Tag Archive for: Vartavar

The Call

Armodoxy for Today: The Call

Transfiguration of our Lord Jesus Christ, Part 3

At the Transfiguration event, recorded by the three synoptic gospels, (Matthew 17:1–8, Mark 9:2–8, Luke 9:28–36), two figures appear next to the Transfigured Christ. Moses and Elijah are characters from the Old Testament. Within Jewish history Moses is the Law giver and therefore the symbol of the Law, while Elijah was among the major prophets and therefore comes to symbolize the prophetic tradition in this story. They were not contemporaries of Jesus, but had died several centuries earlier. Their appearance in the narrative is accented by the words from Heaven, “This is My beloved Son. Listen to Him!” Between the Laws and the Prophets stands Jesus Christ radiating the Divine Light to the World. “Listen to Him,” is the direction for humanity.

The Patron saint of the Armenian Church, St. Gregory the Illuminator, added one more dimension to this story so that it would appeal to the people of his congregation. After Gregory converted the Armenian King Dirtad and subsequently the nation of Armenia to Christianity, he replaced many of the pagan holidays with Christian holidays. The celebration known Vartavar, dedicated to the pagan goddess Asdghik, was a water festival. The feast of Transfiguration was assigned to this day. The water component was kept as a reminder of our personal rebirth through the font of Baptism. Hence, the Divine Call was broadened to include Asdghik. She and her followers now heard the message: “Listen to Him.”

We all have mottos, teachers, gurus, philosophies, and perhaps even gods and goddesses who point us in directions of spiritual growth. Some may follow these teaching more fervently than others. Others, may pull up a saying from a calendar or a talk show and connect to the message. The Transfiguration story points to the perennial call. Jesus Christ is shinning the Divine Light. It is the Light that is not measured by lumens but by warmth and factors beyond our understanding. In that Light in which darkness is dissipated, and purity abounds. Traditions – whether the Law, the Prophets, philosophies, teachers, and the lot, are all subjected to the One message that Jesus Christ professed: Love! There’s no escape. And so, we are instructed: Listen to Him!

We pray a prayer adapted from the Armenian Divine Liturgy, God of truth and mercy, we thank you, who have exalted our nature, condemned as we were, above that of the blessed patriarchs; for you were called God to them, whereas in compassion you have been pleased to be named Father to us. Make the grace of so new and precious a naming of yourself shine forth and grant us to open our mouths with a cry of bold voice, to call upon you, O heavenly Father. Amen.

Angels Ignored

Roots of Armodoxy: Angels Ignored

The Transfiguration of Jesus Christ is recorded by the evangelists Matthew (17:1–8), Mark (9:2–8), and Luke (9:28–36). This week we’ve been looking at different angels – messengers and how they communicate with us – whether through songs, through children or even through stone. Yesterday we started a two-part series about “Angels Unheard,” today, in part 2, we’ll label the action as messages ignored.

The Transfiguration takes place with Jesus retreating to a Mountain with three of his disciples, Peter, John and James. There, as he prayed, he is transfigured. “…His Face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning.” (Luke 9:29) Two historical figures – Moses and Elijah, the symbols of the law and the prophets – appear “in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus.” A voice from above is heard “This is my beloved Son, listen to him.”

Peter turns to Jesus and says on behalf of his disciple-brothers, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. I will put up three tents, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”

Certainly, under any other circumstance, you’d have to compliment Peter’s initiative and thoughtfulness to look after the comfort of the guests. But today? Jesus is radiating the Divine Light! He’s shining! For this moment of singularity, we humans are given a glimpse of the Eternal Presence, of the Light that Shines in the Darkness, at the Transfigured Christ! And his response? “Let us make three tents for you!” A message was being conveyed but it was ignored, whether intentional or not is secondary to the fact that he was consumed by worldly interests in the face of this most auspicious event moment.

Actually, Peter’s response to this event was not too much different to ours today. Let me go forward and back up a bit. When St. Gregory the Illuminator and King Dirtad converted Armenia to Christianity, they replaced many of the pagan holidays with Christian holidays. The celebration known Vartavar, dedicated to the pagan goddess Asdghik, was a water festival. The feast of Transfiguration was assigned to this day. The water component was kept as a reminder of each personal rebirth through the font of Baptism. A pilgrimage to the site of one’s baptism gave an opportunity for reflect on the joy on Christian life.

There is no doubt that being splashed by water on a hot summer day is refreshing and fun. Today, many churches celebrate Vartavar with splashes and soaks. In fact, the word Transfiguration is often not even mentioned. The official name of the feast in the Armenian Church is Aylakerputiun. Vartavar refers to the pagan holiday, or in word, it is Peter’s tent. It’s missing the point. It’s being blinded by the seeming comforts of this world that we miss the awesome beauty and glory that has been built into the universe since the beginning of time.

