Tag Archive for: wonders

Advent Prep Time

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Armodoxy for Today: Advent Preparation

Preparation is important to the success of any life event. From something as common as your next meal, to milestones such as graduating school, preparation is fundamental to the success and enjoyment of that event. Likewise for events we commemorate in the life of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Church offers us times for preparation so that we can come to better appreciate, and thereby enjoy, the message of the Gospel in our lives.

Christmas comes and goes as an event of the Winter. Noting the commercialization or the secularization of the Christmas holiday is only tied to our lack of being prepared for the Mystery we proclaim on Christmas: Christ is born and revealed.

The Church has given a period of times, called “Advent” which means “Coming.” In the Armenian Church this period is called hisnag designating a 50-day period before Christmas. Prior to Easter we count off 50 days as well (he 40 days of Lent along with the Day of Good Living and Holy Week, add up to 50 days). And that period, commonly referred to as Lent, has a certain notoriety which is missing from the pre-Christmas season. The Advent season is equally important in preparing ourselves to fully participate in the Christmas joy.

The Advent preparation is one of tuning the body, soul and mind to wonders that await us in the manger, under the tree and at our church service.

Advent is a journey and we are journeying together toward the day we greet one another with the merriest of Christmas messages, “Christ is born and revealed.” On this road, we will be preparing to meet Jesus at his nativity. You’ll come to find how God of the universe interacted with our world in a humble manger and find a connection to how He interacts at the places of our lives today, wherever they may be. This journey is for the next 50 days along with the special “12 days of Christmas” at the end.

I look forward to taking this journey with you here at Epostle.net.

We pray, Heavenly Father, as we begin this season of Advent, open our hearts and our souls to the wonders you have shared with us. As we prepare for the blessed Birth and Revelation of your Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ, we ask that you keep us focused on the opportunity to prepare, so that we can fully participate and enjoy the celebration of Christmas. May we be led by the Holy Spirit as we begin this journey in faith. Amen.

Heavenly Thoughts

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Armodoxy for Today: The Heavens

From the earliest of times, from the most ancient history of the human race and even before, people have looked up to the heavens only to stand in awe of its vastness and beauty. It has been the inspiration of poems, songs and prayers. For many, it has signaled the existence of the Creator, the Prime Mover, or simply, God.

Today we know that a dot in the night sky, what we may have called a star, may in fact be a vast galaxy, giant stars or even a black hole, in which great clusters of stars may have disappeared. A gaze up at the heavens, at the endless stars and movements of those celestial bodies causes us to wonder and ponder our existence. The fundamental questions of life come from our wonderment: Where did we come from? Why are we here? What is our purpose? Where are we going?

One of the sacred texts in the Armenian Church is the Book of Ecclesiasticus or, the Wisdom of Jesus Son of Sirac. It reads as a testament to the wonders of the heavens and as a prayer. I offer this reading as the author describes the heavens

I will now call to mind the works of the Lord,
and will declare what I have seen.
By the word of the Lord his works are made;
and all his creatures do his will.
The sun looks down on everything with its light,
and the work of the Lord is full of his glory.

The pride of the higher realms is the clear vault of the sky,
as glorious to behold as the sight of the heavens.
 The sun, when it appears, proclaims as it rises
what a marvelous instrument it is, the work of the Most High.
At noon it parches the land,
and who can withstand its burning heat?

The glory of the stars is the beauty of heaven,
a glittering array in the heights of the Lord.

 On the orders of the Holy One they stand in their appointed places;
they never relax in their watches.
 We could say more but could never say enough;
let the final word be: ‘He is the all.’
Where can we find the strength to praise him?
For he is greater than all his works.
Awesome is the Lord and very great,
and marvelous is his power.
Glorify the Lord and exalt him as much as you can,
for he surpasses even that.
When you exalt him, summon all your strength,
and do not grow weary, for you cannot praise him enough.
(Sirach 42-43 NRSV)