Sunday of Steward
Sunday of Steward The fourth Sunday of the period of Great Lent is called the Sunday of the Steward, and the message of the day teaches us with the parable of the unjust steward. This parable is mentioned only in the Gospel of St. Luke (Luke 16:1-13). In the parable, a wealthy man learns that the steward of his house (the supervisor of his holdings) is squandering his possessions. The rich man calls the steward, asking for an accounting, having decided to release him from employment. The steward, realizing that he may soon be without work, begins to act accordingly so that in the near future, others may accept him into their homes. The steward calls those men who have debts to his employer, and he relieves them of a portion of their debts. Following this act, the wealthy man praises the steward for his contrivance. At first glance, it seems as though there is a great contradiction in this commendation. But the unjust steward grants back to the debtors, only that which he had added to the debt originally for his own gain. Thus, the wealthy man is not injured by the actions of his steward. The master praises the steward for resigning himself from the gains that the steward would have realized in these transactions. Thus, high praise is given to resignation, or abstinence, which is one of the foundations of Great Lent. Lent teaches mankind about the ability we each have to resign ourselves from all forms of temptation, the beginning of which is self-control and self-denial. Christ says, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24). This parable admonishes every one of us that the journey towards salvation must include self-control and resignation. The allegorical meaning of the parable is in the wealthy man symbolizing God, and the unjust steward symbolizing the sinner. For an extended period of time, the sinner carelessly wastes the graces granted by God, until God calls him for an accounting of his life. The unjust steward symbolizes all who, upon regretting their actions, forgive those who have sinned against them, and become seekers of righteousness and the just.
Great Friday
Great Friday-Memorial of the Crucifixion and the Burial of Jesus The Good Friday is the most solemn and sad day for Christians. It commemorates the unspeakable SUFFERINGS, CRUCIFIXION, DEATH, and ENTOMBMENT of our Lord. Every good Christian should make a special effort to break the routine of his business at least for a time between 12:00 noon and 6:00 p.m. and go to some church to meditate about these heart breaking events. Most unfortunately sometimes the commemorative service of Crucifixion is not practiced in our churches in America. At any rate, the Burial or Entombment service invariably takes place in all our churches in the evening of this great day. At noon on Friday the Church in deep sorrow commemorates the Crucifixion and death of our Lord Jesus Christ with readings, psalmody and hymns. The readings from the Old Testament refer particularly to the Messianic prophecies, which reflect upon Christ's being the awaited Messiah. The Gospel readings deal with Christ's passion, crucifixion and death upon the Cross. The services in the evening concentrate on the entombment of Christ. Herein is read the Gospel of Matthew 27:57-61. A white tomb is placed in the chancel of the church adorned with flowers. In many churches during the services the tomb is taken in procession around the church, where after the faithful approach to venerate: and kissing the Gospel, take a flower from the tomb. Յուդայի Ուրբաթ Աւագ շաբաթուան «Ե» օրը կը նկատուի իբր «յիշատակ Չարչարանաց, Խչելութեան եւ Թաղման Յիսուսի»: Մեր Տիրոջ Չարչարանաց եւ Խաչելութեան խորհուրդը ցոյց տուաւ Աստուծոյ անհուն սէրը առ մարադիկ, «Որովհետեւ Աստուած ա՛յնպէս սիրեց աշխարհը, որ մինչեւ անգամ տուաւ իր միածին Որդին, որպէսզի ո՛վ որ հաւատայ անոր՝ չկորսուի, հապա ունենայ յաւիտենական կեանքը» Յով. 3:16: Քրիստոսի խաչելութեան յիշատակը կը կատարուի Աւագ Ուրբաթ օրը ցերեկին: Չարչարանաց եւ Խչելութեան պատմութիւնը, ինքնին, սուրբ եւ խորհրդաւոր պատմութիւնը կը կազմէ փրկագործութեան մեծ խորհուրդին: Խաչին վրայ բարձրացող Քրիստոսը, աւելի քան տէր մը, աւելի քան թագաւոր մըն է. Ան երկինքի եւ երկրի արարիչն է, Աստուած Բանը, Փրկիչը աշխարհի: Այսպէս՝ անձնազոհութեան օրէնքը Աստուծոյ օրէնքը եղաւ, որովհետեւ Սուրբ Խաչը Աստուծոյ եւ կատարելութեան երթալու միակ ճամբան եղաւ: Անով եւ անոր բացած ճառագայթարձակ զօրութիւնով կարելի է յաղթահարել աշխարհային փորձութեանց եւ չարին: Ապրինք խաչով, ապրինք Քրիստոսով եւ քրիստոնէութիւնով, որպէսզի յաղթանակենք: Աւագ Ուրբաթ Պատարագ չի մատուցուիր, որովհետեւ Քրիստոս պատարագուեցաւ խաչի վրայ: Ուրբաթ իրիկուն կը կատարուի թաղման գլխաւոր կարգը, Աւետարանին ցոյց տուած ժամերուն համեմատ: Եկեղեցւոյ մէջ կը զետեղուի գերեզմանը կամ դագաղը խորհրդանշող եւ սպիտակ սիւնազարդ տաճարի մը մանրանկարը ձեւացնող «թաղում»ը:Աւելի նոր սովորութիւն մը ունինք այժմ յոյներու նմանութեամբ թափօր դառնալ «Պարգեւատուն» շարականով: Աւարտին կը կատարուի «Խաչի քո Քրիստոսի» խնկարկութիւնը: Արարողութիւններէն վերջ, ժողովուրդը «թաղում»ին մէջ դրուած ծաղիկները կը վերցնէ ու տուն կը տանի իբր բուժակ:
Annunciation to the Virgin Mary
Annunciation to the Virgin Mary On April 7, the Armenian Church celebrates one of her greatest feasts - the Annunciation to St. Mary. In the Gospel of Luke we learn that the Angel Gabriel brings the good news to the Virgin about the birth of the Savior (Lk 1:26-38). According to Holy Tradition and the Evangelist, the Angel Gabriel appears to St. Mary while reading a passage from the prophecy of Isaiah, in which it is written about the birth of the Emmanuel from a Virgin. The Angel greets Mary, telling her, “Fear not, Mary: for you have found favor with God. And behold, you shall conceive in your womb, and bring forth a son, and shall call His Name JESUS.” The Angel Gabriel further explains to Mary, “The Holy Sprit shall come upon you, and the Power of the Highest shall overshadow you, therefore also that which is Holy which shall be born of you shall be called the Son of God.” St. Mary could foresee the torments and sufferings that she would endure. However, by giving mankind an excellent example of obedience to the Divine Will, she said, “I am the Lord’s servant. May it happen to me as you have said.” Beginning from the moment when the Holy Virgin expressed these words, she was with child. This Gospel story is one expression of why the Armenian Church accords high honor to motherhood, and appreciates the role of women in family life, and the lives of mankind. Upon the Pontifical order of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, the Feast of the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary is proclaimed as a day of “Blessing of Motherhood and Beauty”. On that day, a special blessing service is conducted in the Armenian Churches. https://www.qahana.am/en/holidays/2016-04-07/1