Lenten Journey 2021: Faith in a Post Pandemic World by Fr. Vazken Movsesian
Day 40: Blessed Blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. Truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it. - Jesus (Matthew 13)
At the end of the Lenten Journey we receive a blessing that may be unexpected. We have found something which we never lost. We began this journey 40 days ago with a challenge. Amidst the twists and turns of this 40 day venture, we have walked along side and through the Kingdom, and today we find it within us. The road ahead is brightened with this reality.
Graphic: Fantastic Landscape with a Road publicdomainpictures.net
Lenten Journey 2021: Faith in a Post Pandemic World by Fr. Vazken Movsesian
Day 39: Abide If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you. - Jesus (John 14:15-17
The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are revealed in this statement of Christ. To abide in God means to know God. Knowing does not necessarily mean understanding, but it does mean accepting and acting in accordance with His commandment to love. The Lenten Journey has as its goal abiding in Christ and therefore, to love.
Lenten Journey 2021: Faith in a Post Pandemic World by Fr. Vazken Movsesian
Day 37: Living God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. - Jesus (Matthew 22:32)
In the final days of this year's Lenten Journey, the lessons come together to set a path for our movement forward. The lessons point to life because Jesus is life. There is no death in the presence of life.
Lenten Journey 2021: Faith in a Post Pandemic World by Fr. Vazken Movsesian
Day 36: Freedom “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor;He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” ... Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing. - Jesus (Luke 4:17-21)
Jesus' message was one of freedom. The release from bondage that comes with and from Christ is complete, and not limited to a spiritual understanding. He frees the poor as well as the brokenhearted, the oppressed as well as the blind. The Lenten Journey is to walk away from all that ties you down and prevents you from experiencing that freedom.
Lenten Journey 2021: Faith in a Post Pandemic World by Fr. Vazken Movsesian
Day 35: Basics You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. - Jesus (Matthew 22)
We enter the final week of this year's Lenten Journey. A life touched by a pandemic has complicated our lives in many ways. Finding the basics, the simple "bottom line," is part of the Lenten Journey. Jesus cuts through the law and the prophets and profoundly proclaims the message of love - toward God and toward neighbor. See and find the basics of life today, they are not too different from what has been basic to life from the beginning.
Lenten Journey 2021: Faith in a Post Pandemic World by Fr. Vazken Movsesian
Day 32: Courage Get up and do not be afraid. - Jesus (Matthew 17:7)
There are two parts of courage, as understood from Jesus' command. Absence of fear is an obvious attribute of courage. Not so obvious is the necessity to act about that loss of fear, that is, to "get up" and live. The Lenten Journey is about finding this courage that leads to a productive life.
Lenten Journey 2021: Faith in a Post Pandemic World by Fr. Vazken Movsesian
Day 25: Good News The law and the prophets were in effect until John came; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is proclaimed, and everyone tries to enter it by force. - Jesus (Luke 16)
Force is power. It is measured by strength. To enter somewhere by force implies that what is inside is of great value. What is new, that is news, is that the law and the profits were in effect until John. The kingdom of God can be entered. And the Good News is that the entrance to the kingdom is accessible by all.
Lenten Journey 2021: Faith in a Post Pandemic World by Fr. Vazken Movsesian
Day 20: Your Pearl
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it. - Jesus (Matthew 13:45-6)
Mid-Lenten exercise: Have you found a pearl, something so valuable, that you are willing to give up everything to claim it? If not, do you think such a pearl exists? Is it attainable? Is it claimable?
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.
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.
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.
Welcome to the the Lenten Journey 2021: Faith in a Post Pandemic World Daily meditations during the Lenten Season by Fr. Vazken Movsesian
Day 3 - Shadow
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. - James 1:17
One of our Church Fathers remarked that when facing the Sun, we see no shadows. It is only when we turn away from the sun that we notice shadows. The Sun is the source of light and energy for our planet. Even in the shadows there is enough light to energize us and all of life. This is a testament to the power of the Sun. Jesus, the Light of the World, illuminates and we find no shadows nor places to hide when we are turned toward him. And even when we turn and then notice the shadows, He is still energizing us and all of life.
Welcome to the the Lenten Journey 2021: Faith in a Post Pandemic World
Daily meditations during the Lenten Season by Fr. Vazken Movsesian
Day 2: Seeds
“...for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. - Jesus, (Matthew 17:20)
How big is a mustard seed? 2 millimeters. Is that all the faith that we need to do seemingly impossible feats? How big is the coronavirus? 70 nanometers (try a million times smaller than a millimeter). The pandemic has jarred us. We have lost the confidence in and the certainty of goodness. What is faith? And how does it fit into our equation of life? It can move mountains, and certainly there are mountains that need to be moved.
Welcome to the the Lenten Journey 2021: Faith in a Post Pandemic World
Daily meditations during the Lenten Season by Fr. Vazken Movsesian
Day 1: No Excuses
"Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you. And heal the sick there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, ‘The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you.’" - Jesus (Luke 10:8-11)
Imagine being on the receiving end of such a statement. Imagine, the Kingdom of God has come near you, so close that you can see, feel, touch, hear, and taste it. The Kingdom - the goodness, the connection with all of eternity and the universe, the promise and the fulfillment of every dream you have ever had - has come near you. You have a chance to receive it. You have a chance to lose it.
Road to Healing – Lenten Journey 2014 Day 27: Play Now:
They thought they could do it. They were charged by Jesus to heal the sick, so when a man
brought his son to the Disciples for a healing it was just a matter of following procedures. But this time, something was off. They were unable to heal the boy.
The story is picked up in the Gospel of Matthew (in chapter 17). The man brought his son to Jesus for a healing complaining that the Disciples were unable to remove the evil from his son. Jesus heals the boy by extracting the disease and illness from his body. The Disciples had tried but failed. They wanted to know why they were unable to expel the disease from the boy?
Jesus explains, “Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you. But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”
It is to the two conditions of faith – the catalysts of the faith in action, so to speak – prayer and fasting on which we focus today.
We have the power within us to bring about the changes necessary to move mountains, that is, to make the seemingly impossible truly possible. Healing disease and illness, amending our lifestyle, altering our course and direction, mending the holes in our relationships and living in harmony are all attainable. The mustard seed is of such small size and proportion. When faith is there, it’s there. The quality control on faith, so to speak, is governed by prayer and fasting.
The parable of the “Unrighteous Judge” in the Gospel of Luke (chapter 18) is a rather bizarre story of a powerless woman who brings down the politically potent and ruthless magistrate by being persistent. The story is so off that it warrants a note of intention by the author so that there’s no misunderstanding by the reader: “And Jesus spoke this parable about their need to always pray and not to lose heart.”
Faith is yours. You have it. You’re on this journey, aren’t you? The need for prayer and fasting are matters of discipline. They are the necessary tools by which faith stays alive, that is, faith does not stay dormant and useless, but alive and active. It might be easy to think of it in scientific terms of potential and kinetic energy. Our faith is stored (potential), waiting to move the mountains in our life. When we pray and fast, the energy is pushed into motion, so that it manifests in the actions of our life.
Prayer is the conversation you have with God and yourself. Fasting is the cleansing and the discipline of body so that mind and soul find a place within the whole. The seemingly impossible is made possible because faith is now activated in your life.
We pray today, Lord, open my heart to your love. Open my mind to your wisdom. Open my body to your healing. I acknowledge the faith that is planted in my spirit. Push it to the brink of my soul so that it moves into every part of my body to become the action of my life, to bring about complete recovery of my ills, peace and harmony to my spirit and the world. Amen.
This is Fr. Vazken inviting you to join me again tomorrow as we continue on the Road to Healing.
Photo: Soul (c) 2011 Fr. Vazken Movsesian Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for http://epostle.net
Holy Week Day #9 - Easter Sunday! - You made it through to the end, only to find it's the beginning. The angels direct us to look at Life and we do - to find it Resurrected! Final directions for the Lenten Journey.
Music: "Govya Yerousghem" by Vazkenian Seminarians at Lake Sevan; Speghani Children's choir; "Birdsong Medly" by Armen Chakmakian; "About God" by Gor Mkhitarian.
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for ePostle.net
Holy Week Day #8 - Easter Eve - It's always darkest before the dawn, but the Light cannot be contained. It's radiating from the Tomb of Christ, as we anticipate the Good News of Resurrection; Matthew 28;
Music: Selections from "Ornyal eh Asdvadz" by Students at the Vazkenian Seminary at Lake Sevan;
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for ePostle.net
Holy Week Day #6 - Great Thursday - the Passion continues to unravel as Christ enters the Garden of Getsemane. We walk with Christ through this Amazing Story, where we encounter every human emotion, until we stand still in darkness - a Life without Christ.
Music: Diramayr, DerVoghormya and Oor es Mayr eem by Lucine Zakarian;
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for ePostle.net
Holy Week Day #5 - The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ begins to unravel from the Last Supper where he instructs by action, the lesson in humility. Washing the feet of the Disciples, he invites us to a call for social justice and action.
Prayer: St. Nersess Shnorhali's Aysor Anjar;
Music: Selections from Armenian Duduk Sounds from the Ages;
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for ePostle.net
Day 26 - Opening the curtain of fear with Courage. Sit across the Last Supper Table and receive the command from Christ himself.
Prayer by St. Nersess 17/24;
Music: Songs for Children by Gomidas Vartabed performed by Armen Babakhanian (Piano Works);
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for ePostle.net
