LJ2021 - Day 40 - Blessed

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

LJ2021 - Day 39 - Abide

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.

Graphic: Publicdomainpictures.net

LJ2021 - Day 38 - Christ

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

Day 38: Christ

Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me. - Jesus (Matthew 25:31-46)

The transitive property (of equality) says that if a=b and b=c then a=c. In Christ we find transitive property of life, namely that to serve God means to serve people. To love God means to love people, your brother, sister, and neighbor. 

Graphic: Publicdomainpictures.net

LJ2021 - Day 37 - Living

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.

Graphic: Publicdomainpictures.net

LJ2021 - Day 36 - Freedom

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.

Graphic: Publicdomainpictures.net

LJ2021 - Day 35 - Basics

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. 

Graphic: publicdomainvectors.org

ԼՃ2021 - Day 34 - Alone

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

Day 34: Alone
Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has performed a good service for me. - Jesus (Mark 14)

In our lifetime, we take actions that are in line with our principles and our understanding of the world. We refer to the "voice within" as our conscience and we respond in a manner for which we must be responsible. How others perceive our actions don't seem to matter when we are truly committed to our ideals and dreams, causing us to often land in a lonely place. Jesus gives the criterion, "service for me" as a celebration for your loneliness. 

Graphic: Publicdomainpictures.net

LJ2021 - Day 33 - Outward Appearance

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

Day 33: Outward Appearance
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which on the outside look beautiful, but inside they are full of the bones of the dead and of all kinds of filth. So you also on the outside look righteous to others, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. - Jesus (Matthew 23)

Our outward appearance is important, in deed. It sets the stage for our work, our social activities, our friendships and relationships. Jesus reminds us that equally as important, and perhaps even more, is the appearance of our soul. Imagine how much more intense, genuine and engaging would be our work, social activities, friendships and relationships, if we toned our inner soul.

Graphic: Old Graveyard, publicdomainpictures.net

  

LJ2021 - Day 32 - Courage

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.

Graphic: PublicDomainPictures.net

LJ2021 - Day 31 - God's choice

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

Day 31: God's choice
I do choose. Be made clean! - Jesus (Mark 1)

A man approaches Jesus and ask for a spiritual healing, with the condition, "If you (Jesus) so choose?" The question is, why wouldn't he choose to do so? Why wouldn't he want you to be walking in the Grace of God? Once you know Jesus is on-board for the salvation of your soul, you merely have to listen for the words that follow, "Be made clean!"

Graphic Lifewire fanjianhua / Getty Images

LJ - Day 30 - Purpose

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

Day 30: Purpose
Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do. - Jesus (Mark 1)

As we enter into the final 10 days of Lent, our focus begins to turn toward action, which must be guided with purpose. Your purpose in life is defined by your calling. We are each called to do something special in life. The Lenten Journey gives us an opportunity to sift through some of the clouds of confusion and focus on our purpose, as a child, perhaps a parent or spouse, as a worker - employer or employee - .... as a human being, that is, our purpose as a person. And, like Jesus, proclaim it. 

Graphic FreeIMG.net

LJ2021 - Day 29 - Tears

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

Day 29: Tears
Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has bathed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. - Jesus (Luke 7)

Tears are the outward expression of our inner emotions. Often, they come forth in times of sadness and therefore, may be unnoticed at times of joy. The intensity of emotions that push forth tears draws attention to the fine line between sadness and joy. The pandemic has put distance and time between loved one, and tears often point to that space, both, with the sadness of the reality and the joy of being near again.

Graphic: PDPics.com Public Domain

LJ2021 - Day 28 - Prayer

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

Day 28: Prayer
I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. - Jesus (Luke 18)

In the parable of the unjust judge (Luke 18) Jesus shares a story that points to the need for prayer in our life and not to lose heart. Following the story, the point and intention of prayer is justice. What are the injustices you've felt in your life? Can you point to the justice that has been achieved, "quickly," following your prayers? With less than two weeks left for the Lenten Journey, has your understanding of justice changed since the first days of this journey?

Graphic: Child's First Prayer, Public Domain

LJ2021 - Day 27 - Children

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

Day 27: Children
Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs. - Jesus (Matthew 19)

What are the attributes of children that make them the prime candidates for inheritors of the kingdom of heaven? Innocence, simplicity, obedience, acceptance, eagerness to learn, are among some of the attributes of children that we seek during the Lenten Journey. The 40 Martyrs' of Sebaste were regarded as children (manoog). 

