Tag Archive for: Responsibility

Twinkies and Devil Food Cakes – Day 39 of Lent

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Armodoxy for Today: The Devil and Twinkies – Day 39 of 40

Remember getting in trouble as a kid? No matter who it was who caught you, whether it was your parents, uncle, aunt or teacher, it was easy to pass the buck when you’re young enough to plead ignorance. I didn’t know it was wrong… My friend made me do it… My brother put me up to it…. Everyone else is doing it… are all excuses that parents have heard ad nauseum. And then there was the big scapegoat: the Devil. “The Devil made me do it!”

Scapegoating is as old as the hills. In the Genesis creations story, when God asks the man about his disobedience, the man blames the woman who then blames the serpent. But there’s no need to go back that far in time to hear a good one, take the 1979 trial of Dan White who assassinated San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk. At his trial, defense argued that White suffered diminished capacity because of his depression, attributed to a change in his diet from healthy food to Twinkies. The exact details of the defense can be studied on line, but improbable legal defenses now carry the label, “Twinkie Defense.”

Yesterday we heard St. Paul’s words, “…When I became a man, I put away childish things.” (I Corinthians 13) The Lenten experience brings us to a maturity of faith. Taking our relationship with God seriously means accepting responsibility for our actions. We have arrived knowing that we can try our best and if we fall short, God’s love gives us an opportunity for forgiveness. As we learned, we are forgiven our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, hence, the responsibility is placed squarely on our shoulders. We must forgive, to be forgiven.

Armodoxy points to the path of personal responsibility. By understanding our responsibility for our actions, our actions become more fine-tuned to promote peace and harmony. The words of Christ are now spoken to us directly and our line of communications with God are open. We understand that empathy and compassion are key to living the Christian life. By living the Lenten exercises of a charity, fasting and prayer, new opportunities are open to us. The end of Lent signals a continuation and a beginning.

Your act of charity today is to pray for those around you. Fast from anything that distracts you from the clarity you are coming into. Enjoy tropical sweet potatoes, the featured recipe in the link below.

We pray what is known as the Serenity Prayer authored by Reinhold Niebuhr,

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.

Lenten Recipes by Deacon Varoujan: Recipe 39: Tropical Sweet Potatoes

 

Pearl & Swine

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Armodoxy for Today: The Advent Series – Swine & Pearls

Immediately following his exhortation to not judge others, Jesus seems to be giving us the responsibility to make some judgement calls regarding possessions.

“Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.” (Matthew 7:6)

With this violent metaphor, Jesus asks us to honor the intrinsic value of our treasures. He is asking us to contemplate what is valuable in our life and in so doing, to designate those things as sacred, special, and holy. Far from a judgement call, Jesus is asking us to look inward to find those treasures.

Earlier Jesus said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21) Apply the rule of symmetry and where your heart is, there you will find your treasure. Taking an inventory of those treasures will give you a list with health, relationships, love, time, compassion claiming the top spots. It is your heart manifesting this list. Let this list fill your journal with the goodness that God has bestowed upon you. Don’t rush through this process, for you will find treasures where you did not expect.

With this short statement, “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine,” Jesus mandates that we take the sacred seriously, to keep it holy. Care and protect those treasures from enemies visible and invisible. As you visualize a treasure such a health and counter it with the enemies that attack it, you understand that once again Jesus has invited you to take on personal responsibility.

We are growing spiritually during this Advent journey. Let us pray, Christ, protector of the faithful, protect me under the shadow of your holy and precious Cross in peace. Deliver me from enemies visible and invisible so that I may always glorify you with the Father and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Cover: Aghtamar, Fr. Vazken 2014

Lest ye be judged

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Armodoxy for Today: The Advent Series – Lest ye be judged…

Our study of the Essential Teachings of Jesus continues with his exhortation on judgement (Matthew 7:1-5).

“Judge not, that you be not judged,” says Jesus. “For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.”

As we have seen throughout his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus pushes us to personal responsibility. In other words, our actions today, in the here and now, are the measure by which our Faith is defined. Judgement is fair if you are willing to be judged by the same standard. By putting it in these terms Jesus is giving us an opportunity to evaluate our lives, our work, and our actions.

