Category: Uncategorized

Passages: Isaiah 65:8-25; Philippians 3:1-4:9; Luke 17:20-18:14

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

Art imitates life. “Life imitates art” – Oscar Wilde “All the world’s a stage and we are merely actors” – William Shakespeare “I never paint dreams or nightmares. I paint my own reality” – Frida Kahlo. These quotes and many more like them speak of how art, such as paintings, plays, stories, music, art express life, display reality, teach a life’s lesson. Using all these forms of art tell us a story, capture our minds, personify a feeling to teach us, to guide us towards an understanding of a deeper question. Questions we are not asking or questions we do not care much for the answer for. One of my professors once told me, the answer is worth nothing, if no one is asking the question.

And we see this evident not just in the classical works of Kahlo, Shakespeare, Wilde, Hughes etc. But this practice of teaching and of drawing out questions is also found in scripture. In this beautiful season of Lent, where our focus should be on fasting, prayer, charity, mercy, love – we see these lessons through the parables that Christ teaches. What is a parable? An earthly story with a heavenly meaning. It is a work of art, a lesson to be learned and applied to our life not merely for our physical benefit but also our spiritual. A few weeks ago we learned from the parable of the Prodigal Son – a man who turned back to God, his Father, where forgiveness and blessing are abundantly waiting.

Last week, we read of the unjust steward – a man who wasted what His master had trusted him with and thus was dishonoring himself and his master. And today is the Sunday of the Unjust judge. A man who did not fear God, did not fear man because he ruled with no mercy. Until a widow, a woman who in first century Palestine had no voice, no right, no hope – came to him and asked over and over again for justice. You see today, if a crime is committed and it needs to go to court, our lawyers set things up with officials and due process. However, back in first century Palestine, you had to find your own judge. And if no judge was willing to hear your case, than you had nothing – no matter how wronged you were. And this woman had no one and nothing. But she pestered the judge until he got so fed up that he listened to her just to be free from her.

However, today’s scripture reading, much like every Sunday in Lent, neither starts here nor does it end here. In fact, the parable of the judge is merely 8 verses compared to the entire text presented to us today. Today we also read of the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax collector. Two men, praying to God for forgiveness in two very different ways. One arrogantly, the other humbly – one raising himself up above others, the other asking God to raise him up. Well now I have a question, where do we see ourselves in these parables? Where do we see God?

Our Church is adorned in icons, paintings, stained glass windows, crosses, the Altar, the architectural design of the Church. All of these are icons. Like the parables, they serve as tools to teach. Tools to draw our senses towards God. They are not historical pictures, they are not decorations. In the Orthodox icon of the Last Supper and in the icon of Pentecost, we see Sts. Peter and Paul next to Christ – but Paul and Peter were not there together. In fact, Paul doesn’t show up for quite a while later and when he does he is persecuting Christians. In the icons of creation, we see Christ standing in the Garden of Eden, yet, we didn’t know Christ until thousands of years later. The icon of the Holy Martyr’s of the Armenian Genocide – they bear no names, no identity except for their faith. Because these icons, these artworks, the Divine Liturgy itself, they are tools for us to reflect in. They are mirrors for us to reflect what? What lesson do we learn from these tools, these parables, where do we see ourselves? Where do we see God?

Some are easier to understand than others. God, is the Father who accept us, the Prodigal child. God is the our creator and Lord who has made us the Steward’s over creation and to whom we will answer to. What about today? Perhaps God is the judge who will only listen to our plea, our prayers if we bug him enough? My dear brothers and sisters, today we do not see God in the parables – no rather today Christ invites us to especially focus on us. To focus on our attitudes, our behavior, our actions and our preconceived worldly understanding of our faith. Each of us believe that we are a child of God. We are each created equally, with free will, in the image of God. And each of us are called to recognize that we are the Prodigal Son’s and daughters, we are the unjust Stewards, we are both the judge and woman pleading her case and we are the Pharisee and the tax collector.

We are humans with faults and disagreements. We are artworks in motion. And Christ is teaching us to become tools of faith, Christ is teaching us to become icons. When we look into an icon, yes we see beautiful works of art, but if we do not see Christ then we have fallen short of reading and of fully understanding the lesson we are learning. The tools we are given in Church, Holy Scripture, Badarak etc. are for us to strengthen our faith. They are mirrors for us to look into and see Christ in us. For us purpose? In order for us to equally become tools, icons, works of art in the world around us.

When you look into a mirror and see something that needs to be changed, what do we do? We change. Our clothes, our make up, our hair, etc. we want to look presentable. When we look into scripture, when we come to Church and stand in front of this Altar, who do we see reflecting back at us? If it is not Christ – then we must change. Change our actions, our attitudes. So that when we do step out into this world, a world full of hatred and anger, so that when people look at us and know we are Christian – we become presentable, we become mirrors for other to see Christ. This is what fasting and Great Lent are for. A period of time for us to reflect and look deep within ourselves and with the guidance of the tools we have been given in order to change and reflect God.

And this change is not in a moment, in a flash. No! Rather, change is throughout our lives. St. Paul teaches, it is Christ that takes us from glory to glory. From change to change. It is Christ our Lord and Savior, who came down and took on our pain, our sickness and our toil, lifted up on the Cross and died for us to give us life. And we are called to be imitators of Him. If life imitates art, who does our life imitate? If someone one day paints us as icons in Church, what would we see? Do we have mercy on the weak, do we love those who we do not agree with, do we repay hate with hate – or are we forgiving, are we humble, are we loving – ultimately are we Christian? Because that is what Christian means. To be sons and daughters of Christ. To be anointed, to be prince’s and princesses in the Kingdom of God.

By realizing this, by understanding that we reflect Christ to the world, we also understand, that it is Christ who we must see in others. Christ Jesus teaches, “if you do to the least of these, you do onto me.” If we do not see Christ in the beggars, in oppressed, in the broken, in those who we do not like, in the refugees, etc. – then we will never see Christ in Church, in the Cup – we will never see Christ in us. My dear brothers and sisters, who do we imitate, who do we see, who do people see in us as Christian’s and sons and daughters of God? May the rest of our Lenten journey be a purpose driven journey, not to fast from chocolate or meat or whatever we have chosen. No, but may it be a purpose driven journey to reflect Christ, to be light in this dark world, to change our ways and allow that change to happen through the grace of the Holy Spirit and through the love of God for mankind.

Amen!

Passages: Isaiah 56:1-57:21; Ephesians 4:17-5:14; Luke 16:1-31

In the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen!

