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.
Holy Saturday
On Holy Saturday, and into Sunday morning, the mystery of Salvation is revealed by the Light from the Empty Tomb! The unsurpassed joy of Easter has illumined the hour of shadows. Come and be a companion to our Lord throughout Holy Week and retrace the footsteps of our Lordís Passion from Palm Sunday through to Sunday morning where we greet each other at the Lordís Table with open hearts saying. Great Saturday, being Easter Eve, the celebrations of a joyous character begin in the evening of this day. In the beginning, the lights of the church are put out, then with a reading of Isaiah Chapter sixty, they are suddenly put on. It is already the joyous Easter Eve. From the sudden and dramatic lighting of candles in the church, the ceremony of Easter Eve takes its name in Armenian, “Jrak-a-louyts,” i.e., Lighting of Candles. The famous lesson from the Prophet Daniel is read (Ch. 3: 1-90), by a chorus leader, who is followed by three other readers who represent the three young men who were thrown in the fire but were not burned, symbolizing the entombment of Jesus who, although buried, “did not see corruption”. Finally, at the /Jrakalooyts/ Liturgy the altar curtain opens, and the clerks proclaim the introit for Easter, "Christ is Risen from the Dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life". This phrase gives great meaning to Great Saturday because Christ's repose in the tomb is an "active" repose. He comes in search of His fallen friend, Adam, who represents all men. Not finding him on earth, He descends to the realm of death, known as Hades in the Old Testament. There He finds him and brings him life once again. This is the victory: the dead are given life. The tomb is no longer a forsaken, lifeless place. By His death, Christ tramples down death. The entire Church then elatedly resounds with the rapture of joy and love in His Resurrection exclaiming, "Hail Jerusalem—the Lord is Risen." Աւագ Շաբաթ – Ճրագալոյց Զատկի Քրիստոս իր մահուամբ աւերեց դժոխքը՝ փրկութիւն տալով բոլոր անոնց որ հոն էին: Եկեղեցւոյ երեկոյեան արարողութեան ընթացքին, Սուրբ Գրոց ընթերցումներէն ետք, Սուրբ Խորանի վարագոյրը կը բացուի եւ կը կատարուի Սուրբ Պատարագ, բոլոր ներկաները կը հաղորդուին: Յաւարտին կը կատարուի ՆԱԽԱՏՕՆԱԿ որ Մեծ Տօնի նախապարաստական արարողութիւնն է: Ծննդան եւ Զատկական տօներուն նախատօնակի երեկոները սովորութիւն ունինք ճրագ լուցանել եկեղեցւոյ մէջ եւ արարողութեան ընթացքին ամէնուն ձերքը մոմեր տալով երգել «Այսօր Յարութիւն առաւ Անմահ Փեսան Քրիստոս»: Վառած մեր ձերքի մոմերը, տուն կը տանինք իբր մեր յոյսին Լոյս: