Tag Archive for: Theophany

Cozy: Mangers in Our Lives

/0 Comments/in ,

Armodoxy for Today: Structure

The Armenian Church has unique readings for every day of the calendar year. These are daily prescriptions for the soul and mind, to be taken with plenty of fresh air and fresh thoughts. The fact that the Nativity stories of Jesus Christ as prescribed after the Theophany, and not before, is enough to tell us that Scripture is not meant as a history lesson, or a chronology, rather it is a means of bringing structure to our lives.

Structures are built upon foundations that are multifaceted. The fresh air blows and you start understanding in new ways that your spiritual side is living, it is evolving, it is being challenged and at the same time it is challenging to you.

Jesus was born in Bethlehem, and Mary, his mother, “Wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” (Luke 2:6) A manger is a feeding trough for animals. It is small enough for an infant baby and secure enough to make for a cozy crib. The fact that mangers are found in barns and stables, makes us believe that the first witnesses to the Birth of Christ were barn animals. These assumptions and deductions are nice ways of developing a story and contributing to a history. These are only one of the foundations found in Christianity, but not enough to sustain the structure of our spiritual life. The structure will crumble on only this foundation.

The fresh air that blows gives us fresh thoughts. For most, January 6 is referred to as “Armenian Christmas” because the Armenians are the only ones who continue to celebrate the Nativity on January 6. A spiritual life cannot be sustained on this alone. As we learned during our meditations throughout the Advent season, the feast of Theophany is an overwhelming, life-changing and life-building event. It is the acknowledgment that the God of the Universe is revealed to humanity. Thus, the foundation for our spiritual life is much deeper and sounder than a birthday celebration.

The understanding of Theophany juxtaposed next to the narrative of “no-vacancy at the inn,” now challenges us to think beyond the historical facts. Where are the mangers located in our lives? Where can God rest comfortably and cozily? Can our lives – our hearts – function as mangers and if so, how do we anticipate God growing with our lives? What kind (manner) of power would we possess? In a personal manger, where God is snuggly and cozily situated can there be room for hatred, intolerance, bigotry or racism? And thus the hear Armodoxy difference, it’s our responsibility to prepare the room, the manger, the heart, so that God can reside within.

Let us pray, O Lord our God, you are the Way, the Truth and the Life. Today, I invite you into the coziest spot in my life, dwell in me as you dwelt in the saints and keep me from temptation so I may be delivered from evil. Amen.

Theophany: God Revealed

/0 Comments/in , ,

Armodoxy for Today: The Theophany – Christ is born and revealed!

We have arrived at the Theophany. Advent has prepared us to accept with clarity and purpose, the great news: Christ is Born and Revealed. More than a “Christmas Celebration” we now understand the great Revelation: “For God so love the world that he gave his only begotten Son…” (John 3:16) Most have learned or memorized this passage by heart. Following Advent, and this Advent Journey, I trust that these words resonate deep in your spiritual consciousness.

It is not by accident that we have not spoken about the virgin birth, the obedience of Joseph, the visit of the Magi or the shepherds’ vigil thus far. No worries, we will. But today we move to the Baptism of Jesus, the starting point of his ministry. The Baptism is recorded by all the evangelists – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John – in their Gospels. In a very real sense, his baptism was the “birth” of him ministry. Reading the account of St. Matthew (chapter 3) we find, “When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’”

At this one moment in history, God is revealed as the Holy Trinity. The Son of God stands in the River Jorden, the Holy Spirit descends on Jesus in a dovelike manner and the voice of God the Father is heard. The Revelation of all three Persons of the Holy Trinity gives definition to the Feast of “Theophany.” Asdvadzahaydnoutiun

In the Armenian Church the Feast of Theophany encompasses all of the events in the life of our Lord Jesus from his Birth to his Baptism. At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, water is blessed to symbolize the Baptism of Jesus. Into the water is poured Holy Miuron, that is chrism or “Holy Oil” which comes from the time of Christ and is preserved and renewed in the Armenian Church every seven years.

Today is a new beginning. It is a new day of celebration. In modern terms, you can think of it as a hard reset, it is like hitting the reset button on your device and coming back to the original form. In this case, were back – reset – life as it was meant to be. Today, the Light shines bright, for the Author of Light is shining in our hearts.

Now that you have arrived at Theophany after this intense period of Advent, I invite you to follow along the daily podcasts, “Armodoxy for Today” where we will explore the intricacies of the Armenian Church and her faith. The OG – original Gospel message as presented by the Armenian Church. If you have missed any of the Advent series, you’ll find the lessons archived on Epostle.net. Moving forward, we’ll learn where the Christmas narratives of shepherds, wisemen and stars fit into our Faith? What is the mystical and magical quality of Holy Miuron? What is the strength of the Holy Divine Liturgy that is repeated every week? Because Armodoxy for Today connects the dots between the ancient and the current, the sacred and the secular, our relationships today with the beauty of God’s Kingdom and His Love and Kindness for each of us.

On this special day, our prayer is the prayer of the Angels, let there be peace on earth and good will toward all. I leave you today with a special hymn, Aysor Hayragan, Today the Voice of the Father, is heard at the River Jordon and in our lives today. It is meditative and I invite you to be swept away by the melody and this celebratory rendition by the Vem Radio Choir.  (Visit the Vem website for broadcasts and information.)

Christ is Born and Revealed! Blessed is the Revelation of Christ.

Before Mangers and Flashing Stars

/0 Comments/in , ,

Armodoxy for Today: Revelation (Eve of Theophany)

It is the eve of Theophany. You might expect a message about a babe in a mangers or a star in the sky flashing, but instead we take a detour on the final day of Advent and grab

Revelation story from the Book of Daniel.

On the Eve of Theophany, in all Armenian churches, this story, referred to as the “Song of the Three” is chanted from Daniel chapter 3 and responded to with a rebellious song against the powers of the world, pledging loyalty to God.

Many stories from the Old Testament feature royalty, and this one doesn’t disappoint. This about King Nebuchadnezzar. As the story is read, he has constructed a huge gold statue celebrating himself and his magnificent prowess. He has sent out an order for everyone in his kingdom to come forward, pay homage and worship before the statue. Should anyone refuse to do so, the penalty was death by means of a fiery furnace. Three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, refuse the order of the King. The orders for punishment are carried out and Shadrah, Meshach and Abed-Nego are thrown into the fiery furnace. They go in singing the praises of God and survive the heat and flames.

Their song, “The Song of the Three,”* says, “O Nebuchadnezzar, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand… But if not, let it be known to you… that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”

Nebuchadnezzar is furious at their contempt and their rebellious attitude. He has the heat turned up seven-fold. The three men continue to sing the praise of God.

The narrator continues to describe the intensity of the heat being so great that the guards who took the men into the furnace were killed in the flames, but Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego went unhurt, and continued to sing the praise of God. The King, looks into the furnace and out of astonishment yells out, “Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? … Look! I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.”

On the Eve of Theophany, the Eve of the Celebration of Jesus Christ being born and revealed, this Scriptural passage is read in all the Armenian churches as a reminder that during our worst moments, when the heat is on and even exceeding normal expectations of survival, our salvation is in God. God is revealed in our midst. He never abandons us. The story of the three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego is retold as a prelude to the greatest story ever told, a prelude to the Birth of the Savior, who stands with us during our most difficult moments and we find a loving and caring Father who never abandons us.

Tonight, we greet one another with the great news: Christ is born and revealed, blessed be the revelation of Christ!

Let us pray, “O Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Son of the Father, on this evening You entered the world. The Word was made flesh. Keep the freshness of this story ever present in my life. Tonight, we finish this preparatory period of Advent, and I am ready to fully engage with You and Your Revelation, tomorrow at the Theophany. May I never turn away from this connection to Life and this Truth. In all things I praise you along with the Father and Holy Spirit. Amen.”

 

*Note: The story of King Nebuchadnezzar and the three men can be found in Daniel 3 and I strongly urge that you read it in its entirety. The Song of the Three is part of the Armenian canon, that is, it is in the Traditional Orthodox and Roman Catholic Bible. Unfortunately, the Protestants (including the Armenian evangelical churches), have removed the Song of the Three from the Holy Scriptures along with several other books, and placed them in a group of books labeled as “Apocrypha (that is, “Hidden”). For the Armenian Church, Holy Scripture cannot be discarded.

Nativity: Part of Theophany

/0 Comments/in , ,

Armodoxy for Today: And Now the Nativity

When we first began to journey through Advent I mentioned that there are three Gospel narratives concerning the birth of Jesus Christ. We are all familiar with St. Matthew’s account of the Nativity, with the virgin birth, to the visit of the Magi. Likewise we know that St. Luke presents the Nativity in the context of the census and with Joseph and Mary finding a birthing area in a barn because there was “no room at the inn.” The angels herald the Good News with the words “Peace on Earth and good will among men.”