During the season of Great Lent, one of the many practices that have developed over the years is the evening Lenten service. These services are conducted throughout the week and are known as the Rest and Peace – Hankstyan yev Khaghaghagan Jamererkutyunner. These are not in anyway Lenten services, however, in much of the world, they are regularly conducted during Lent, especially because of the beautiful words and melodies that accompany these services. In the Rest service – Hankstyan jam or Hsgoom, the custom is practiced of reciting verse by verse, the beautifully and poetically written Confession of Faith or Creed. 24 stanzas to reflect the 24 hours in a day. The 12^th hour or 12^th prayer states, “O Lord, Desirer of Good wills and performer of wills, let me not pursue my own inclinations, but guide me so that I may, at all times, live according to your good will. Have mercy upon your creatures, and upon me, great sinner that I am. «Gamétsogh paryats Dér gamarar, mi toghoor zis i gamûs antsin imo kûnal, ayl arachnortya ints linél mishd ûsd gamats kots parésirats, yév voghormya ko araradzots yév ints pazmaméghis».

What stands out to us about this prayer? How many of us pray the Lord’s Prayer, Hayr mer? And each time we do, we say “let your will be done” yegheetsi gamk ko. And we struggle with this. Wrestle with the notion of praying to God for healing, praying for an answer, praying for help and ultimately saying but let it be your will. By saying this I often wonder how many of us say it truthfully, trustingly vs. How many of us say it to use it as an excuse? What do I mean as an excuse?

This past week during our Lenten service on Friday, the movie we watched was a war movie. And two of the main characters were discussing death and God. The unbeliever said, I don’t believe in God because when I looked into the eyes of a dead soldier, I saw nothing, I knew there was nothing. And the faithful soldier laughed and said how convenient that must be for him, because he had the same experience and instead saw peace in the eyes of the dead soldier. Therefore, I ask, how many of us truly ask for God’s will or do we use it as an excuse to say, see nothing happened therefore, there is no God? And yet, St. Nersess Shnorhali’s prayer emphasizes something very important, desirer of good wills AND performer of wills.

 The saint does not deny that God does in fact perform, does allow, does grant us our wills our choices. We read repeatedly in scriptures, ask and it will be given, ask in the name of Christ Jesus and believe that it has already be given. Yet, as Christian’s how are we supposed to understand this therefore? What about the will of God?

Today is the 4th Sunday of Lent; The Sunday of the Steward. A man, who had been entrusted with the property of his master and had been caught cheating. And when he was about to be fired, he used his position, his knowledge, his wisdom and the tools given to him to make friends with others in the community because he was looking out for his own skin. How many of us have acted like this steward? How many of us have used our talents, our position, our abilities, our tools, in a manner that does not glorify God, but rather saves our own skin? Maybe it by telling a half truth? Perhaps calling into work sick, when we just really want a few more days off work? We serve in the Church, we have gathered here in prayer and worship or downstairs in fellowship, how many of us have love in our hearts for those in here vs. How many of us judge each other, what we wear, what we think, how we sing, the color of our clothes and hair?

St. Anthony, one of the desert fathers says, “if you see someone sleeping in Church, do not wake them. Rather, lend them your lap as a pillow. Because we do not know what life they live that their only rest is found in the Church.” Yet, how many of us would look and say, “how shameful, they are sleeping in the Church.” If you want to find the greatest reason for unbelief in this world, it is those who say they believe yet, deny it daily by their lifestyles. My dear brothers and sisters, God desires to fulfill our wills, however, how many of us truly desire his? A true and faithful servant is one whose will is in line with God’s will.

We are blessed. With family, health, talent, position, wisdom, knowledge, a Church etc. Yes, those blessings also have difficulties with them. Not everyone’s health is perfect. Not everyone’s family is strong. Yet, what is our response? What is our responsibility as Stewards of this world? Because that is what we are. When God created the world, He made Adam and Eve, He made humanity stewards of all creation. Meaning we have a responsibility. A responsibility to love, to lift, to care, to serve one another as Christ has served and loved us. That is when MY WILL, our will is one with Gods will. If we truly want God’s will in our lives just as we pray, to see God, to be in communion with God, then we must begin by using what he has already given us, use what we have been trusted with to be the same blessing to others. If you want God to listen to our prayers, to fulfill our desires, to continue to bless us, then we must be accountable for those desires and blessings. And our accountability is in how we treat one another. Only then will we hear those blessed words from Christ Jesus, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master. (Matthew 25:21)”

My dears, we are half way through Lent? Where is our heart, our mind? Where is our will? It is not just by showing up to Church every Sunday. It is not just by writing a check to the Church. It is by being the Church to those outside everyday. It is by living the writings of God, the Word of Christ Jesus in the workplace, in the school, in the streets, everywhere. As St. Paul teaches, “Putting away falsehood, let everyone speak the truth, be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger…be imitators of God, as beloved children. And thereby, we will become faithful servants, God’s will shall be done in our lives.
Amen!

Passages: Luke 6.12-49; Isaiah 54.11-55.13; 2 Corinthians 6.1-7.1; Luke 15.1-32 

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

IT’S TOO HARD!! Often I am asked, Diratsoo, why is it that faith comes so easy for some people and yet, is so difficult for me? It is a question I am sure most of us have asked in some form. Who hasn’t felt the difficulties of faithfulness especially in the midst of wrong? While driving to Church on Sunday, we might get cut off or get pulled over for speeding, as we are trying to not be late for Church. Though we are coming to pray, events such as these two anger us and the rest of our day is ruined. We can’t focus on prayer in Church, let alone anything else.

Or perhaps when we bow our heads in private prayer at home, all we can think about is work, bills, personal battles we are facing. Focusing on Church and our Christian faith feels pointless. What about the world around us? All this negativity, whether it is daily shootings, disregard for those who are different, all the darkness in the world. For some it really becomes a strain on focusing on prayer or faith. Almost all of us in some form have asked how can there be so much evil in this world? Last week in New Zealand 3 Mosques were scenes of active shooters. If you travel to the Middle East, Christianity continually is the most persecuted faith in history. Did you know that last week in Egypt, militants killed 3 buses filled with Coptic Christian’s going to a monastery? There are more Churches closing or being destroyed than ever. How are we supposed to pray?

We don’t have to go that far. Every year, there are more and more Church’s closing, more and more people leaving the Christian faith. We have that struggle here in our own community. If we look back 20, 30, 40 years ago in relation to today, the Church is empty. Therefore, how do we focus on the good with all this negativity around us? It’s too hard!