In the process of self-evaluation, you are invited to look honestly at your motives and intention. If done sincerely you understand that you are part of the human condition, that is, you have faults, you are not perfect, and hence, you sin.

The word sin, in both Hebrew and Greek, is an archery term which means, “Missing the mark.” You aim for the bull’s eye, the mark – perfection. Every time you miss the mark you are sinning. Sin in itself is merely a part of the human condition. Only Jesus is sinless and therefore, only Jesus has the right to judge others because if he is judged by the same standard by which he judges, he is perfect.

And so, Jesus continues, “And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

Not judging others is one of the cornerstones of Jesus’ teachings. He brings this exaggerated example to drive the point home. With a plank in your own eye, it is impossible to see the speck in another’s eye.  With this example he challenges us to look for, find and remove the planks – the imperfections – from our own life before looking or commenting on another’s life.

We pray today from the 22nd hour of St. Nersess Shnorhali’s Confession of Faith, Righteous Judge, when You come into the glory of the Father to judge the living and the dead, enter not into judgment with Your servant, but deliver me from the eternal fire, and make me worthy to hear the blissful call of the just to Your heavenly Kingdom. Amen.

 

Conditions (or not) of Forgiveness

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The Forgiveness Imperative

In the “Our Father” there are very few requests we have of God. We ask for our daily bread, forgiveness of our sins, to be spared from temptation and ultimately from evil. It’s a short list with huge demands. Of these, the forgiveness of sin stands out from all others because it is the only request that is conditional. As Jesus teaches the prayer, the words he uses are “Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.”

Our debts, or sins, are forgiven by the same standard upon which we forgive the debts, or sins, of others! In fact, this is such an important aspect of the Our Father prayer, that Jesus reinforces it with a statement following the prayer in verses 6:14-15: “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

Our sins are forgiven as we forgive others their sins. Forgive a person only half of their debt, be certain that God will forgive only half of your debts, or sins.

More important than figuring out percentages of sins and fractions of forgiveness, Jesus is asking us to take responsibility for harmony in the world.

The greatest obstacle to living a good, meaningful and fulfilling life is our sin. In the Church we define seven “deadly” sins: Pride, Anger, Envy, Greed, Lust, Gluttony and Sloth. Today, take a moment to identify the reasons and obstacles to living a godly, good life. You’ll find that one or several of these noted sins are at the root of your difficulties. You have it within you to be forgiven of your sins. The condition is singular, forgive others. In other words, Jesus asks us to live in harmony with everyone.

There is no one who does not sin. Only Jesus is sinless. As such, only Jesus has the right to judge others, but he chooses not to. Now the turn is ours. Forgive.

Let us pray,
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Responding to Fatherhood

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Armodoxy for Today: Responding to Fatherhood

Father’s Day gives us an opportunity to thank and honor our fathers. Fathers, just as mothers, are no longer confined to a gender. We all know mothers who, because of life circumstances, have had to be both mother and father to their children, just as we know fathers who, because of life circumstances, have had to be both father and mother to their children. Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are about the responsibility that goes with parenting.

The family unit has gone through many changes over the last century. A quick glance at television programming will remind us of just how much the image of the family has changed from Father Knows Best in the 50s, to Married with Children in the 90’s, to programs we’d be better off not remembering today. Like it or not, these are the images that came across our TV screens and have their impact on patterns of thought. They come into our living rooms and our homes, sometimes subtly, but most of the times as a reminder of where our society is at this point in time.

I’m not calling for a step back in time. But I am calling upon the teachings of the Church as articulated by our Lord Jesus Christ. He showed us a life of simplicity and personal responsibility. And pay attention to the order: a simpler life means much greater ability to take responsibility.

We fall into the materialism trap. We defend our actions by saying that we are working hard so that our children can enjoy the things we never had. We provide for our children but often don’t realize that the cost of providing is not measured in dollars. We lose sight of the goal of life. Responsibility to children means securing them with love, compassion and belonging.

