December 31, 2009
PRELATES CHRISTMAS MESSAGE:
The Good News of the
Sun of Righteousness
O, Sun of Righteousness,
You arose from Your Father
to illuminate the creatures.
Glory to You, Lord.
The hymn writer portrays our Lord Jesus Christ as the Sun of
Righteousness, who by his birth came to illuminate all Mankind with
His Godly rays. That light penetrates the soul, heart and mind of all
Christians to make them more faithful, more benevolent, and more
righteous in their thoughts and deeds. The Sun of Righteousness, like
justice itself, represents eternal truth and is Gods presence in us
and amongst Mankind to see and do His will. During the days preceding
the festive days many and various thoughts and concerns come to
us. The most beautiful thing we can do is to be introspective and to
see in us the fullness of Jesus presence and to see ourselves with
Him, so that the light He brings with his birth never diminishes or
darkens within us.
That Light Comes
1. To our soul. How fortunate we are to have been born Christians as
an individual and as a nation. Gods light first dawned upon us,
guiding us from darkness into light, from unknowingness to knowledge,
and from death to life. That light ennobled our soul, opened and
illuminated our spiritual eyes, and with His love of Mankind He became
like us so that
we could become like Him. A pure and clean soul is Gods dwelling,
where we find only goodness and love, where we find ourselves face to
face to Gods with feelings of prayer, sacrifice and devotion.
Christs Light Comes,
2. To our hearts. With the birth of Christ the angels gave Mankind the
Good News of good will among men. In a word he turned Mankind into
brothers and sistersGods family where mutual love, respect, sacrifice
and harmonious life are an absolute sacred condition. Mankinds
attachment and dedication to each other is not a theoretical
condition. Living together with good will is not a stagnant or inert
situation, but rather is an impulse to help each other, to be
compassionate, to be comforting to each other, to support each other,
to be joyful of the success of others, to care for the needy and
create an environment and world where human laws and power do not
dominate, but rather where Gods will, brotherhood and justicethe
justice of Christ-Sunrule. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for
righteousness for they shall be satisfied (Mt. 5:6). That
righteousness is Mankinds equality with each other, whose absence
creates greed, neglect, arrogance, deprivation and co!
vetousness.
The Sun of Righteousness Comes,
3. To our mind. When the soul is illuminated and Gods presence is felt
through our heart and when Christ becomes our way and end, then it is
the time to use our mind and establish the Righteousness of the
Sun. Living a righteous life is the duty of all Christians. The desire
for justice and spreading it is our vocation where deprivation ends
and right is established. A right which is given to all individuals, a
right which every nation enjoys, so that Wars end and attacks by the
enemies cease, (Book of Hours). As children of the Armenian Church and
inheritors of the Armenian nation, the desire for justice is as strong
and as real as our faith. Justice is our right. In our quest for
justice, we have never sinned, and our quest has never weakened. Yes,
the hunger and thirst for justice has always been in us, believing
that we would be finally satisfied. As a classical Diaspora, survived
and re-established from the Genocide, the right of our martyrs and
sacredness !
of their blood and legacy were part of our piety and prayers. We never
wanted the good will of our leadership of our Homeland as seen during
April and September of 2009, to become bankrupt in our quest for
justice. We would never want the leadership of our Homeland to place
diplomacy and politics above eternal virtues and especially above
justice and restitution. We would never want to see misunderstandings
between the Diaspora, which became victim to Genocide, and Armenia
believing that the Homeland is the Motherland for all of us and the
government of Armenia is our government. Our future well-being should
be established on the sacrifices of the past, and the restitution and
rights of our Martyrs so we can continue to live and struggle with
ever-living hope and ever-shining light.
At the threshold of a New Year and Holy Nativity, may the ever-shining
and eternal Sun of Righteousness illuminate our soul, heart and mind
to joyfully welcome the birth of our God and Lord Jesus Christ and the
Good News of victory.
O Sun of Righteousness, glory to you.
Christ is born and revealed. Good News to all of us.