We all know that the Second Sunday of Great Lent is known as the Sunday of the Prodigal Son. So today’s Gospel story is only about the Prodigal Son correct? Wrong! If we are paying attention to when the Gospel is being read or if we read it at home for ourselves, we may pass over the first 10 verses of the Gospel message today. It begins with the Pharisees arguing as to why Christ is eating with sinners or the unclean. And Christ speaking to them asks, “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. “Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (vv.4-10)

How often have we thought about this passage? If we logically approach what Christ is asking us, he is saying who among you, who among us, would leave 99 sheep just to look for the 1 lost? Or how many of us would go looking for 1 coin when we still of 9 out of 10? After all that’s still 90% of what we had. Logically none of us would. By going after the lost sheep or the lost dollar, its sounds like Christ is saying that we should focus on the negative? It does almost sound like he is saying, forget the 99 go find that 1. It’s like the art teacher who puts up a piece of paper with a black dot on the board and asks the students to describe the picture. Almost every student write about the black dot rather then the white painting. Everyone focuses on the negative. Likewise why is Christ focusing our attention to the negative when clearly 99 or 90% is still positive?

That’s a great question. St. Paul in 2 Corinthians says this, Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.  We put no obstacle in any one’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, tumults, labors, watching, hunger; (Ch. 6 vv. 2-6) St. Paul here is teaching the Corinthians that though today is the day of salvation, that though today we are freed by the blood of Christ Jesus, that though we have countless blessings, it is not without affliction, hardship, calamities, beatings. The 99% positive is not without the negative. When Christ is speaking about the lost sheep or the lost coin, He is not directing us to focus on the negative. Rather, he is teaching us that we must give our negativity, our loss, our darkness, our pain, our affliction over to God our Father and He will be our light, He will be our voice, He will find our lost. For there is no joy in Heaven like that of when 1 lost sheep is found – when 1 person repents. God is with us in our our loss, our pain, our hurt and guides sheds light on it for us to be found, if we give it over to Him.

One of my favorite sayings by Dr. Michelle Robin is “Comparison is the killer of joy.” When we compare our pain to others, when we compare our society, our families to the past, to others, we fail to see the joy, the positive. When we look at our community here and say, yes 20, 30, 40 years ago people were different, life in the Church was different we fail to see the goodness that is present here today. And it is not that the negative disappears. It is not that the faults or the lost magically become right. No, rather as St. Paul says, by purity, knowledge, forbearance, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute. (vv.6-8)

 If we want to overcome the negatives, the hatred, the uncleanliness, the sinfulness, the bigotry, sexism, etc. etc. than we must do it with the power of God, genuine love, trust and hope in God. Last week St. Paul taught us and St. Peter states again (1Peter 3:9) do not pay hate with hate or evil with evil but through love, through forgiveness. This isn’t logical for any of us. Just like it isn’t logical for Christ to be eating with sinners, or for anyone to leave 99 and go find the 1. However, what Christ demands of us is to be greater than human understanding, great than human logic and ultimately a greater trust in God in everything, both the positive and the negative – not merely in words but also through actions, through the way we treat one another. The prodigal son, left his family, basically saying “you’re dead to me,” took his inheritance and went off to live a life of his own desire. I am sure the Father, was heart broken. I’m sure logically as any parent here would do, we’d try to persuade them to stay, ground them, tell them absolutely not. But we don’t read about what the Father does. The Gospel says, the father gave his son his inheritance and let him go.

I am sure he was in pain. And logic would demand action. But if he had focused on the negative, “I have just lost my son,” he would have crippled himself to the reality that he still has a family, a wife, another son, workers etc. he still had God’s blessings. And yes, one of his 99 was lost. Yet, ultimately and undoubtedly we understand that he lifted his prayers up to God and God returned his lost sheep – for my son was lost but now is found!!

Did he know what was going to happen? No. Did he trust that God would be with him and his son? Yes. My dear brothers and sisters, what is crippling us from seeing God’s love and beauty in our lives? What is handicapping and damaging our faiths; what are focusing on that is holding us back from the light of God? What negativity are we focusing on that we have not given up to God?

Pray! Let us give our pain, negativity, loss, isolation, addiction, and struggle, let us give it all over to God – “for prayer is the place of refuge for every worry” (St. John Chrysostom) Pray and trust in what God our Father has promised us, that if we are lost, we will be found, if we are in pain we will be healed. Do we know how? No. Will there be pain? Yes. But if comparison is the killer of joy, than love and compassion are the healers of affliction. God loved, God had compassion on us and God heals us, if we trust Him and give our lives over to His Divine Will. And that is the message of the Lenten season.

Give all you have over to God, and God will return to you blessings upon blessings – not in spite of the negativity but through it. May we be compassionate, loving, forgiving to one another, not seeking our own will but trusting in the Lord for “now is the day of salvation” and today we are being called home.

Amen!

Passages: Luke 4:42-5:11; Isaiah 33:2-22; Romans 12:1-13:10; Matt. 5:17-48

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

From a very early age I had a love for theatrics. Every since I could remember, I enjoyed acting. During my 11th grade in High School, my school put on Shakespeare’s play of Hamlet. I played the role of Polonius, the wise advisor to the royal family. One of his most famous lines is, “Neither a lender nor a borrower be.” It is a beautiful phrase that speaks about not being in the debt of anyone. Nor should anyone be in your debt. Wise words for anyone to live by.

The concept of debt is something we grow up with from a very young age. Almost instinctively, we have the understanding, when someone does something to us, for us, with us, we owe him or her – we are in his or her debt. As we grow older debt becomes something more tangible Financial debt, student loans, credit cards, mortgages. Borrowed money from a loved one. Growing up I swore I would never get a credit card but society is not built this way. As an Armenian I am indebted to my ancestors. As a son, I am indebted to my parents There are certain cultures that the concept of life debt is a sacred bond. Where one swears a lifetime of servitude to another for having saved their own lives. What about our debt to God?

If there is anyone in the world that has done the greatest act of sacrifice for us, it is God. He created the world, gave us life, gave us His Only-Begotten Son, Christ Jesus to die for our sins. What about our debt to God? When humanity was created the plurality of God’s blessings was evident in the Garden of Eden. “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.’ And God said, ‘Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.’” (Gen. 1:27-31) God gave to Adam and Eve, God blessed Adam and Eve and with only had one rule, don’t eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. It’s strange to think that today some people are turned off of religion because of the plethora of rules. Yet, back then it was 1 rule and they broke it. Because we all know the rest of the story; Adam and Eve ate of the fruit and sin entered the world. They were expelled from the Garden. That is why today is Expulsion Sunday. They broke their agreement.

Moses and the Israelite’s, were promised to be led to the land of Milk and Honey, if only Exodus 12 states, “(You shall) observe this rite as an ordinance for you and for your sons for ever.” (v. 24) What rite? Loyalty and obedience to God. However, because the Israelite’s did not remain loyal, did not keep their promise, for 40 years they continued in Exile. God gave an agreement, and humanity agreed, then failed to live up to their end of the deal. Humanity did not fulfill their debt to God. So how do we pay our debt to God? What transaction is required or what amount is needed to pay God back?

