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.
Commemoration of Beheading of St. John the Baptist
Commemoration of Beheading of St. John the Baptist The Saturday following the Holy Feast of the Glorious Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Armenian Church commemorates the beheading of St. John the Baptist (also known as The Forerunner). The writers of the Gospels, St. Matthew, and St. Mark have explained the history of the beheading of St. John the Baptist, who had baptized Christ, and gave the good news of His Coming (Mt 14:1-12; St. Mk 6:14-29). According to the Evangelists, King Herod arrests and imprisons St. John the Baptist as a result of John’s condemnation of the king’s marriage to Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. Herod wants to put John to death but fears the Jews because they considered John to be a prophet. On Herod’s birthday, fascinated by the dancing of the daughter of Herodias, the king makes an oath to give her anything for which she asks. Following her unforgiving mother’s instructions, she asks for the head of St. John the Baptist on a platter. The king, realizing he has been fooled, grants the request. St. John the Baptist is one of the greatest saints in the Armenian Church. We entreat his name as an intercessor during the divine services, generally following the name of St. Mary. According to tradition, St. Gregory the Illuminator brings the relics of St. John to Armenia from Caesarea, and buries them near the town of Moush, after which the famous Monastery of St. John the Baptist is built. Tradition also tells us that the head of St. John the Baptist is buried underneath the Holy Altar of the Gandzasar Monastery in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabagh). St. John the Baptist remains as one of the most popular saints among the Armenian faithful. Ս. Հովհաննես Մկրտչի գլխատման հիշատակության օր Սուրբ Հարության տոնի հաջորդ շաբաթ օրը Հայ Առաքելական Եկեղեցում Ս. Հովհաննես Մկրտչի գլխատման հիշատակության օրն է: Հիսուս Քրիստոսին մկրտողի և Նրա գալուստն ավետողի՝ Ս. Հովհաննես Մկրտչի գլխատման պատմությանն առավել մանրամասն անդրադարձել են Ս. Մատթեոս և Ս. Մարկոս ավետարանիչները (Մատթ. 14:1-12, Մարկ. 6:14-29): Ըստ ավետարանիչների՝ Հերովդես թագավորը ձերբակալում և բանտ է նետում Հովհաննես Մկրտչին, որովհետև նա մեղադրում էր թագավորին՝ եղբորը սպանելու ու նրա գահին տիրանալու և կնոջը՝ Հերովդիային կնության առնելու համար: Հերովդեսը չի համարձակվում սպանել Հովհաննես Մկրտչին: Սակայն, իր ծննդյան օրը հրապուրվելով Հերովդիայի դստեր պարով, թագավորը երդվում է տալ նրան այն, ինչ կամենար: Ոխակալ Հերովդիայի ցուցումով աղջիկը ցանկանում է Հովհաննես Մկրտչի գլուխը: Սուրբ Աստվածածնից հետո Ս. Հովհաննես Մկրտիչը Հայ Առաքելական Եկեղեցու մեծագույն սուրբն է: Սրբի անունը, իբրև բարեխոսի, ժամերգության ընթացքում ընթերցվող մաղթանքի մեջ հիշատակվում է երկրորդը՝ Սուրբ Աստվածամոր անունից հետո: Ըստ ավանդության՝ Ս. Գրիգոր Լուսավորիչը Կեսարիայից իր հետ Հայաստան է բերել սրբի մասունքներից և ամփոփել Մուշ քաղաքին մոտ գտնվող վայրում, ուր և հետագայում կառուցվել է նշանավոր Ս. Կարապետ վանքը: