is not death and destruction of the planet. It’s not the killing of one ethnic group over another. He is Our Father. We are all His Children. Peace and harmony is what He announced at the Birth of His Son and it is that mission for which we – His children – must strive.

Once again, on this third day of the deep dive, we find the Parable of the Unrighteous Judge teaches us to accept the invitation to participate in with God in the beauty of Life.

We pray, Lord, open my heart to accept Your Call to be an ambassador of your Love and Peace. Give me the strength and courage to accept this invitation and to act upon it. Amen.

Directional Prayer (Judge)

/0 Comments/in ,

Armodoxy for Today: Directional Prayer

The Parable of the Unrighteous Judge is the theme of this week of Great Lent. The parable is recorded in the 18th chapter of the Gospel of Luke. Yesterday, we heard the story of a judge who is neither afraid of God nor ashamed of men. He is continuously hounded by a widow who begs him to see her case. He finally breaks down, reasoning that she will wear him out unless he see her case.

The parable might leave some with the impression Jesus is explaining how God answers prayers – that if we are persistent, we can wear-down God to give us what we desire. Perhaps it is for that reason that the evangelist St. Luke, writes a few words of explanation as a preface to the parable. He says, “Jesus told His disciples this parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” St. Luke’s preface suggests that during his time – during the first century –  as is the case today, there was and is a misconception about the nature of prayer.

When Jesus teaches us the “Lord’s Prayer” he warns, “Do not heap up extra words. Your heavenly Father already knows what you need. Therefore when you pray, pray like this. Our Father, which art in heaven … ” Let’s think about that for a moment. If our Heavenly Father knows what we need, why then should we pray? This question betrays the fact that we have a misunderstanding about prayer.

Prayer is not merely a conversation with God. We pray because we need a conversation with ourselves. God already knows the desires of our heart. He knows our needs and as a loving father, wants the best for us. The real question is, do we know our needs? It may sound strange, but unless you have a true focus on your life, it is questionable whether or not you know what your needs are.

Do you suppose God doesn’t know that you are feeling lonely? Yet, only you can extend yourself to another for companionship. Pray then for courage, for the ability to forgive your past. Do you suppose God doesn’t know that your friend is struggling with an illness that can consume her life? Yet, you have the feet to enter you into her room, and the arms to embrace her during her time of trouble. Pray then, for strength, for the ability to resist comments, and only listen. Do you suppose that God doesn’t know that the world is in despair and on the brink of war? Yet, only people, you and I, have it within them to lay down their arms. Pray then for the spirit of peace, inside you and to be the instrument of that peace where you go.

Pray to God, but direct that prayer to God who resides in you as well as in Heaven. This is yet another lesson from the Unrighteous Judge.

We will continue with a deeper look at the nature of prayer tomorrow. Today we pray, Here my prayer O Lord, and open my spirit to your mercy and love. Amen.

Forgotten: Prayer from Prison

/0 Comments/in ,

Armodoxy for Today: The Forgotten, part 6 – Prayer from Prison

Jesus reached out to the forgotten. I’ve shared with you some stories over the past several days of people and groups of people who are forgotten. I’ve looked in. Today, I wish to look out from their world.
I shared with you only briefly the plight of Silva, a woman who was abused, mentally, emotionally and physically for 25 years, and now sitting in prison, where she has been for 18 years.
Today’s message comes to us by way of a prayer, a prayer which she has offered up to God, and shares with us.

She calls it, Tormenting Times.

Lord give me patience to
Process my unfortunate circumstances
Help me heal from all the hurt and betrayal
My faith in You has always been strong
Give me the courage to go on
I shall take your commandments seriously
My beliefs are being tested
I can’t stop my tears from flowing
Embattled with sleeplessness
Thankful for the numerous embraces
I am now known as the desolate one
Tormented with sadness
Let my disrupted emotions subside
Allow my enclave to become my sanctuary
My despair has made me hopeless
Lift me up with inspiration
Relieve my sanity
Help me be at peace again.

Amen.

Prayer basics

/0 Comments/in ,

Daily Message – Prayer

We hear it all the time: I’ll pray for you. You’re in my prayers. Keep me in your prayers. Pray for better days. Pray for good health. Pray for safety from enemies.

Before teaching his disciples how to pray, Jesus took a moment to teach them how not to pray. He said, “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.”

Most of our ideas about prayer are compiled from different ideas we’ve heard throughout our lifetime, primarily along the lines that prayer is a conversation with God where we present Him with a list of our needs. In turn, we expect God to answer our prayers with a yes, no or maybe.

Clearly, Jesus tells us, that’s not what prayer is, since our “Father knows the things you need before you ask Him.”

If prayer is a conversation with God and not a monologue, nor a soliloquy, but a conversation, it is implied that talking and listening are involved. You see, God knows our needs, but perhaps we may not know our needs. Listening, as part of a conversation, allows to hear our request, to focus on them and find the solutions that are within our grasp.

For this reason, Jesus instructs us with a prayer that asks of God and demands that we listen.

From Matthew chapter 6, Jesus says, “Pray then like this, “Our Father who is in heaven, may Your Name be holy, may Your Kingdom come, may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory for ever and ever. Amen

Spontaneously Speaking from the Heart

/0 Comments/in ,

Guest Editorial: Gail Cheleblian

“From the depths of my heart, this conversation with God…” starts St. Gregory of Narek’s (Narekatsi) prayers. A millennium has passed since the time of the great mystic and theologian. In this short reflection, Gail Cheleblian shares some observations that land her in a familiar place. She is the Superintendent of the St. James (Los Angeles) Sunday School and wrote this piece for their parish newsletter, “Oshagan” (September 14, 2025)

St. James Weekly Oshagan Newsletter

Lions and Tigers and Prayers, Oh My!

On September 7th, we kicked off the 2025-26 Sunday school year here at St. James. I’ve been serving as superintendent for a long time, and I have to say that it was truly one of the best first days ever! So many smiles, hugs, and excitement to be together again. Our theme this year is the Power of Prayer and mine were certainly answered last Sunday.

The importance of prayer goes without saying, and if you are reading this article then you likely feel the same way. Prayer to a Christian is like water to a fish – we can’t live without it! So we will spend our time in our classrooms devoted to discussing the who, what, where, when, how, and why of praying. So much to do and so little time, but we have already gotten straight to work.

During our morning assembly the students and I made a circle and each of us took turns sharing what we pray for . . . out loud. YES – out loud! Now, I have prayed my entire life, but I found this activity to be very unnatural for me. My prayers have always been private, kept to myself, unspoken, between me and God, so my uncomfortableness was a real, “a-ha” moment for me, and I designed the activity! There have been many occasions when I have listened to another person speak spontaneously and lead a prayer, but the only prayers I have said aloud are ones that I have memorized. Those feel “safe” to me, and maybe speaking from the heart would leave me too exposed. I’m really not sure, but I started to question my ability to pray.

Because of this, I knew I had to make prayer a focus with our Sunday school children. Like them, I grew up in the Armenian Church, attending Sunday school. But unlike me, these students will have this safe place to practice and share spontaneously prayer. There are many prayers that are meant to be recited from memory, Hayr Mer, for example. But I learned from a spiritual mentor that this type of spontaneous prayer actually has a name: “Eenk-na-pookh,” or simply speaking from the heart, out loud. Oftentimes the best rewards come from pushing through a bit of discomfort, so I am committed to be along the “eenk-na-pookh” journey with the children and I pray that with practice, we will all master the activity.

Once again, my faith was strengthened from a lesson being shared with the students – another prayer answered. St. James is a magical place where we are never too young or too old to strengthen our faith. There is always an opportunity to grow and learn, just like at home.

In the Wizard of Oz, Dorothy learns that to find her way home, she only has to click her ruby red slippers together and say 3 times, “There’s no place like home.” As Christians, we should always remember that this church is God’s home, and all prayer is welcomed here! Feeling lost? Simply fold your hands, (crossing your right thumb over your left*), and say aloud, “There’s no place like St. James, there’s no place like St. James, there’s no place like St. James!”

Faithfully, Gail Chelebian Superintendent

*Crossing thumbs when praying, specifically with the right thumb over the left in a cross shape, is a traditional Christian gesture, symbolizing loyalty to God and the cross of Christ.

Post Script: During Epostle’s weekly Bible Study, individual/personal prayer by the members is encouraged. An archive of those prayers can be read at the “Prayers from Questions” blog. 

 

Back to School

/0 Comments/in ,

Armodoxy for Today: Back to School

As Summer winds down, school doors are opening to welcome new classes of students and hopefully, future graduates.

Today, a wide variety of learning takes place in the classroom. Along with the teacher, professor or nurse maid who stands at the head of the class, a large assortment of human and mechanical devices from monitors to cellphones, to AI chatbots are vying for the attention of students. Several schools are restricting use of cell phones during school hours, citing their presence is disruptive to the learning environment, not only because of the temptation to play games but also they are open invitations to interact with other students and people in different parts of the country or world. All this takes away from class time. And for those without the devices, there are several intimidating factors that begin to surface and hinder a rounded education.

There are also people on campuses who use unscrupulous means to appeal to the students, so that the traditional “Three-R’s” – Reading, Writing and Arithmetic – are supplemented much more.

As a priest, I am often asked what my thoughts are on prayer in school. It is a topic that comes up rather routinely in different discussions about education. For the record, I’m against organized prayer in school. Teach your children to pray at home. I certainly don’t want someone who has archaic or bizarre ideas about the nature of human existence, to be leading a prayer to a deity that represents values opposed to my own. Rather than placing the responsibility of religious education, have discussions, open ones, with students at home, take them to church, have them involved in communities and allow children to focus on the 3-R’s in the school.

Tomorrow, we will focus on a unique practice of learning that comes from the Armenian Church, that has been practiced and can serve as a model for us in a world of complexity.

Today, we pray, Lord our God, protect and nurture our children. Give them grace and peace of mind so they may focus learning the essentials to maneuver through life and give me – my children’s first teacher – the guidance to share Your Love, Your Light, and their gifts with others. Amen.

Shortest Prayer

/0 Comments/in , , ,

Armodoxy for Today: The Shortest Prayer

The simplest prayer is one offered by the Armenian Church. You cannot attend an Armenian Church service without hearing the phrase, Der Voghormia multiple times, which means, “Lord have mercy.” It is the first and foremost prayer for Christians and non Christians. It is a prayer offered humbly and in humility. In saying those words, “Lord have mercy,” there is a denial of self – of ego. Focusing on God’s mercy becomes a model for us to exercise mercy.

A few centuries, while Armenians were being attacked, and even slaughtered by their oppressor, the Armenian Church added a hymn to its sacred Liturgy, named Der Voghormya. Lord have mercy, simple words that lose the self and connect to the Higher Realm. There was a reason why they add this hymn, a reason we find when we repeat those words, Lord have mercy.

Today’s one minute for Summertime.

Butterflies and Mustard Seeds

/0 Comments/in , , ,

Armodoxy for Today: Butterflies and Mustard Seeds

While Christianity is a religion of action, sometimes it may seem impossible to make an impact, large or small, with our words, deeds and prayers. Disease, cancer and wars are overwhelmingly scary and a single person’s prayer or contribution seems insignificant in bringing relief to the chaos that they create.

Meteorologist Edward Lorenz coined the term, “Butterfly effect” which illustrates how a seemingly insignificant event – like a butterfly flapping its wings – could theoretically influence large scale phenomena, such as the formation of a tornado weeks later. The butterfly effect serves as a powerful reminder that a gentle, almost imperceptible gesture can alter the course of much larger events.

Never get discouraged by the size of the problem. Appreciate the hidden significance of words, choices and deeds. Nothing is ever truly inconsequential. Keep in mind Jesus’ challenge, “If you have faith as a mustard seed – [the smallest of all seeds] – you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20

Today’s one minute for Summertime.

Daily Bread – 6of10

/0 Comments/in , , , ,

Armodoxy for Today: 10x One Minutes on the Lord’s Prayer, Part 6- Give us our Daily Bread

Since we began this series six days ago,  for the first time we hear, what we may refer to as a shopping list item. appears now: Give us this day our daily bread. It is the only tangible requested item in the entire prayer. Equally important as bread is the framework in which it is presented – it is for this this day, and it is a daily need.

In fact, this one statement draws our attention and focus to what is truly needed and necessary in our life, as Jesus teaches, Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?  … For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.  But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. (Matthew 32-33)

As the prayer moves forward, we understand that the entire cosmos is held together by the Will of God, and we have a unique and necessary place within that world.

Today’s one minute for Summertime.

Thy Will on Earth -5of10

/0 Comments/in , , , ,

Armodoxy for Today: 10x One Minutes on the Lord’s Prayer, Part 5- Your Will in Heaven and on Earth

Prayer often takes the form of a shopping list. In our conversation with God we present Him with a list of items we want, such as good health and peaceful days. But, as we heard early, in presenting the “Lord’s Prayer” Jesus informs us that our Heavenly Father already knows our needs before we ask him.

When we ask, May Your Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven, we are acknowledging and submitting to God’s will. We have our wants and desires, in a word, we have our will, but herein we are relinquishing our will in favor of God’s Will. We submit to the power of God, who makes His sun shine on the good and the bad. (Matthew 5:45) And in so doing, we leave our selfish desires to one side and focus making His Kingdom come.

This is the fifth of 10, one minute for Summertime.