As Christian’s we believe that our debt has been paid through the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross. We have been bought as St. Paul teaches; we have been atoned for. So what debt am I speaking of? Last week during the Gospel reading, Christ is speaking in the sermon on the Mount and as he is preaching about faith, he speaks about prayer. Instructing us on how we are to pray. And he teaches us what we all know today as the Lord’s Prayer – Hayr Mer. And the Lord’s Prayer states “Forgive us our trespassers as we forgive those who trespass again us.” What trespassing’s are we talking about? In Armenian it the text being closer to the Ancient Greek states “Եւ թող մեզ զպարտիս մեր որպէս եւ մեք թողունք մերոց պարտապանաց” yev togh mez zpartees mer, vorpes yev mek toghoonk merots partapanats. “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive those to who we are in debt to us.” So again we see here that Christ is emphasizing our debt to God. Unfortunately, this prayer is not speaking of credit card debt forgiveness. If it was I am sure many more would pray this prayer far more often. No what debt is to be understood in the Lords Prayer?

My dear brothers and sisters, when we are indebted to someone, what does this mean? It means that someone has trustingly taken a risk upon us, and either given us money, time, etc. and it is in our hands as to what we do with what we have been trusted with. They have sacrificed something for our benefit. When a friend out of the kindness and love of their heart, helps us through a difficult time or when a soldier goes to battle selflessly ready to sacrifice their lives, they are giving of themselves trusting that you would also do the same if the roles were reversed. “God so loved the world He gave to us His only son to die for us in order for us to live.” To be indebted to someone means to be in their trust, in their love, in their selfless hope. And Christ in today’s Gospel is ultimately teaching us to honor that debt, how?

Through love, humility, selflessness, hope. Christ tells us to love our enemies, to pray for them. Do good to those who cannot and might not do any good to us. Ultimately do good without expectations. It is easy to be nice, to love, to sacrifice something for someone who we know will pay us back. Credit card companies give us credit based on our record of how trustworthy we are. But Christ is saying be better than that. Our righteousness must surpass that of the pharisees and scribes. 

We see this in the words of St. Paul to the Romans, “Owe no one anything, except to love one another…”(Rom. 13:8) I gave the example of banks giving credit out. They only do so, if they trust you will pay them back and with interest. Yet, as Christian’s, as children of our Father in Heaven, we are being called to do not by trusting the person in front of us but ultimately trusting God. Do we want to pay back God for all that He has done? Love one another as He loved us. Do we want to fulfill our Christian obligation as we state in the Lord’s prayer to be forgiven of our debt as we forgive? Love one another as He loved us. Do we want to accept God’s mercy, God sacrifice of Christ Jesus, God’s Promise to us and show that we truly and only trust God? Love on another as He loved us.

Christ ends the Gospel reading today simply with the words, “You, therefore, must be perfect, as you heavenly Father is perfect.” We, therefore must love, as our Heavenly Father has loved. We must give our love without expectation. For those who are parents, you give for your child knowing fully that they could never pay you back. God gave without expecting a payback. And as children, we pray, that we each grow up with a sense of how in debt to our parents we really are, a debt we could never pay back. How much more are all of us in debt to God our Father.

As the words of Polonius in Hamlet suggests, neither a lendor nor borrower be. Don’t lend your love out, meaning don’t love and expect the same in return. No rather love selflessly. Love hopefully. Love unconditionally. And through that love, trust God ultimately. And we will reenter into the Garden of Eden, we will enter into Paradise. Because Paradise is God’s presence. In God’s presence there is only love.

It was Gods love that trampled death. It was Gods love that saved this world from sin. It was God love that paid the ultimate price. Because God is love and to love is to be with God and to be as God to which we are all called to like. What our world needs today more than ever is that love. Not superficial love. Divine love, which works to build, rebuild, strengthen and fortify. Politics are in shambles. Families are broken. Sexim, bigotry, racism, depression, isolation, darkness is growing. Hatred for our own brothers and sisters is evident in how we look and talk to each other here in this Church, our workplaces and in our homes. But if we claim to be a good and faithful believe, if we truly believe that we are Christian’s, saved by the blood of Christ Jesus then, as St. Paul teaches, “let love be genuine, hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good…practice hospitality, bless those who persecute you…do not repay evil with evil…live peaceably with all…overcome evil with good” (Rom. 12:9-21)

Therefore, I pray that this Lenten season, as we go through each of these Sunday’s together, may it be an opportunity to love and place our trust in God. Love each other, love your friends, families, co-workers, beggars in the street, enemies. Love those who you don’t agree with. Love those who have hurt you. And this isn’t merely done in words. But picking up the phone and calling them, reaching out to each other. And only then will God “forgive our debts as we have forgiven our debtors.” May the Grace of the Holy Spirit fill us all, may we love as we have been loved, for God is good yesterday, today and for all eternity, Amen!!

Sermon for Sunday February 10, 2019

Passages: Isaiah 61:10-62:92; 2Timothy 2:15-26; John 6:15-21

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

If you have Netflix, one of the more recently popular movies is called Birdbox. It is a sci-fi thriller about a mysterious force which humans must avoid because coming face to face with it takes the form of their worst fears – which forces them to commit suicide. It displays the power of fear. Fear caused sane, educated and healthy individuals to go as far as killing themselves. Though a movie, there is some truth to this. Fear is very powerful.

During President Bush’s time in office and all the way until today, both Democrats and Republicans have used fear to convince the people of their own agendas. Fear of gangs and terrorists. Fear of the climate changing. Fear of the market crashing, of you losing your health care, your home, your rights as a citizen of America. As a result these fears have fueled racism, sexism, bigotry, domestic violence, theft, murder and even suicide. In 2008 when the market crashed, suicide rates went through the roof because people didn’t know what to do after losing all their money. Fear is very powerful.

What about us, what do we fear? Perhaps these political issues bring us worry as well. Perhaps we fear about the world our children and grandchildren are growing up in. We fear pain, we fear uncertainty, we fear death. As a result we isolate ourselves, we become angry, we mistrust and we begin to be filled with hate. This mornings Gospel Jesus lets His disciples get into a boat and head out on the Sea of Galilee. A few miles into their trip, it becomes dark and a severe storm ensues. Water begins to pour into the boat. Their ability to navigate is removed, unable to see where they’re going, their boat is taking a serious beating from the turbulent waves. Fear takes over, and it feeds the fear of the others. There is no hope in sight. Then seeing Jesus walking towards them on the water, they become even more afraid. I don’t know about you but if I saw ANYONE walking on the water while I’m in a middle of a storm, of course I would be scared. What is that a ghost?! All Jesus says is, “It is I; do not be afraid.” Then they were comforted and taking him into the boat, immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going. The storm had ceased.

What does Jesus’ presence have to do with our fears? Coming to Church and believing in God doesn’t mean the problems of the world disappear, it doesn’t take the fear away from all of life’s difficulties. No of course not. Yet, fear and faith cannot exist in the same place. When someone doesn’t have faith we say it is because they doubt. But lack of faith is not only because of doubt but also because of fear. If we are in a dark room, we can’t see where we are walking, we can’t see if there is something in front us, or even if we are in danger. We become afraid, similar to the disciples on the stormy Sea of Galilee. Until a light is turned on and fear is vanquished.

Why? Because when the room is illuminated, we know what surrounds us. We are no longer afraid. Likewise, when we have faith in Christ our God, when we believe in all God has done for us and continues to do, we set aside doubt but we also leave fear to one side as well. Because faith is not only a belief, rather faith is a knowledge in the truth. When we approach each Sunday to receive Holy Communion, the priest says this is hope, resurrection, forgiveness and expiation of our sins. He does not say we believe this is…no rather we know this is.  When we are baptized we are placed on the path of knowing God, and when we know God, we see with our eyes of faith, we hear and know His voice when He says, “It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

The fear of the disciples changed to comfort the moment they recognized Christ’s presence. Did the storm continue? Yes. Did everything magically become easy? No. There is something very unique in the way the Gospel tells today’s story. Listen to the last few lines, “When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near to the boat. They were frightened, but he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.” What do we see?

Soledad O’brien, an American Journalist says, “I’ve learned that fear limits you and your vision. It serves as blinders to what may be just a few steps down the road for you…” After seeing Jesus the disciples, first, were glad or comforted – first fear disappeared, first they knew who God was, then the all became calm. This is a major point. Because many of us want life to become easy, then we acknowledge God is there. Yet, how many of us can acknowledge the presence of God in the midst of our fear, our pain, our struggle? Fear blocks out the view of God in our pain and our daily struggles. Yes, we do not continually “see” the presence of God – yet that is where our truth faith, knowledge of Gods presence must guide us, not around but through the fears we have.

And when others see that even through pain we remain faithful, our example will be a guiding force for others to likewise come to the knowledge of God. We become a source of illumination through love of hope for others – which is what we as Christians are called to be. Every week I remind us of the names of those saints who have lived a faithful life and who remain as intercessors and examples for us. Those saints embraced fear, with the knowledge of God in their lives and even though they were martyred, they remain today as living witnesses. We read this when St. Stephen the Proto-Martyr, while being stoned to death, continued to pray and his face became like an angel. Christ called off the cross, Father forgive them… They did not evade fear but showed love through it. What will people say through us and our example?

My prayer my dearly beloved brothers and sisters, is that we do not allow fear to control our lives. Trust have faith and know that He is our God. That we continually live out our baptismal vows and prayers to be in the knowledge of our God. So that when we, or our loved ones, do face times of fear and doubt, we will see and hear Christ calling, “It is I, do not be afraid.” Amen!

Sermon for Sunday February 3, 2019

Passages: Isaiah 62:1-11; 2 Timothy 2:15-19; John 6:38-47

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

Through all my years of seminary, one of my biggest worries was in the topic of sermons or homilies. The reason for this was because I quickly learned that in order for me to understand the Christian faith, its beauty especially in relation to me as an Armenian and a person living here in the United States, it could take years of unending study. St. Basil teaches us that Holy Scriptures are an endless well, out of which we eternally draw out living water. So how much could I really teach in a 10-15 minute sermon? Every week when I think about what I can learn and in turn teach from scripture this thought process goes through my mind.

From scripture, we never really hear about how long Jesus preached for. We know that people followed him everywhere. But these multitudes had jobs, families. To be frank they had lives. And yes, today we have smartphones and busy Sunday schedules, being Superbowl Sunday as it were, so our attention spans are much shorter. But I highly doubt that attentions spans was much more lengthy back then, and I am doubtful that the Apostles or other followers of Christ memorized word for word what was taught. In fact I know for certain, because if they had, they would have not needed to be reminded repeatedly and nor to be inspired by the Holy Spirit. Especially when we closely examine some of the teachings of Christ that are very theological, we see that the disciples had difficulty understanding let alone us. But Jesus always spoke through parables and especially through practical concepts for his Jewish audience to understand.

In today’s Gospel for example Christ teaches about him being the bread of life that comes down from heaven. For us this concept may be foreign. But for the Jewish people listening, what he is referring to is in the Exodus story. In the wilderness, God fed his people bread from heaven (manna), but those who ate it eventually died. Here, Jesus claims to be “the bread which came down from heaven,” (John 6:48-58) and all those who eat of it will live forever. In the Badarak, the priest prays: O Lord our God, who sent our Lord Jesus Christ, the heavenly bread, the food of the whole world, to be savior and redeemer and benefactor, and to bless and to sanctify us. And as the Very Rev. Fr. Daniel Findikyan writes in his commentary, “Jesus is using the heavenly manna as a point of reference well known to his audience…” Meaning when Jesus says I am the bread that comes down from heaven, the Jewish people know exactly what he is talking about.

What about us? How can we understand this and what can be understood through this image of the bread coming down from heaven? This past week was cold to say the least. Whether we stayed at home out of necessity or choice, we all could easy follow on social media and television the effects of the cold weather. And to add to the cold, what else did we have? Snow! As children when we saw snow we got excited. The prospect of school being cancelled or being able to sled down nearby hills was exciting. But how many of us have watched how snow falls as adults? Where does it fall? Everywhere. Snow covers the entire landscape with a pure white sheet. In big cities like Chicago it is difficult to fully appreciate but when you go to rural areas or in the mountains, there is nothing like the sight of freshly blanketed snow in the morning. It’s almost like the world’s blemishes and dirt disappear and instead a new world is revealed. During the time of Exodus, the manna that came down from Heaven likewise, covered the land. And all Jews were taught to go and collect the manna, because that manna was life, it is what sustained and gave nutrition to the Jews during their exodus.

This does not mean when it snows, you should go out and start collecting it. But the image that Christ is giving of the manna coming down from heaven and my image of snow covering the world draws us to image of who is faith for? For this is the will of my Father, that every one who sees the Son and believes in him should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. (v. 40) The will of God the Father is that EVERYONE, not just the Jews or Greeks. Not just the Armenian’s or the attendees of St. Gregory. As St. Paul’s words say, during our baptisms, in Christ there is no Jew, Greek, male, female, etc. We are all God’s children. Salvation and freedom from sin in Christ Jesus is for everyone.

Just like the snow that falls does not have prejudice as to where it falls but rather covers the earth, likewise, the love of God falls on all who seek and desire him and covers over all. The faith, hope, resurrection, forgiveness and freedom of sins is given to all who believe in Christ Jesus. What does the priest say when he turns to the people with the chalice? Sa e huys, harutyun, kavootyun yev toghootyoon meghats…Holy Communion – the body and blood, the living bread and wine that has come down to us from Heaven, Christ Jesus. And when we live in the sacramental life of the Church, being baptized and washed, covered in Christ – we too are invited to partake of this life-giving bread.

Yet, how many of us are ready to accept this? I often wonder, do we want to believe? Do we want to accept that faith is also for us or would we rather run and hide hoping because it might be easier. To have faith also draws us to have a certain responsibility. Because as Christian’s, as the children who bare the name of Christ we are called to be imitators, icons, reflections of Christ Jesus in this world. In the first few lines of the Eucharistic Prayer, the longest and most important prayer of Badarak (see pp. 29-39 in the Divine Liturgy book), the priest prays, “Having taken the Church to be a people to himself, made his own those who believe in you, and was pleased to dwell among us in a ponderable nature, according to the dispensation through the Virgin, and as the divine master-builder building a new work, he thereby made this earth into heaven.” Through Christ Jesus we have been made a people to God. We have all been chosen. We have been chosen to live and through Christ Jesus do his work which is to make earth into Heaven.

Picture that freshly snow covered world. Does our faith, our love, our hope, which we have been given by God also extend to all without prejudice or spite? This does not mean we accept everything that everyone does. No! But do we accept everyone as God does, through love and forgiveness? Do we pray for everyone, our friends, our loved ones, and also our enemies? Do we pray for them or do we pray they be changed or replaced to someone we like better? Or do we deny others and thereby also denying ourselves – as the Lords prayer says, “forgive us as we forgive.”

This morning as I was getting ready, I saw a cute little advertisement on social media. It was two children hand in hand walking towards Church. And the caption read, Love is taking someone to Church with you. If we truly believe we are saved, if we truly believe of this faith that has been given to us through the sacrifice of God, then we must share it. Lent is upon us. Soon we will be fasting and preparing for Easter. I invite us to take this advertisement to heart and for Great Lent, it is one month away so I will remind everyone, let us try to bring one person with us to Church every Sunday. That is 7 Sundays. 7 friends or loved ones, or colleagues or maybe someone who we know who needs to be shown love from Christ. Maybe we will not fully master faith in 7 Sunday’s but the love of God will be felt. And in return we too will continually find God’s love in our lives.  We too will eat from the Heavenly bread that comes from heaven and gives us eternal life – Jesus Christ.

Let us all pray that our faiths daily be like the snow that covers the ground, so that as in the words of St. Paul we, “Do [y]our best to present [y]ourself to God as one approved, a workman who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” May God’s Divine love and salvation flow through us and into this world, as a workmen with the word of truth, for the Grace of God to reach all the dark corners of the world and to glorify him eternally, Amen!

Passages: Colossians 2:8 – 15; Lk. 2:21

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

Breathing heavily, he could hear his heart thumping in his ears. The pressure was building. He had not even stepped out on to the platform yet, and sweat was dripping down his face. He stepped up to the bucket of chalk and wiped his palms. Making sure he had fully covered his hands, he tightened his belt and made sure all his equipment was check. Moving up to the bar, he got under 850 lbs and got ready to squat. Controlling his breathing, he knew he was prepared for this lift. He was ready, he had the mindset, he had prepared, he was equipped to make this work. Holding in his breath, he squat the heavy weight. People cheered and screamed all around him, but all he could hear was silence, all he could hear was the internal voice, you are ready. And slowly but surely, he stood back up with what felt like the entire weight of the world.

Recently I saw an advertisement for police/security. It had 2 people side by side. One was a fully equipped soldier with a gun,  bullet proof vest, combat boots and gloves. Everything to protect him and to get the job done. Next to him was a regular man, dressed in a green dress shirt, slacks, runners, regular wrist watch and cellphone. If you had seen him walking down the street, you would not say there is anything special about him. However, there was one additional thing on this advertisement. The civilian, had dashes on him, pointing out his hands, his eyes, mouth, ears, and cell phone. And the advertisement it said, we are all equipped to stop terrorism.

This idea and what it was emphasizing resonated with me, because it wasn’t about stopping terrorism or crime, but rather about being aware of how equipped we are to deal with such situations. Even with out own lives, whenever we face trials in life whether it is with our health, work, relationships, school, social justice issues, etc. we begin to question why God allows us to face crisis, pain, isolation and hurt. Our faith strains and we seek God either initially or eventually, looking for answers in our prayers for questions. Then we begin to question whether we are even able to handle the situation we are in. Some of us may use scriptural references about how “God will not lead us, where he cannot protect us” or “God never gives us more than we can handle” Yet, how aware are we of the truth behind those words, when we are isolated, when we are struggling.

St. Paul in his letter to the Colossians writes, “See to it that no one makes a prey of you by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ.” He is warning us to not merely go after empty statements or slogans, philosophies. We spew out scripture; we quote poster boards, yet it falls on empty deceit. We put our hope in the words and not in the WORD, Christ Jesus. For this reason, St. Paul continues, “For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have come to fullness of life in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.”

About a month ago, we looked at the vestments of the clergy in the Armenian Church. Each piece had a theological and practical application to it. Yet, ultimately the vestments reminded us that we are equipped by putting on Christ and through Christ we have been equipped to not only have faith but also to use that faith against the tyranny, against the pains and darkness of this world. The soldier, the civilian and the weightlifter are all equipped to take on the challenges presented to them. Through training, through an awareness of what equipment they have at their disposal, each of them has an understanding of their role in overcoming obstacles.

What about us? In moments of pain and sin we ask where is God? Yet, we don’t come to Church, we don’t pray, we don’t open the Word of God, our Bibles and we don’t speak to our priests. And when we do, it is either superficially or because we have tried every other means. Does reading your Bible cure cancer or feed the hungry? Does talking to your priest or lighting a candle make the pain go away? Perhaps not. But these are tools, they are equipment given to us to bring us to a place of awareness of how we are equipped through Christ Jesus to grow in our faith and to use that faith in overcoming our pain.

My dear brothers and sisters, Christ Jesus is born and revealed. Last week, celebrating Christmas and Theophany we understand that Christ was born. How aware are we of his revelation in our lives? How aware are we of the tools and training we receive in Church, from our baptisms, through the Word of God, to not defeat sin which has already been done by Christ Jesus on the Cross but to grow in spite of it. This is done in small ways and as well as large. We hear about someone miraculously being healed of cancer we say Praise God. What about when we see a child praying? What about when we see forgiveness and love being shown to someone? This is faith applied.

These are all applications of those tools we have been given. Sure a child praying doesn’t cure cancer. It does teach us however, that just like that weightlifter who feels like the weight of the world is on his shoulders, that when we feel likewise, through the person of Christ Jesus and the tools we have been given of faith, we are equipped to grow and use that faith to help this world grow. Christ is born and revealed, Blessed is the revelation of Christ and may that revelation create in us an awareness of faith.