These messages are sent to us daily – several times during a day – but, intentionally or not, we lose sight of the beauty. How many flowers and trees did we pass by today on our walk or drive? So many that familiarity has bred contempt and we pass by without standing in awe that each of these are the miracle of seedlings, soil and sun. How often have we ignored a child’s plea for attention, only to chase after some insignificant matter? When have we truly remarked at the miracle of life, of a single heart beating for 20, 40, 80 or 100 years? And to think, every night the stars, the galaxies, the universe comes out on display, and we walk in other directions until the morning light makes them all vanish.

The Transfiguration of Jesus Christ is a reminder of the awesome glory of God that shines, that radiates all around us. The Christ-light is there, waiting for our reaction. We can stand in awe of a sunset or put up sunglasses or pull up an umbrella, or come inside and turn on the light. Christ was Transformed. The law and the prophets had gathered around him. The voice of the Father is heard. Peter and the disciples had a choice on how to react as do we every day.

Let us pray, Lord Jesus Christ, when you transfigured and radiated the Light which came to us from the beginning of Time, you gave us yet another opportunity to connect to eternity. Guide me to search out those glimpses of the Light amidst the darkness that seems to consume my thought and my paths. May your presence guide my life so that I may celebrate the glimpses of beauty and joy in my life. Amen.

Hitting the Mark but Missing the Point

Next Step #632: At Vartavar the story of the Transfiguration is washed up. Put into perspective, there is an opportunity for Peace for the world, but we miss the point and therefore we lose that opportunity. Fr. Vazken takes you on this journey with some challenges along the way. Light: the beginning of the Universe, revealed today.
Tigran Hamasyan – The Call Within
Vardavar (2013)
The Transfiguration narrative
Catholicos Karekin II: Peace and Harmony
Kindergarten – Diocese of Tavush
Armenia/Azeri Fighting today
This week’s WD-168
The Transfiguration – Armenian Christianity Today
Cover: Cut pencil; Pikrepo
Technical Director: Ken Nalik
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for InHisShoes.org
Look for The Next Step on blubrry.com
Listen via Stitcher Radio on demand! 

C^2 at the Transfiguration

Next Step #582: From E=mc^2 to the Divine Liturgy – the Peace of Christ being beyond understanding and words, is matched up against the constant speed of light in a manner only Fr. Vazken can. Here’s a connection of dots – a religious unified field theory – that brings it together; the scriptures of Transfiguration and astrophysics, lending to the discussion of mass/energy equivalence and why did you become a priest, Fr. V? More so, the gross and vulgar expressions of Vartavar in the light of the Light: grab a ticket to Magic Mountain. Laugh tracks and canned laughter – being told what’s funny, what’s not and what’s acceptable (a loaded word but only if from the church!)
“About the Light” Gor Mkhitarian from the Spirit Album
Unified Field Theory
Mass Energy Equivolence
Sasnashen Youth Center
Transfiguration Narrative
NPR on Laugh Tracks (Study Confirms)
Neil Degrasse Tyson Astrophysics for People in a Hurry
Stephen Colbert
Technical Director: 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!

Usurped again: Light & Water

Next Step #477: Definitions for Transfiguration and Vartavar provide the groundwork for a pre-creative experience in faith. Light and water are the elements of these feasts, coming together. Elijah & Moses for sure, but how about Enoch? Only in the Eternal Jerusalem. Other – “Focused Vision” 15 years later. Borrowing from Marketting 101 – Finding the “sale” 24/7, because “Everything must go!”
“Vardavar in the Mountains” by the Tigran Hamasyan
Armenian Genocide & The Problem of Evil by Fr. Vazken Movsesian
Transfiguration in the Bible: Matthew 17:2, Mark 9:2–3, Luke 9:28–36
Cover: Man, Beach, Landscape, Light – Licensed under CC BY 2.0
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!

Vartavar – The Transfiguration Feast

 

Next Step #2

This coming Sunday is referred to as Vartavar; a pagan feast transfigured into a Christian one. So today Fr. Vazken takes the next step to a place called Transfiguration. Jesus’ transfiguration is documented in several of the Gospels including the scene in Matthew 17 where Christ reveals His illumined Divinity. His face shines like the sun and his garments become as white as light. What does all of this mean to us today? How does Pink Floyd figure into this? Do transfigs only grow in California? Tune in to Armenian Orthodoxy. Take the next step!

 

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