Once, during a class with Junior High students, I asked them who their favorite hero was, expecting to hear the names Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Black Panther or Spiderman. Would you believe that the fantasy heroes did not even surface on their lists. Their heroes? Their parents!

On Father’s Day and Mother’s Day, I ask fathers and mothers to own up to the responsibilities entrusted to you as parents. Your children need you. Your children will mimic and become the person you teach them to be.  Working so that they may have more money and things are not the gifts your children need. Your children need your time. Your children need your love. Your children need your support.

We conclude today with a passage where Jesus talks about his parents and family. From the Gospel of Matthew (12): While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him. Then one said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You.”  But He answered and said to the one who told Him, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?”  And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”

Opium

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Armodoxy for Today: Opium

The words of Karl Marx are often quoted by people trying to discredit religion. “Religion is the opium of the masses (or people),” wrote Marx.

The first time I read this statement, I was a student in college, and, honestly, I was not offended. I was somewhat sympathetic to what Marx was saying because so many people lean upon religion to deal with their pain and suffering. But I also saw the power of a turn-to-God in the life of people. The opium is not in religion, as much as the false security that is granted by religion.

We each have different tolerance levels for pain. For some that pain can be alleviated by a couple of aspirin, Tylenol or Motrin, as their preference may be. These are temporary fixes, as the instruction label tells you on the pill bottles that if the pain persists beyond a time limit of (usually) two weeks, then consult with a physician. Of course, greater pain levels require more potent solutions and under the care of a physician, we have laws and rules as a society that allow for those drugs. Again, these are temporary fixes. Opium adds another dimension to pain relief in that it is habit-forming. Drug dependency no longer recognizes the drug for its medicinal value.

I believe this is why I was not upset or offended by Marx’s statement. In context, his entire statement reads, “Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people.” There are people who become religion-dependent and the religion is no long recognized for its redeeming value.

Our journey through Armodoxy these few last weeks has taken us through a maze of mystery and supernatural phenomena, to making and understanding that within us, the supernatural can become natural and normal. Religion should not discount personal responsibility. Just the opposite, by demanding personal accountability for actions, it empowers the individual to take control of his/her life. The original gospel, that is the good news, was heralded at the Nativity and Revelation of Jesus Christ: Peace on Earth, Goodwill among all people. Pure and simple. Everything beyond this earthly life is in the domain of the Divine. The goal of religion, and most especially Christianity, is to make this life – the one we have been graced and gifted with – a better place, by teaching us to love, respect and forgive one another. This is why we pray, “Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” We pray that God give us the strength, patience and tools in this world. When religion loses its focus and pushes us to be consumed with end times, and qualifications for entering the afterlife, then it has lost its main direction, just as a drug which loses its function and becomes the substance of addiction.

The second time I came across Marx’s statement about religion was when I was a student in the seminary at Holy Etchmiadzin. The country of Armenia was occupied by communists and Marx, Engels, and Lenin were quoted on billboards and posterboards throughout the country. The communists tried to dissuade the Armenians from their religion. To the degree they succeeded, it was not on philosophical grounds, rather it was because of the number of churches they closed, their anti-church propaganda and the destruction of the priesthood.

Today, the words of Marx seem to be echoed beyond communists in various fields and environments. We spoke earlier about the prejudice, the pre-judgement of people toward Christianity. And so it is important to study and learn the early understanding of Christ’s message. This is Armenian Orthodoxy connected to today, or what we call Armodoxy. The more we learn about the ancient traditions as expressed through the Armenian Church, the easier we can debunk myths and understand Christianity not as an opium, but as salvific, a means of surviving and living in the world God has given us.

Let us pray, Psalm 27, The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple.

Cover photo: EnvatoElements

Location

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Armodoxy for Today: Location

Every good real estate agent can tell you that the number one rule in real estate is location, location, location. Repeating it three times emphasizes its importance. Identical homes can increase or decrease in value due to their location. So choose location wisely when purchasing.

The same rule holds true in life with the exception that in life only one of the three locations is chosen by us, the client, while the other two are more of chance landings. We are all born into this world – into this life – without our consent. We have no choice as to when or where we are born. On the other end, we may feel we have more to say about our death, but often it takes place without our consent. The only location that we have control over is the third one, which is the life spent between birth and death.

This three location reality is best understood by glancing at a gravestones. Most of them have three symbols etched on them. The first is the person’s date of birth. We have no control over when or where we are born. The second location is the date of death. The third symbol is the dash that separates the date of birth from the date of death. That dash represents our lives and is the only section of life that is mostly in our control. Some dashes are short others are long, but the real quality of the dash is its thickness.

Life and how we live it is up to us. It is the dash – the life we live – that has meaning

Once a young seminarian in a monastery, in a display of youthful pride, decided to play a trick on the one of the oldest and wisest monks. He held a butterfly in his hand and brought his fingers together to cover the small insect. He asked the monk if the butterfly was dead or alive? He thought to himself, if the elderly man answers alive, I will crush the butterfly and prove him wrong. If he answers dead, I will open my fist and the butterfly will fly out. Either way the monk will be wrong and humiliated because the young student had shown him wrong.

Approaching the monk, the young man held the captive butterfly in his fist behind his back. “Old man, tell me, is the butterfly I am holding, dead or alive?” The old monk, not to be tricked replied, “The answer is in your hand.”

Maturity of Faith, which is the theme of this week, requires us to take responsibility for our lives, to recognize that God has entrusted us with our lives and it’s up to us to be part of the answer to, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done.” We are the ones who fatten the dash – the life between our birth and life – and we take the responsibility on whether the butterfly flies or is crushed.

Let us pray, Lord help me to understand your love through the trust you have put into our humble efforts.  tremendous trust you have in me and in humanity. Give me the strength to stand responsibly before you as I follow your commandments and do that which is pleasing in your sight. Amen.

Spiritual Coaster

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Next Step #760: Solutions: Write a letter? Or move mountains? Take your pick of the solution and the means. Time to get a life and take on responsibility for life. Opting for spiritual power and choice at the end of the year. Archbishop Vatché Hovsepian, laid to rest: the funeral and burial.
Leveraging Love
The Parable of Archbishop Vatche – Next Step #759
Ian Anderson: A Week of Moments www.jethrotull.com
Cover Roller Coaster: Envato Elements
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for Epostle.net
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Downshifting

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Next Step #673: Post Genocide-recognition- downshifting to use lower gears to go faster. Fr. Vazken talks about the importance of the genocide tag and some of the dangers of the designation. Comfort directed: Christian responsibility in the face of evil. Politics and the license to play with history. Philosophy, reason, God. First look at an old book: Tolstoy’s “My Religion”. Calculations for today: 4weekETB
In His Shoes Mission Statement 
Congressman Adam Schiff reads Pres. Biden’s Letter re: Genocide
Armenian Film Foundation
“Survivors” by Don and Lorna Miller
Deitrich Bonhoeffer
Genocide Commemorative Concert
Leo Tolstoy, “My Religion”
“We will not be erased”
WD168 – this week: Post Genocide-Recognition
Ara Topouzian Stringed Tranquility
Cover photo: San Francisco Street downshifting
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for InHisShoes.org
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Gender Revealing Revelation

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Next Step #640: With the backdrop of the California wildfires and apocalyptic forecasts, Fr. Vazken gives a 2020 interpretation to the reality with a wake-up call to responsibility. Hear what the mysterious “Spyglass Lady” had to say to us today. A gender-revealing party ignites a fire and the questions that reveals so much more, including the seedless watermelon conundrum. The Feast of the Holy Cross: Finding the “Rays” of light and hope.
Zulal: Shogher Jan
Video: Beirut, You’re not alone
Middle East Council of Churches
Gender Reveal Party 
Exaltation of the Cross
Acts 2:22
Spyglass from Thoreau Museum
Cover: Blotting out the Sun, 2020 Fr. Vazken
Engineered by Ken Nalik
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for InHisShoes.org
Look for The Next Step on blubrry.com
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