Sermon for Sunday December 30, 2018

Passages: Isaiah 51.15-52.3; Hebrews 13.18-25; Luke 22.24-30

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

Depending on where you live in Illinois or at least in the Chicago general area, you are either a Cubs or Sox fan. If I were to poll a 1,000 people as to which is better, undoubtedly there would be a disagreement.

Even if you aren’t a sports fan, from a very young age, we innately grow up with this sense of competition. From academia, athletics, business, politics etc. To be faster, stronger, smarter, more successful. Ultimately to be right! In Armenian I have heard a saying, which states, “no one judges the victor.” Perhaps while competing or working away, we make certain decisions that are questionable by others. At times rightfully so, but at times because they don’t understand. Like how some Cubs fans can’t understand how others like the Sox and visa versa. Only after victory or becoming successful do people stop judging us. We were right. We won!

This rhetoric of being right or the best is overwhelmingly evident in today’s politics. The left vs. the right. Who is the greatest? Or as Trump so eloquently puts it in almost all of his speeches, “No body can do it like me. I am the best.” Regardless if you like Trump or not, whether you identify as blue or red, Cubs or Sox, whether math or music is your forte, the competitive spirit is in all of us. For some it is loud and boisterous; for some it is done quietly behind the scenes. In fact, the disciples themselves show this competitive spirit in the Gospel today. “A dispute also arose among them, which of them was to be regarded as the greatest.” (v. 24) This entire week, leading up to New Years and Christmas, in the month of December the Armenian Church remembers and celebrates some the greatest teachers, prophets and saints of the Christian faith. King David, St. Paul and Peter, St. Stephen the Protomartyr, the Zebedee brothers James and John and so forth. For the Armenian Church these feast are called Avak Don or The Great Feasts. Yet, when we read the words of these saints or their lives, we do not see ultimately this competitive nature. Rather we continually see humiliation, perhaps persecution and failure.

For this reason Christ rebukes his disciples by saying, “‘The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you; rather let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves…’” (v. 25-26) Hey Peter, hey James, don’t be like everyone else. Don’t be like those so-called leaders of the non-believers who each one tries to raise themselves up above other. Rather, Christ is teaching the disciples and us, that as Christian’s our driving force or greatness is in our willingness to serve, to be humble. None of us would say those saints were failures, yet, they would argue that their success came through God alone. Because Christ is not saying don’t be competitive or don’t try your hardest. Lest we take this teaching of Christ to be encouraging of laziness. Christ isn’t saying be lazy. On the contrary, the example he gives is of a servant of the table.

A waiter. Someone who takes the orders, cleans, serves, etc. I personally believe that everyone should have to work as a waiter for a year of their life, in order to feel what it means to run around serving others. We’ve all been to restaurants. When the waiter is lazy, slow, inattentive, and rude; what do we think first? “Well that’s coming out of their tip.” In fact a waiter can ruin our entire night. But when our waiter is kind, smiling, pays attention to what we ask and helps us to the best of their ability, even if they sometimes mess something up, we want to reward that behavior. Because though he is a servant of the table, though he may have forgotten the straws, without him or her we would not eat, we would not enjoy our night out.

Likewise, Jesus Christ is teaching us that as Christian’s, as children of God, we are called to show the same love and humility that we have seen through the actions of Christ Jesus. By humbling ourselves, we begin to see eye to eye with those around us. We become empathetic to the needs of others. We see God in each person in the streets, from the greatest of saints to the greatest of sinners. We see that failure or our shortcomings are not a sign of our worth, for our worth is not in our dress, in our rank, nor in our temporal success. St. Moses the Strong teaches, “if a man does not put himself in the attitude of a sinner, his prayer will not be heard by God.”

In this season of celebration of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and tomorrow New Years, do we see ourselves as higher or superior to those around us? We may say no. But our actions speak louder than our words. And through the advice of St. Moses, our actions will speak louder than our prayers. In what do we put our value? My dear brothers and sisters, let us take the words of St. Paul and likewise, ask that we each pray for each other and for those who are not here among us. Christian, non-Christian, male, female, black, white, blue, red, cubs or sox, we are all created equal. Our value is in the image of God in which we are created, not in our degree of success. And we all rise and fall together. There is something we often forget. If we try to raise ourselves up, we need to begin by stepping onto something and/or unfortunately someone. However, if we humble ourselves and have the hope, love and compassion that we are taught to have, then by raising others up, they to can pull us up with them. For that is the essence of our faith.

So yes, be competitive in school, at work, on the field. But do so in a way that brings glory to God – by seeing each person around you as a beloved child of God. And when we do so, our prayers will be heard. Therefore, may 2019 be a year of strength, hope, love, empathy and prayer. God willing the coming year is an exciting year for us. Therefore, as a family let us all rise up together by the grace of the Holy Spirit and in the glory of God. Amen!

Sermon for Sunday December 23, 2018
Passages: Isaiah 40.18-31; Hebrews 4.16-5.10; Luke 18.9-14

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

Whether you celebrate in December or January majority of us these days are preparing for Christmas. Of course, outside of the Church, we would have to say we are preparing for the holidays. Every year it seems more and more things regarding Christmas are being diluted and commercialized. We’ve all heard about the Christmas trees being removed from public offices, parades being cancelled, songs being twisted and perverted. Gingerbread men are now gingerbread persons. Recently, this year the gender of Santa Claus (a fictional character) is now being questioned. I remember when I was a kid, the arguments started from Xmas vs. Christmas.

And for those who are trying to fight back, if you aren’t called old fashioned, bigoted, sexists, etc. we hear all these anti slogans like it’s Christmas not X-mas or keep Christ in Christmas. In fact, Fr. Garabed beautifully gave a sermon on keeping Christ in Christmas, about decorated trees and decorating the lives of others with our love and example of Christian faith. Yet, truth be told, it seems like a losing battle. However, with all the commercialism there is one thing I do enjoy. Once in a while during this season, I will see or hear an ad on TV or the radio about what Christmas is really about. However, a few weeks ago, I heard an ad on the radio by ebates which shook me to my core.

It began by people expressing their skepticism regarding popular Christmas beliefs. Someone said Santa Claus, another said white Christmas or flying reindeer. Finally the third person said, that I don’t believe that ebates offers cash back on purchases made. And it went on to prove how ebates delivers on what it promises. The Ad ended with, “ebates, something to believe in this season.”

And when I heard that sentence, I was truly disturbed. Whether you celebrate in January or December, how many of us are searching for something to believe in? And has our search today truly been limited to the materialistic world? What are we celebrating? Jolly old Saint Nick, delivering toys to all the good little girls and good little boys? Perhaps we are celebrating time off work and school, catching up on much needed sleep? Or maybe it’s just time with family? These are all wonderful traditions and practices to have during not only in this time of the year but throughout the year. Yet, what do we believe in?

