LJ2021 – Day 16 – Duality

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Lenten Journey 2021:
Faith in a Post Pandemic World
by Fr. Vazken Movsesian

Day 16: Duality
[The younger son said,] I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you…’ – Jesus (Luke 15)

 
Humans: We are body and spirit. Our actions have consequences in the natural world and in the spiritual world. To say we have sinned, means that we have hurt someone, even if that someone is one’s self. Therein, we understand the sin against heaven and earth. Likewise, to say we have done good, such as an act of charity, will have consequences in the natural world and in the spiritual world. Those acts of goodness will have weight on Earth as well as in heaven.

 

LJ2021 – Day 15 – Trigger

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Lenten Journey 2021:
Faith in a Post Pandemic World
by Fr. Vazken Movsesian

 

Day 15: Trigger
But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” – Jesus (Luke 15:17-19)

Life may be compared to a roller coaster ride, with ups and downs. Some ups are high enough to bring us down quickly. From the depths of our low spots the climb up might be slow, but steady. On the track there are switches that trigger the coaster car to journey up, or to naturally fall. There are, also, points of no-return, most notably when we first sit in the coaster-car and the attendant releases the break for our journey through the twists and turns. Of course, the purpose of Lent is to regain control over life, so we can be more than a car gliding on a track. What triggers us to say “enough” of the down-spots? What triggers us to turn back to safety? to home? to God?

 

 

LJ2021 – Day 14 – Focus Point

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Lenten Journey 2021:
Faith in a Post Pandemic World
by Fr. Vazken Movsesian

 

Day 14: Focus Point
And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. -Jesus (Luke 15:13)

It has been said that familiarity breeds contempt. The parable of the two sons, which Jesus recites and is recorded in St. Luke’s Gospel, is commonly referred to as the Parable of the Prodigal Son. The point of the story is about returning home, about realizing mistakes and changing course from the prodigal life. The identifier, “Prodigal” might misdirect our attention to the wrong action, that of the sin rather than that of repentance. During Lent, we tune our senses to avoid misdirection and focus on the point of where we are headed.
Image: Wallpaperfare.com

LJ 2021 – Day 13 – Critique

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Lenten Journey 2021:
Faith in a Post Pandemic World
by Fr. Vazken Movsesian

 

Day 13: Critique

Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you? … Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again. – Jesus (John 8:10-11)

Criticism can be hurtful to a sensitive soul. Often it is, especially when aimed at the person’s character. During Lent we tone down our lives and patterns, increase the time and quality of our prayer life, with self-improvement as a goal. Listen to the voice of criticism. Is it from the outside? Or is it from within? Do the ones from without matter? Is the one from within your harshest critic? Today, listen to the voice of Jesus. Self-confidence is a step toward self-improvement.
Image: Pixabay

LJ2021 – Day 12 – Beauty

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Welcome to the the Lenten Journey 2021:
Faith in a Post Pandemic World
by Fr. Vazken Movsesian

 

Day 12: Beauty
Do not give what is holy to dogs; and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under foot and turn and maul you. – Jesus (Matthew 7:6)

 
There is superficial beauty and there is intrinsic beauty. In a life lived in Faith, these two types intersect, and not necessarily at only one point. Outer beauty shines and is pleasant to look at, while inner beauty shines bright through the outer layers, radiating. In this pandemic era, more than ever, we are learning that outer beauty must never be so thick as to not let the inner shine through. During the Lenten season make note of beauty – yours and that of others – and keep it holy.
Photo: Wallpaperflare

 

Mister & a Sister

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Mister & the Sister
Next Step #664 – February 25, 2021 – Mr. Potato head loses his top. Silliness abounds as the world death numbers increase; Calculated moves for profit. Connecting to the Expulsion story. The COVID-19 vaccine gives a metaphor for us to find faith in the post-pandemic era.
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LJ2021 – Day 11 – Vaccine

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Welcome to the the Lenten Journey 2021:
Faith in a Post Pandemic World
by Fr. Vazken Movsesian

 

Day 11: Vaccine
But be alert; I have already told you everything. – Jesus (Mark 13:23)


In our post-pandemic world we have found a new savior, it is the vaccine. Today, we have vaccines that are our collective-hope against the coronavirus, COVID-19. A vaccine is “a product that stimulates a person’s immune system to produce immunity to a specific disease, protecting the person from that disease.” We are rushing to vaccinate ourselves, as we did in the past against such wicked menaces as polio, smallpox, diphtheria, to name a few of the diseases that no longer pose threats to mass populations. During the Lenten season we hear the warnings given to us by Jesus, “… be aware…” and understand them to produce the necessary immunity against evil and ungodliness. These are the vaccines against spiritual death, and we discover them under the prescription of prayer, fasting and charity.
Photo: Singularity Hub 2021

LJ2021 – Day 10 – Desire

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Welcome to the the Lenten Journey 2021:
Faith in a Post Pandemic World
by Fr. Vazken Movsesian

 

 

Day 10: Desire
Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses. – Jesus (Luke 12)

 
We are driven and motivated to succeed by our wants and desires. In fact, they are strong motivators. The more we want, the more we are driven to secure the objects of our desire. To covet something, sets us multiple traps in front of us because the object of our desire does not belong to us. The greatest of our disappointments in life are when we have expectations that cannot possibly be fulfilled. During the Lenten season we take inventory of the talents and resources that we can claim as our own. What makes me, me? What is outside of us, we must evaluate and be certain that it is not covetousness that is motivating us, but a true desire for self-improvement.
Photo: Desire, Public Domain

LJ2021 – Day 9 – Value

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Welcome to the the Lenten Journey 2021:
Faith in a Post Pandemic World
by Fr. Vazken Movsesian

 

Day 9: Value
Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. – Jesus (Luke 12)
 
People ascribe significance and value to things. We may forget something that we have labeled as insignificant or we may throw away something which we deem as having no value. Can you imagine a life where everything has significance and everything has value? The blue skies, the rocky mountains, the baby extending her hand to mommy, and even the ant marching across your front porch, are all creations of God. During Lent, we come to understand that everyone and everything is part of God’s creation, and therefore, like us, everything is worthy of care, compassion and love.
Photo: Spider on Flower, 2016 Fr. Vazken

LJ2021 – Day 8: Ordinary

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Welcome to the the Lenten Journey 2021:
Faith in a Post Pandemic World
by Fr. Vazken Movsesian

 

Day 8: Ordinary
 
“See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing…” – Jesus (Mark 1)
 
Extraordinary events will surprise us into expressive responses (sometimes overwhelmingly expressive responses). You cannot help contain your emotions when something unexpected happens – news that you won a prize, learning your child achieved at top levels in school, the announcement that your loved one has overcome a deadly disease. The word ‘miracle’ is thrown around to describe such events. Jesus makes a point of telling those whom he heals, to not share the news of their recovery. Perhaps what we consider as a miraculous event is merely an ordinary occurrence in a life lived in faith. Lent grants us that opportunity to stay calm in the face of the unexpected, discover the miracles that are all around us, and therefore, celebrate and respond to all of life.