Over and Done With

Passages: Zech. 9:9-15, Philippians 4:4-7, Matt. 20:29-21:17  
Ընթերցուածքներ` Զաք. Թ 9-15; Փիլի. Դ 4-7; Մատթ. Ի 29 – ԻԱ 17

In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Amen!

I was so glad to be finished. After all that work, patience, tiring days, and energy spent, it was done. I remember the day I graduated High School, I was relieved it was over. Yes, I would miss the time with friends, the sports and get togethers but I’ll be first to admit, I wasn’t the best student and so I was glad it was done with. Many of us perhaps remember the day we finished school; high school, trade school, college, law school or med school – regardless of the years it demanded, by finishing we were relieved, perhaps a bit sad, but fulfilled that finally it was done. Or perhaps we did not go on to continued education but rather in our lives, we faced big tasks or projects which required countless hours, the hard work, and the sacrifices – all coming to an end. And so whether school or something we worked one, when we finished – we breathed a sigh of relief that it was done. Though joyful and relieved when we finish, what we often remember is how did we arrived at the end. What challenges we faced; what uphill battles we conquered and how now by finishing we are stronger, better prepared for the next task, the next chapter and next challenge. As the saying goes, “it’s not the destination but the journey we travel.” 

Yet, this proverbial saying is not about physical traveling but anything we are going through. The journey through school, through career planning, through a project, and through emotional development and maturity. Today, this message can be applied our spiritual growth as well. We are all celebrating the end of another journey – our 2024 Lenten journey. All of us know that with Palm Sunday we end the season of Great Lent. A time of fasting, sacrificing, almsgiving, and prayer. But if we are honest with ourselves for a moment, this journey is not the same for all of us. For some of us this truly is a Holy time, and we are committed to strengthen our faith through the practices of the Church and reading scripture, regardless of how difficult it feels at times. Perhaps for some of us, we don’t fully understand the importance of Lent and why are called to abstain from certain foods and activities or why we have different prayer services. Yet, for too many of us, we don’t take this journey seriously and see it as a waste of time, something unnecessary. In the same way in school my dears, there are student’s who dedicate time and energy into learning and growing; there are those who don’t fully understand the importance; then there are those who think it’s a waste of time and unnecessary. Regardless, whether it’s school, physical traveling, something we are working through, journeying through life or our Lenten journey, one thing remains the same – they eventually all come to an end. What stays with us, what we can look back on and reflect – is how did we end up here.

My dears, this question is so important to reflect upon because each journey, each moment, each project, each challenge we face in life affects how we continue forward – how we face what comes next. Most of us would say, that this year’s winter was very mild. And though we are grateful that the snow was not torrential, and the cold was not unbearable, an unseasonable winter means an unseasonable rest of the year. One journey in life effects the rest of the journey’s we go on; how we travel one path, will impact the end of that path and the way we begin our next. If I attempt a project at home and fail; and try again and fail; try again and through frustration again fail, what will happen? I won’t try another project again. If I barely scrapped through school whether because I didn’t care or because I wasn’t getting help when I needed it, what will happen? I won’t want to learn, grow and continue my education. If I’m in a challenging time, if I’m overwhelmed and hopeless and no one is there to help me, what will happen? I will feel anxious, broken and isolated from everyone. Likewise, my dears, with our faith. If we approach our faith in Christ merely as an obligation, something forced on us, if we don’t invest time to grow, ask questions and learn, if we remove ourselves from the Church and fall into thought of the temptation that “if I fail then I am no good,” then what happens? Our faith becomes fruitless, unnecessary, and often times unbearable. Our faith doesn’t grow; and eventually when we look back on our life as Christian’s, there is no growth, no strength, no future, no spirit of hope. It’s no wonder so many walk away from God; it’s no wonder our families are broken, society is filled with hate and anger.

We are happy when Church service ends, when a sermon is short, when lent finishes or when we can finally go home having put a tick next to the “obligation” of going to Church.  Apart from those who are physically unable to attend Church and therefore utilize online services, so many of are satisfied with God through a screen, leaving us ultimately unsatisfied and in doubt. Much like leaving school, we breathe a sigh of relief that it’s over. Yet, my dears, our faith is not a checkbox to be filled in “as done.” Faith is a daily journey; a journey we look back on and reflect to ask who we are here today. Though today physically marks the end of Great Lent, Christ is not here for the end; Palm Sunday where we celebrate Christ Jesus today entering into Jerusalem prior to His Passion and Crucifixion, is not about the ending of the Gospels or the end of His earthly life. Christ came into this world, entered into Jerusalem, died on the Cross for us to begin life; to have a new start, a renewed spirit on this journey of life.

In 2 Corinthians 5:17 we read, “…if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” Meaning when we accept Christ into our life, if we are truly a Christian, then we are not bound by our past; our failures, temptations, and shortcomings on our journey in life don’t define us.  Instead, we are always renewed, we are made new, with a fresh start and renewed purpose. So many of us think the purpose of Great Lent is to arrive at Palm Sunday and Easter. Or that the purpose of Lent is to fast from food, to pray more or read more; our purpose in the Church is to sing, sign a check or fulfill some obligation. No, my dears. The purpose of our faith is for our old self, our sins, our burdens, to be replaced and washed away with new hope, and possibilities, new life that can only happen through Christ Jesus. The purpose of Lent is to remind us that we become new not by removing foods but by adding Christ into our life. St. Paul in Rom. 12 says, “And do not be conformed to this world, [we all like that part and know it well, but look at the continuing] but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

My dears, therefore, let us ask what are we celebrating today? Our Church is beautifully decorated, our curtain is open again, we received Holy Communion and this week we will have the Holiest week in our Church calendar. So what? So, we can end the month of March? So we can end Great Lent and eat meat again? So we can end winter and start spring? Or, my dears, so that we can reflect on what life we live and ask, how can I begin, how can I be renewed, how can Christ enter into my life as He entered Jerusalem? Whether we fasted for 40 days or not, let us honestly reflect on our journey of faith.  Are our prayers just words, just another obligation? Is our being here on Sunday just another checkmark?  Or do we genuinely call out to our Lord with a desire to be renewed?

Christ loves us so much that he hears our prayers and asks, “What do you want Me to do for you?” (Matt. 20:32) in the same way he asked the two blind men as he entered Jerusalem. Therefore, my dears, whether we fasted during Lent, whether we took time purposefully in our day to pray, or ask questions, to seek Him out, regardless of how we “end” Lent today, right now in our hearts let us openly pray to God, “hear me Lord”, “in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God…” (Phil. 4:6) St. Paul says, then today we start anew; today we begin a life in true Communion with God – with a renewed purpose. Because whether we are going through school or working on a project – each and every one of us is going through something – we are on a journey. If our journey is with Christ, our end will be with Christ. And so all together, as we did at the beginning of Badarak, let us pray “let the doors of mercy be opened for me to enter” for God loves each and every one of us my dears. God hears us, calls us and waits for us to desire to begin a life in Him. This is not the end, we are not failures, we are not lost and worthless – we are loved. The love of God will overcome all troubles in this life, the love of God will guide us in whatever journey we are on in this life, the love of God will strengthen us regardless of what we are working on. For it is the love of God our Heavenly Father, who sent Christ to enter into the physical Jerusalem inviting us to enter into the eternal Jerusalem with Him. My the grace of the Holy Spirit illuminate our heart and mind to seek our Christ our Lord who renews us from life to life and brings us into the Communion with our Heavenly Father, Amen!