Graphic: Icon of Forty Martyrs of Sebaste

LJ2021 - Day 26 - Productivity

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

Day 26: Productivity
A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none.  So he said to the gardener, ‘See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?’ He replied, ‘Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’ - Jesus (Luke 13)

Life has purpose and meaning. The gifts and talents that are given to us by God are meant to be nurtured, developed and ultimately used. During the Lenten Journey, we discover and connect with those talents only to learn that they are gifts to be used.

LJ2021 - Day 25 - Good News

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.

Graphic: Dreamstime.com

LJ2021 - Day 24 - Shrewdness

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

Day 24: Shrewdness
The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. - Jesus (Luke 16)

Shrewdness is viewed as a necessary virtue to engage in the dealings of this world. It is not necessarily thought of as a spiritual virtue. Jesus points to it with not apology. During our Lenten Journey, we discover the that we bring our entire self - worldly and spiritual - to the stewardship of Creation.

Graphic: Dreamstime.com

LJ2021 - Day 23 - World

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

Day 23: World

For the children of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the children of light. -Jesus (Luke 16)

The positioning of light opposite the world, in this statement, should not go without notice or construed as incidental. It is not darkness that Jesus refers to in contrast to the children of light, rather it is the world - our world - which is real and a reality with which we have to contend. We are called to be stewards, to manage, the resources and the goods of this world. In so doing, we are called to use the language, the skills and the means of this world. During the Lenten Journey, we are called to list our assets and liabilities as they pertain to our talents. Understanding that our talents and resources exist in the spiritual and the physical world is today's step in the journey.

Graphic: Pixabay.com

LJ2021 - Day 22 - Woman

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

Day 22: Women

The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches. The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into... flour until it worked all through the dough. - Jesus (Matthew 13)

The Kingdom of Heaven grows powerfully from small and humble beginnings. While a tiny mustard seed extends wildly into a bush in nature, flour needs the addition of yeast to rise to dough. Without the measure, timing, organization, coordination and care - reflections of love for the result - it remains but a hardened paste.

Graphic: Needpix.com

LJ2021 - Day 21 - Stewardship

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

Day 21: Stewardship
Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer. - Jesus (Luke 16)

It's the question that sooner or later will be asked of all of us, when we can no longer be a manager, of this life. "Give an accounting." What would be our answer?

Graphic: StockFreeImages

LJ2021 - Day 20 - Your Pearl

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?

LJ2021 - Day 19 - Serving

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

Day 19: Serving
No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. - Jesus (Luke 16)

What do we serve? That's a loaded word, for sure. Jesus is presenting an axiom here, without making a judgement. The assumption is that it is better to serve God, rather than money. Jesus merely points out the reality that loyalties to one master will outweigh loyalties to another. The Lenten Journey is a time to ask, who or what we serve?

LJ2021 - Day 18 - Always

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

Day 18: Always
And he [the father] said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.' - Jesus (Luke 15:31)

Part of the process of introspection that we preform during the Lent Season is to inventory our assets against our liabilities. Liabilities sometimes overwhelm us to the point that we fail to properly access the assets that we have. Knowing that we are always in God's care and live in God's grace is a discovery we may make, and once made, it must be assigned to the top position on the asset column of our Lenten inventory.

Graphic: "Always on" HBR 

LJ2021 - Day 17 - Completeness

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

Day 17: Completeness
But the father said to his servants, 'Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.' - Jesus (Luke 15)

Returning back to health - whether following an attack by a virus, or after a broken relationship - is a difficult proposition. Along the way, health - both physical and emotional - could be compromised making full recovery next to impossible. The recovery granted to us by God is complete and full. During the Lenten season, we discover our weaknesses and count our strengths. The delicate balance between the two is defined by our perception, attitude and communication with God.

LJ2021 - Day 16 - Duality

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

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

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

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

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

LJ2021 - Day 11 - Vaccine

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

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

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

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.

LJ2021 - Day 7 - Kindness

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

Day 7 - Kindness

“Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.  You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet" - Jesus (Luke 7:44-46)

Kindness is the sharing of blessings. Blessings come from God. As humans we are overwhelmed by God's goodness and graces. It is easy to lose sight of our responsibility to share the blessings we have. Lent is a time to take an inventory of blessings - talent, family, health, work, wealth - and share them, thereby making kindness a responsibility of Christian existence.

 

Photo: Music vdub, Yerevan 2014

LJ2021 - Day 6 - In Between

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

The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” - Jesus (John 3:8)

Day 6: In Between

Not long ago we could see, either with our eyes or with our minds' eye, the connection between two telephones. A chord came out of the telephone we talked into, and a chord went into the telephone of the person to whom we were talking. And even if we didn't understand the technology, we knew that there were solid wires connecting those phones, whether those phones were next door to each other, across town or across the country. Today, we pick up a cell phone and talk to another person somewhere else on this planet. There are no wires in between those two phones. We talk and we hear without knowing what's in between, but we're certain there is something that is carrying those sound waves between those two phones. We talk and we hear God, without seeing what's in between us, but we know there has to be something connecting us. Look for the connections - a good work or deed, a mother's prayer over us, a tear from our eyes signaling our compassion. It is the Spirit at work.

LJ2021 - Day 5 - Silence

 Welcome to the the Lenten Journey 2021: Faith in a Post Pandemic World

Daily meditations during the Lenten Season 

by Fr. Vazken Movsesian

Day 5: Silence

This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear. (John 8)

As life unfolds and takes its twists and turns it demands a reaction from us. We often find it necessary to react with words. A clever word here, a meaningful remark there, are quick and easy means by which we share our understanding of a situation. Words convey thoughts. Words articulate ideas. Silence, the underrated reaction to life, is sometimes necessary more than our words, to truly understand what is around us. Silence, quiet utterances of the soul, can lead to peace.  

LJ2021 - Day 4 - Perseverance

Welcome to the the Lenten Journey 2021: Faith in a Post Pandemic World

Daily meditations during the Lenten Season 

by Fr. Vazken Movsesian

Day 4: Perseverance

And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? - Jesus (Luke 18)

A foreign object - a rover - landed on Martian soil today. The rover's name is Perseverance. It was sent to Mars last year by NASA and arrived today. They selected its name as "a testament to the spirit that got the mission off the ground and on its way to Mars," says NASA. For millennia, humans have looked up to the heavens and wondered what those bright lights at night meant. During the last couple of millennia, humans have mapped those heavens and only dreamed of what might be up there. It was only during the last century that engines and propulsions made the impossible seem and become possible. Today, we look at all we have in front of us, seemingly impossible missions, such as the softening of the human heart, the loving of neighbors and changing "swords into plowshares." (Isaiah 2:4) Perseverance is the human spirit not giving up on a dream.

Image: NASA - Perseverance rover lands today. 

LJ 2021 - Day 3 - Shadows

  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.

LJ 2021 - Day 2 - Seeds

 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.

Lenten Journey 2021 - Faith in a Post Pandemic World - Day 1

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. 

Lenten Journey 2020, Day 40 of 40

Friday, April 3, Lenten Journey 2020, Day 40 of 40

Every journey begins with a single step but not all end in such a solitary manner. Some journeys are but a few steps inside a longer travel toward a broader destination. So it is with the Lenten Journey: an annual trek which revitalizes and strengthens our resolve to walk the Journey of Life. The 40 days of Lent have come and gone this year, but not without incident. This Journey was marred by a pandemic which brought the world to its knees. We have been humbled by the menace that this virus can bring. With the lessons of this Journey fresh in our minds and in our hearts we understand that coming to our knees before God is not out of fear; rather, we acknowledge the power of good over evil and how we, His Creations, are invited to create and articulate our life – as an individual and collectively for the community. We find the beauty of life the expressions of love and care amidst the horrors. The last stop in the Lenten Journey is to understand that Worship – Sunday-to-Sunday, day-to-day – is our personal commitment to the lessons of these 40 days. Through Jesus Christ, we are reconciled with God and all of Creation. Life is in our hands and God is with us always.

Lenten Journey 2020, Day 39 of 40

Thursday, April 2 - Lenten Journey 2020, Day 39 of 40

The Church has given us the Lenten Season. The Church – the Body of Christ – has held our hand through the Lenten Journey and the time is coming for us to let go. Life is ahead, ready for us and we for it. When asked who he considers as his family, Jesus answers, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.” (Luke 8:21) We are called to a life of activity, to not only hear but to do the word of God. Find the ending of the Lenten Journey as it winds its way into your life. Tally the blessings granted to you and find wonder in the miracles that are around you.

Lenten Journey 2020, Day 38 of 40

Wednesday, April 1, Lenten Journey 2020, Day 38 of 40

 Loving God and loving neighbor means that ego, the self, must be parked conveniently out of the way for us to properly share our love with others. Selflessness and sacrifice are words which describe our condition when selfish motives are removed from our lives to allow for purer love for others. Jesus Christ gives us the ultimate example of selflessness and sacrifice as he accepts the Cross. Our crosses – physical, financial, relationships, spiritual –  are heavy but we bear them because we have found a new strength through our prayers, fasting and walking through the Lenten Journey. Our perception has changed and with a new heart we understand and are ready to accept Jesus’ words, “Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.  Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor.” (John 26-27)

Lenten Journey 2020, Day 37 of 40

Tuesday, March 31 -  Lenten Journey 2020, Day 37 of 40

Loving God and loving neighbor is now a simple test for our actions. In fact, of the hundreds of laws and regulations we read in the Old Testaments, and of the 10 Commandments given in Scripture, loving God and loving neighbor become what is necessary to live according to God’s will. As we draw near to the Lenten Journey, we realize that life is meant to be lived. Dreams are meant to be turned into reality. Happiness and joy are God-inspired and God-given, through the life we breathe, the experiences we share and the joy we live. As the Wise Men traveling toward Bethlehem, “When they saw that the star had stopped they were overwhelmed with joy” (Matthew 2:10) our joy begins for our Journey is ending but we have discovered Life.

Lenten Journey 2020, Day 36 of 40

Monday, March 30 - Lenten Journey 2020, Day 36 of 40

The Sunday of Advent brought with it a message of eternity grounded in the here and now. In the Bible reading of the day Jesus proclaims the greatest commandment, “‘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 the first commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Matthew 22:37-39)  We are in the last week of the Lenten Journey and this most fundamental message is proclaimed as a prize for our fasting and prayers. It is the basis for all we do in life and is the key that unlocks the doors to success and happiness. Love God and your neighbor.

Lenten Journey 2020, Day 35 of 40

Sunday, March 29 - Lenten Journey 2020, Day 35 of 40

 The last Sunday of the Lenten Season is designated as “Advent” Sunday, where the Second Coming of Jesus is the theme. From Apostolic times, the Second Coming has been anticipated by the Church. In the Nicene Creed, each Sunday we remember that Jesus is “to come … to judge the living and the dead.” However, Jesus himself cautions us to not be consumed with dates and signs. “But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” (Mark 13:32) The day is filled with its own challenges and looking to future events only distracts from our duties today. The Lenten Journey is accomplished by steps taken in the moment.

Lenten Journey 2020 Day 34 of 40

Saturday, March 28 – Lenten Journey 2020 Day 34 of 40

Amidst the Lenten Journey are occasions to reflect on those who have traveled before us. Today the Armenian Church commemorates St. Gregory the Illuminator’s imprisonment (289-301 AD) in a place we now refer to as “Khorvirab.” Stories such as this are wrapped in their historical parameters. Their value is that they talk to us – to each generation in its own times. Today as a world, we are imprisoned by the effects of a pandemic which takes us into a pit of despair, hopelessness and even death. The story of St. Gregory the Illuminator’s 13 year imprisonment teaches the value of discipline, prayer and hope in the Lord – the same ingredients to overcome our own and collective prisons. Jesus instructs that certain evils can “Only be overcome by prayer and fasting.” (Mark 9:29)

Lenten Journey 2020 Day 33 of 40

Friday, March 27 – Lenten Journey 2020 Day 33 of 40

Day 33 of the Journey signals a change in perception. We come to realize that change has come from within – it is called “transformation.” In this process the goal remains unaltered, but we have changed. Peace and harmony with our sisters, brothers, wives, husbands, children, parents, neighbors and yes, with the world are in our spiritual cross-hairs and we know that we are now the instruments by which change comes. This has been a process – a journey – and while we’re nearing the end of it, we realize that we are outfitting ourselves with the tools for life.  “To all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12-13)

Lenten Journey 2020 Day 32 of 40

Thursday, March 26 – Lenten Journey 2020 Day 32 of 40

In the quiet solitude of our prayer space we listen for God to speak to us. Do not be afraid to open all of your senses to God. As the Lenten Journey moves forward we build on the lessons of the days passed. The laughter of a young child, the delicate pedals of a flower shining against the sun, the midst of the ocean wave spraying our skin, or the sight of stars spread over the sky are all signs from God. As scripture reminds us that “Though we speak much we cannot reach the end, and the sum of our words is ‘He is the all.’” (Sirach 43:27) Look, feels, smell, taste and hear God around you.

Lenten Journey 2020 Day 31 of 40

Wednesday, March 25 –

Prayer is a conversation with God. There are different ways of conversing. For instance, a discourse is a one-way conversation intended to deliver information. A diatribe is the same but delivered with emotion. Debate is a two-way conversation with a goal of winning an argument or convincing another on your position. But a dialogue is a two-way conversation which builds a relationship because the parties are listening as much as speaking. What type of conversation are you having with God? Are you building a relationship with Him? To do so, talk and listen.