The third Nativity story does not read like the other two. It is recorded by the Evangelist St. John in His Gospel. The time referenced is not two thousand years ago, rather it at the beginning of all time. It reads as follows:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”

The final narrative, the one according to St. John, is about the eternal presence of the Christ. The holy words of scripture point to the Eternal One, the Creator and the Source of Light. And now, “The Word became flesh” and “Dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” (14)

We refer to this event as the Theophany, that is, the Revelation of God. In Armenian, the word is descriptive of the event, Asdvadzahaydnutiun. In Jesus Christ, God is revealed to humanity. The Nativity is part of the Theophany. He that was at the beginning, the One that took nothing and created the stars and the sky, the sea and scenery, is now in our midst. Advent has prepared us for this moment and we now understand that no matter how long we prepare, we can never be prepared enough to stand in His presence. It is only by His grace that we can find the expression of awe that lifts up from our inner being.

January 6 is the feast of Theophany, Asdvadzahaydnutiun. It arrives in two days. The 50 days of Advent have been filled with lessons from Holy Scriptures and the teachings of Jesus Christ. We are ready to view the Theophany through the lens of Armodoxy. That means, with awe we await to witness the Nativity from Bethlehem to our homes. We look up to the heavens and see the shining star guiding us to the stable where the Child Jesus is wrapped in swaddling clothe and lays in a manger. And the spot under the star is in our neighborhood, close to home. Armodoxy asks us to understand that the star shines above Artsakh, Ukraine, the Congo, Ecuador, and San Salvador, Moscow, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Darfur, and even under Wall Street, and the seemingly glowing hubs on the world, because most of all, we understand that Jesus Christ is revealed where humanity struggles, whether physically, emotionally or spiritually. The Theophany will be here and we are ready to greet one another with a message of hope, love and faith.

Let us pray, Lord God, on this Holy Day you came into a world in the most lowly of all conditions. You came to share Your Divine message with us. Fill us with the power of the Holy Spirit. Give us strength to marvel at the wonders of this Day and to stand in awe. Give us the perception to see the star of Bethlehem everywhere where you are born to those in need, to us and those who hurt. Amen.

Advent’s Last Stop: Service

/0 Comments/in , ,

Armodoxy for Today: Service, Advent’s Last Stop

We started this journey at the direction of the Church almost 50 days ago. Advent, meaning coming. We have prepared ourselves for the coming of Christ – the Nativity, or in more distinct terms, the Theophany. Preparation has been emotional, spiritual and even physical with the scriptural passages and the exercises prescribed to us by the Church.

The last stop on the Advent Journey is directed by the passage that comes to us from the Gospel of St. Luke and is read during the last Sunday worship before Theophany. It reads as follows:

Now there was also a dispute among [the Disciples], as to which of them should be considered the greatest. And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called ‘benefactors.’ But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves. For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves.” (22:24-28)

This is the “last station stop,” so to speak, before the celebration of the Theophany. Having learned the lessons of the last six weeks, today we move on to service. Jesus tells us, in no uncertain terms, that he comes to us to serve, presenting himself as an example for all of us to do the same: to serve one another. And he articulated this idea of the greatness through service, with his actions at the Last Supper by washing the feet of the disciples (John 13).

This is the last station stop because in order to serve you must first be spiritually and emotionally ready. This means you must be rid of egotism that will restrict or forbid you from serving others. Christian service is selfless, in other words, it demands that the self be put on hold while you tend to the needs of others. Without the training of the last fifty days, service would be extremely difficult because emotionally you were not ready to cast aside selfish pleasures, in service to someone else. Service comes from an empathetic heart. Empathy is the result of understanding the pain of others, or walking in their shoes.

The path of Armodoxy is simple and interconnected to everything, that is, every lesson is connected to every other lesson, to build upon and to give momentum and meaning to Faith. Today you are one step closer to the great news that Christ is in our Midst. Tomorrow, Theophany will be explained.

Let us pray, O Lord, Jesus Christ, you have given us an example of loving and serving. May we be worthy to be called your Living Body, the Church by loving and caring for others. Allow me to see the hurting world and the pain of people, and answer with my ability to serve others. Give me the strength and courage to express my love to all. Amen.

New Year, Discipline and Theophany

/0 Comments/in , ,

Armodoxy for Today: The New Year, Discipline and Theophany

All good things come with discipline. The New Year brings with it a convenient mark on the calendar – a before and after moment, a restart button, so to speak, and discipline seems to somehow be connected to everyone’s resolutions.

Discipline for the Christina includes a regular prayer life, engaging with the Teachings of Jesus, and regular participatory practice in community worship. Christianity engages the body, soul and mind with its teachings and practices.

Toward the discipline of the body, the Church prescribes fasting. We are now in the fasting period for Theophany.

Every major event in the Armenian Church, is preceded by a period of fasting. The practice can take different forms. Whether you fast completely or partially, the matter is between you and God, and no one else. In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) Jesus instructs us to keep our religious practices, including fasting, between ourselves and God.

When you fast you only naturally think of food. Hunger brings pain physically and psychology you experience discomfort because you know that food is only a few steps or minutes and yet you are being deprived of food of your own will. In that discomfort you understand Christ’s words, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4)

The first day of fasting is truly the hardest because your body is acclimating to the hunger. On the second and third days your body begins to understand that there is a change and accepts hunger and focuses on strengthening the spiritual and psychological senses.

Theophany is in sight. It is the revelation of God, the Creator, Jesus Christ on earth, in our midst. Being ready psychologically and emotionally has been the journey of the last several weeks. This last week, with the addition of fasting, we bring these all elements together to meet and greet Christ in his Incarnation.

If you were to see Christ in your midst, that is, with you and your family and friends, what would be your reaction? Would you say, “Merry Christmas?” Would you say, “Christ is in our midst?” or would your reaction be more profound? Would you be shocked and in awe? Finding that perfect expression of joy in meeting the Christ Child in our midst is the focus of this Advent Journey.

Let us pray, Lord Jesus, you were born and revealed, bringing Light into the world. Fill the darkness that surrounds me with the Light that is you. Fill my heart with your Love, so that there is no room for hatred, disease and evil. Strengthen me, allow me to grow in discipline so that I may meet you as disciple of your love. Amen.

Immanuel, Birthing Pains

/0 Comments/in , ,

Armodoxy for Today: Advent – Immanuel, Birthing Pains

Birthing pains are a signal that new life is close at hand. We have been through this Advent season preparing ourselves for the arrival of Christmas and the message of the Christ Child. These last days of the Advent Season are the birthing pains in our spiritual journey. Christmas lies ahead. Jesus Christ, is about to enter into our lives, how do we greet this awesome event? Armodoxy demands that we interact with the Nativity message beyond a nod and a tip of the hat. We are called to celebrate Christmas in a manner that points to the reason of the season.

In Holy Scripture we find three narratives of the Nativity, in the Gospel of Matthew, Luke and John. Only St. Mark, the oldest of all the Gospels omits the Nativity narrative. It is the Evangelist St. Matthew who clearly expresses with the words, “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows,” and with that preface he gives the narrative, “After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.”

The birthing pains in our Advent Journey have now begun. We are at the point of no-return. We hear the message of the Gospel. He who is being born is the Savior. Immanuel, God with us, Creator, He who is without beginning and without end, in His Love for us is coming to be in our midst.

For Joseph, he had to deal with the social norms of the day which might have embarrassed him to take the Mary as his wife. For us, we deal with the social norms of today, which might betray us to the same kind of fear and embarrassment to proclaim an unwavering faith and commitment to the Christ Child that is coming. The message given to Joseph is now our message: Do not be afraid!

The first step to make your dream come true is to wake up, and Joseph did exactly that. He moved to action and named his dream-come-true, Jesus. Like Joseph, today we wake from our sleep and move to action. We proclaim the Child as Jesus and understand that our salvation is tied in with to this moment of singularity, when the virgin conceives, and a Son is born.

It is the birth of Jesus Christ, and we are here to honor him with the greatest gift that we can offer him, our love and commitment to his teachings.

Today we pray an intercessory prayer to St. Mary, the Holy Mother of God. O Asdvadzazin, today you bring to our world our Savior. Along with Joseph, you put fear aside and proclaimed the presence of God in our midst with the birth of Jesus Christ. Pray for us, at this moment that we may stand in awe of God’s infinite Love for us, that we may cast aside doubts and fears, and grow in faith for the blessings we are about to receive. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

Christmas, 12 days begin

/0 Comments/in , ,

Armodoxy for Today: Advent – Merry Christmas!

On this day of our Advent Journey we encounter Christmas. December 25 is widely accepted as the day of Christmas. For us, we will continue in the period of Advent considering our target is January 6, the Theophany. Tragically, no one can say with certainty what is the feast of Christmas today. For some it is the Birthday of Jesus, for others it is a purely secular holiday with holly leaves and beautiful ornaments. Between the religious and the secular celebration there are many different degrees and categories of the festival. Some agree that it is Jesus’ Birthday but it’s not necessarily tied with any religious significance; Jesus was a good man, nothing more. Others define themselves as Christian because on this day they decorate a tree and attend a Christmas service. Indeed, there are many different degrees and categories of the festival. And every one of those expressions can argue on legitimate grounds that they are celebrating Christmas.

