Daily Readings: Acts 9:23-31; 1 Peter 2:1-10; John 2:23-3:12
Ընթերցուածքներ` Գործ. Թ 23-31; Ա Պետ. Բ 1-10; Յով. Բ 23 – Գ 12
In the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Amen
If a tree falls in the woods and no one’s there to hear it, does it still make a sound? This philosophical question is perhaps one we’ve all heard. The answer is of course yes, it makes sound vibrations though there is no one to receive those vibrations and therefore, the sound is not heard. In science this concept of sound vibrations is actually quite fascinating because it begs the question, are those vibrations powerful enough to make an impact in the world around them even if no one hears it. In science, this is called string theory, which proposes that the fundamental elements of the universe, the things that exist in other words, are not made up of particles, but rather minuscule, vibrating strings of energy. Meaning the entire universe is made up of vibrating energy, what we call frequency, much like a sound wave. Yet, what is so fascinating about this is if we take this theory and apply it to the question I asked about the tree falling in the woods, we can reword it to ask, what in the woods created the sound vibrations and what came of it?
And this is an important question to ask my dears as Christians, not philosophically or scientifically but practical for our lives. Because if science suggests that the entire universe is made up of these vibrations, we need to ask what is the source of those vibrations? For us Christians we know that this was God. In fact, what do we read in the Book of Genesis about creation? How did creation take place? “God said…”Creation was spoken, by sound vibrations, into existence. Even though we were not there to hear it, those vibrations caused life. Ps. 33:4 – 6 we read, “For the word of the Lord is right, And all His work is done in truth. He loves righteousness and justice; The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth. God created all through His Word, through speech. Last week we even read in Jn. 1 – “in the beginning was the Word…All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.”
And speech, or word to create is one of our shared qualities with God. In fact, in Armenian what do we call animals? Anasun, literally “non-verbal”. Yet, if the entire universe as we believe was spoken into existence, which even science affirms, these sound vibrations are what make up the universe and all in it, and we as humans differing from all animals of creation likewise speak, regardless of who is there to hear it, what kind of vibrations, what words, do we speak and put out into the universe? You see my dears, this question is neither scientific nor philosophical, it is personal, because we are responsible for what comes out of our mouths, we are responsible for what we create. And this is not limited to merely words. We are responsible for what choices we make, which likewise leave an impact in this world. The saintly Mother Theresa says, “Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.”
Regardless of if anyone hears our words, or thoughts, if anyone is on the receiving end of our actions, we leave an impact in this world. Our words, and our actions my dears, leave a vibration and imprint in this universe. Sometimes we don’t even realize this until it’s too late. I remember once getting cut-off in traffic and I used angerly responded with a slur in Armenian, only to hear my son laughing and repeating the same word all of a sudden. So often I hear people say, “oh this is my sin,” “or this doesn’t hurt anyone else.” Yet, as a body, if I have a headache, my entire body is uncomfortable. Likewise, we through our choices not only impact our lives but also those around us. Even the words we use about ourselves, in the privacy of our mind, impact us.
A famous Japanese doctor, Masaru Emoto, conducted an experiment where he would expose water to negativity and hatred. He would use negative, hate filled words, play harsh music, or share unkind thoughts towards a body of water. In another container, Dr. Emoto would play classical music, speak kind and loving words, sharing positivity. At the end of the experiment, he froze both samples of water and examined the participles. In the negative water, he discovered broken, and ugly ice crystals, whereas in contrast with the positive water he found beautiful harmonious structures formed. My dears, does my life leave positive or negative, violent or loving, Godly or sinful impact? As children of God, we are created by the harmonious, kind, loving Word of God. Through sin, the negativity and hatred of the world, pollutes are very being. We fill our lives with anger, hatred, we hold on to hurt, we abuse our mind, and our body, we listen to evil words and thoughts, we go after things that ultimately leave us far worse, broken and unsatisfied. Yet, through His Word, Christ Jesus, God calls us out of the darkness. Our creative God renews us through His Holy Church, through the Holy Scriptures – through His love and mercy.
And in our Psalms, we call out, “Lord if you open my lips, may I sing your praise.” Sing your praise not just in the Church my dears, but with our words, with our lives, sing His praise by forgiving others, sing His praise by forgiving ourselves, sing His praise by our choices in accordance with His commandments. Come and be reborn, washed of iniquity through the Holy Baptismal font, be the Holy Priesthood that God calls us to be through His Word, as St. Peter writes to us. “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” (1 Peter 2:9) Declare the wonderful deeds of Him! Create, speak, do, so that when the world sees us, when the world feels the vibrations we leave, even if they never personally know us, they will personally know God. Whether or not there is any one there to hear the sound of a falling tree, God sees. Whether or not the there is any on there to see or hear our actions, God sees. And through us, the universe is impacted, the love of God is shared, the light of God is brightly shined, and all creation, verbal or non-verbal, will glorify or deny Him. By the Word of God, Jesus Christ, by the love and mercy of our Heavenly Father, through the grace of Holy Spirit, let us open our minds with compassion to do His will, let us open our mouths in praise, Amen!
St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Church 