If our belief is merely in the commercialism then yes, I would argue ebates is correct, we are in need of something to believe in this season. However, my dear brothers and sisters, if this is the case, then we are guilty of scriptures words by the prophet Isaiah, “To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness compare with him?” How much longer will we be guilty of creating a god, creating something for us to according to our liking to believe in? For majority of us here, we have faith in God. Naturally we are all on different walks with our faith, yet, by examining our hearts, how many of us can admit that the God we believe in is not a fabrication of our own personal beliefs? And I am not speaking about white beards or angel wings. I am not speaking even about teachings that we might agree with or disagree when the Church speak about certain social and political issues. Rather, what in our lives has taken the top spot for us above all others, on which we base our life’s decisions and beliefs on?

Perhaps its family, perhaps it works. For the Pharisee in the parable today, His “god” was his justification of himself through his actions compared to those he had decided are less than him. He believed that he was better, not because of who God had made him. Rather he believe he was better because he made a god out of himself. I do all the good things and I am not like those others as he points to the tax collector. Yet, the tax collector, humbles himself and have mercy on me for I am a sinner. The actions of what the tax collector of course are sinful but his belief that he can become better through God is what raised him above the Pharisee. So in this Christmas season what do we believe in?

The story of Christmas is not about what we believe in. The reason for the season is not to put Christ back in Christmas. It is not about putting lights on a tree and being with family. What we believe in Christmas is for us to be Christ born in the lives of others. For us to be Christ in Christmas. Not according to our standards or our actions. But through our love and humility. Christ the king of kings is born in a manger. How much did he humble himself by become human in order to raise us up to divinity? So if you want something to believe in, believe in Christ in humanity, in your neighbor, in your enemy, in the beggars in the street and the politicians in office.

And when we do this we will truly see a return on our investments. When we see the person beside us is equal to us, regardless how much of sinful life they live. If we show love and forgiveness, we will also bring healing. It reminds me of a story I once read about a children’s oncology unit. At the children’s hospital Santa would come visit and bring gifts to all those kids and their families in the hospital. However, there was one child that had a very several form of bone cancer I believe and wasn’t able to get out of bed. Then all of a sudden, you saw another child who was equally as sick but was mobile, placing his friend in a wagon and pulling him with him to see Santa Claus.

My dear brothers and sisters, we are all sick with the cancer of sin. Each person beside you in this Church and each person out there. Do we see Christ in them or have we made Christ in our image, blind to the spirit of hope and love we are called to bring. Therefore the question is wrong to say “What do we believe in?” In true question is “who do we believe we are in this season?” Who do we celebrate? Our egos, our achievements? Or do we humble ourselves and allow God’s love to lift us up ? My prayer is that we find Christ, not in the manger scene that has long been taken down from public places, not in the Christmas songs or even in the person of Santa Claus.

May we find Christ in our hearts and in the hearts of those around us. Instead of worrying about traditions of carols and tables, let us make it a tradition, a daily practice to show love for each other. For God so loved the world, he gave his only son. What will we give out of our love?

Sermon for Sunday December 16, 2018

Passages: Isaiah 38:1-8; Hebrews 1:1-14; Luke 17:1-10

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

If you’ve ever worked with watches, you know the tiny little gears that it takes to make everything move. Majority of people now a days wear smartwatches. Though complex by fitting a computer into something so small, I would argue it does not in anyway come close to a classic watch. Every morning you would put it on you had to turn the dial and wined it up. Yet, the gears and all the intricate moving parts were invisible to the naked eye. A true master watchmaker would understand this. I once read that if you were an apprentice and were learning watches, you had to take apart a watch and put it back together. In fact this image of how a watch works is even brought into our creation understanding of creation. In the argument of creation vs. evolution, there is a story about how two men, a creationist and an evolutionist, walking along the beach found a watch that worked perfectly. Each component was there with a specific reason. One of them, an evolutionist, would argue that all those parts randomly over a long period of time came together to make this watch, whereas the other man, the creationist, would argue there had to be a intelligent designer. It is an interesting argument and one we can look at later.

But the reason I bring this image of watches to our attention is because of today’s parable. Christ speaks “If you had faith as a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this sycamine tree, ‘Be rooted up, and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. “ (v.6) This is a parable many of us have heard repeatedly. It is a story that even Sunday School children know and perhaps as a project have planted mustard seeds, to see what will happen. But Christ is not giving us this example as a Sunday School project. What Christ speaks about here is faith. A faith so strong it can move trees and mountains. I do not know of anyone in history to have moved real mountains. Not even sure what good it would do.  Living here in the Midwest I definitely miss mountains but I won’t be moving any of them here. So why is Christ comparing faith to a mustard seed?

At the time a mustard seed one the smallest seeds known. However, it was a seed that when fully matured grew to almost 12 feet high. Perhaps Christ is showing us what we can do with a mature faith? What is faith? Unfortunately, a Sunday Sermon is far too short to examine what faith is. But perhaps we can examine the significance of the mustard seed. The Gospel account began with Christ teaching about forgiveness. “if your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him; and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, and says, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.” (v. 3-4) Therefore, faith requires forgiveness.

This topic of forgiveness is repeated over and over again throughout scripture. In fact Christ says that if you are at the Altar, leave your sacrifice and go and reconcile with your brother. Forgiveness not just for us but by us to those around us. As the Lord’s prayer teaches, “forgive us…as we forgive…” And someone might say but Diratsoo, I have been hurt over and over again or a something horrible was done to me how could I forgive them? “I can be a good Christian without forgiving that one person.” We often forget that faith does not mean freedom from pain or suffering, rather an understanding through it. My dear brothers and sisters, though it may be small, but every act, every thought, every relationship is a like a mustard seed that can either grow and strengthen our faith, or hold us back.

Christ’s teaching of the mustard seed is very much like the watch. No matter how small every gear and bolt, all of it is necessary to make the watch work perfectly. No matter how small we may think our faith is, no matter how battered and bruised we are, each act, each prayer, each moment even as small as a mustard seed can do great things in our faith. Yes this is not easy. It takes time. In fact if you have ever seen a mustard seed grow, it needs to take years to take root then it starts going up. Likewise for each one of us, every time we forgive those who hurt us, every time we show love in the face of hate, every time we give hope to the hopeless through our actions and our relationships, it is giving nutrition to our seed. A seed of faith that has been planted and washed with the blood of Christ for us through his sacrifice. A tiny seed that can grow to move mountains and trees. A faith, even tiny in size, that can change this world.

Therefore, my dear brother and sisters, keep watering your seed of faith. Forgive each other, love each other, not in words but in actions. And this Christmas season that is upon us will bring forth blessings unseen. Let us pray for our faith and forgiveness, and the faith and forgiveness of those around us. Amen!!