We are content to call today, Christmas. In contrast, the name we use to express the holiday is Asdvadzahaydnutiun  which literally means God’s Revelation, or Theophany, explains the position of the Church. It is for the Theophany that we are preparing ourselves on this Advent Journey. The Creator of the Universe and the Author of Life is revealed in our midst! And while we officially recognize the original date – January 6 – as the day to celebrate the Theophany, as Christians we must be ready, willing and able to celebrate the Revelation of God every day, January 6, 7 and 8. February 11, 12 and 13, April 14, 15 and 16 and every day and every opportunity we have to proclaim our joy and thankfulness for the life we enjoy through Jesus Christ.

It is for this reason we are on this Advent Journey, so that when we arrive at January 6, we understand the Essential Teachings of Jesus, and apply them to our life every day we breathe and live.

Merry Christmas, today and tomorrow. Celebrate the Birth, and enter now into the 12 days of Christmas to January 6. Far from pipers pipping, lords a leaping, maidens milking and a partridge in a pear tree, these next 12 days will conclude for you, as promised, on January 6, when you say “Christ is Born and Revealed” the words will have meaning for your life and the world you touch with your love.

A Christmas wish for you and our world…

May the joy of the angels,
the eagerness of the shepherds,
the perseverance of the wise men,
the obedience of Joseph and Mary,
and the peace of the Christ child
be yours this Christmas.
And the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be upon you and remain with you always. Amen.

The Third Nativity of Theophany

/0 Comments/in ,

Armodoxy for Today: The Third Nativity Narrative of Theophany

The third Nativity narrative I spoke of is quite different from the other two we heard yesterday. Without Wise Men and in the absence of the shepherds we read the narrative from the Gospel of John. It is not a story from 2000 years ago, but from the beginning of all time and eternity. It connects us not to Bethlehem, Egypt or Nazareth. Instead it links us to the first seconds of recorded time, where eternity finds definition, where emptiness takes form and light pierces the darkness. In a sense, it is a cosmic revelation because it defies space and time. Shepherds and wise men, we all understand. But this narrative is for those who have heard the essential truths and teachings of Jesus Christ. Here then, we hear the narrative of the Theophany, the Revelation of God:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.

He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ ”

And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him. (John 1:1-18)

 

Singularity of Theophany: The Laws of Convention Break Down

/0 Comments/in ,

Armodoxy for Today: Singularity of the Theophany

Singularity is an expression made popular with the study of Black holes. It is a one-dimensional point where gravity and density become infinite, so powerful that everything is pulled in, and the laws of physics break down.

Theophany is a singular event in human history where the Holy Trinity was Revealed. The laws of convention break down at that point and there is only one force is so intense that it pulls us in. It is the force caused by an immense and powerful love that goes beyond understanding.

The Gospel of Matthew records, Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him.  And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?”

But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him. When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:13-17)

At this one moment Father, Son and Holy Spirit are revealed and in that revelation heaven and earth are united, light and darkness are reflections of each other, and the incomprehensible nature of Love is apparent. Jesus Christ comes to live among us, to bring us the message of hope. It comes from the beginning of time. It is the message that triggered the chain reaction of evolution.

This then is the celebration of Theophany: Christ is born and revealed. Christos dzunav yev haydnetsav.

St. Nersess Shnorhali, the great theologian and head of the Armenian Church, gave us the primer with which to understand that the Name of Love is Jesus.

In Jesus we see the perfection of the Father and are called to strive for that perfection. He gives us the example to love without limits, to sacrifice, care, share, offer kindness in response to hatred, to forgive not only 7 times but 7 times 77 times, to put human understanding – understanding one another, before everything else, tolerating difference, seeing the face of God in everyone we meet, not judging, having compassion for the hurting and poor and realize that poverty and hurt are in all of us.

You have arrived at the Theophany. All laws break down and the only one left is Love. which is the light of the world, the Way, the Truth and the Life, the only way to the Father, the Bread of Life, the Living Water, you will never hunger and you will never thirst. Love, never dies. Love is with us to the end of the ages.

In awe, with open heart and in love we proclaim, Christ is Born and Revealed! Blessed be the Revelation of Jesus Christ!

Cover Graphic: The Baptism of Christ, 18th century, St. Garabed Armenian Church, Kayseri