ARCHBISHOP OSHAGAN
Prelate
CHRISTMAS AT THE CATHEDRAL
Next Wednesday, January 6, is Christmas and Epiphany. His Eminence
Archbishop Oshagan will celebrate the Divine Liturgy at
St. Illuminators Cathedral, New York City. He will be assisted on the
altar by the Cathedrals pastor, Rev. Fr. Mesrob Lakissian. Morning
services begin at 10 am; the Divine Liturgy will begin at 10:30 a.m.
Immediately following the services, the grand opening of the
Cathedrals newly renovated kitchen will take place.
PRELATES CHRISTMAS RECEPTION
The Prelates annual Christmas reception will take place next Wednesday
evening, January 6, from 7 to 9, at the Prelacys Vahakn and Hasmig
Hovnanian Reception Hall at the Prelacys offices in Manhattan.
PRELATE AND VICAR VISIT CATHOLIC EXARCH
Yesterday morning, Wednesday, December 30, Archbishop Oshagan and
Bishop Anoushavan visited the Most Rev. Manual Batakian, the Armenian
Catholic Exarch of the United States and Canada, on the occasion of
the Nativity and the New Year.
ANNUAL GHEVONTIANTZ CLERGY GATHERING
The annual clergy gathering on the occasion of the Feast of
St. Ghevond and Priests, will take place at St. Gregory the
Illuminator Church, Indian Orchard, Massachusetts, February 8-10. The
Feast of Ghevontiantz is celebrated each year preceding the Vartanantz
Feast.
For the agenda of the clergy conference (in Armenian) click
DAILY BIBLE READINGS
Bible readings for today, Thursday, December 31, the second day of the
Fast of the Nativity, are: Hebrews 10:1-18; Luke 20:9-18.
Since the law has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the
true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices
that are continually offered year after year, make perfect those who
approach. Otherwise, would they not have ceased being offered, since
the worshipers, cleansed once for all, would no longer have any
consciousness of sin? But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of
sin year after year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and
goats to take away sin. Consequently, when Christ came into the world,
he said, Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body you
have prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have
taken no pleasure. Then I said, See, God, I have come to do your will,
O God (in the scroll of the book it is written of me).
When he said above, You have neither desired nor taken pleasure
in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings
(these are offered according to the law), then he added, See, I have
come to do your will. He abolishes the first in order to establish the
second. And it is by Gods will that we have been sanctified through
the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
And every priest stands day after day at his service, offering
again and again the same sacrifices that can never take away sins. But
when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he
sat down at the right hand of God, and since then has been waiting
until his enemies would be made a footstool for his feet. For by a
single offering he has perfected for all time those who are
sanctified. And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us, for after
saying, This is the covenant that I will make with them after those
days, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will
write them on their minds, he also adds, I will remember their sins
and their lawless deeds no more. Where there is forgiveness of these,
there is no longer any offering for sin. (Hebrews 10:1-18)
ARMENIAN CHRISTMAS
Next Wednesday, January 6, is Christmas. The Armenians are the only
nation in Christendom to celebrate Christmasmore specifically the
Nativity and Epiphanyon January 6. As explained in more detail last
week, all Christians celebrated Christmas on January 6 until the mid
fourth century when the Roman Church separated the two events,
celebrating the birth on December 25 and Epiphany on January 6 (thus
the twelve days of Christmas).
In the Armenian Church, on Christmas Eve (January 5) a solemn
Mass is celebrated. The Liturgy is preceded by scroll readings taken
from various parts of the Bible about the birth or coming of the
Messiah. The third chapter from the book of Daniel is also read,
usually by a deacon and three young men representing Shadrach, Meshach
and Abednego, the youths who would not renounce their faith in God in
spite of torture. Following Christmas Eve services choir members would
go from house to house singing hymns about the Nativity and Epiphany.
On Christmas Day, following the Liturgy, a special service is
performed in celebration of the baptism of Jesus, which was a turning
point in His life and marks the beginning of His ministry. As we know
from the Scriptures, at the end of His baptism in the River Jordan, a
voice proclaimed This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well
pleased, (Mt 3:17; Mk 1:11). This service, which is called Blessing of
the Water (Churorhnek) commemorates the Baptism and the Manifestation
of Christ recognizing Him as the true Son of God.
Light sent from the Father, you came down from heaven and became flesh
from the holy Virgin, you are the Lamb of God and Son of the Father.
Today you appeared in the cave as Savior and accepted adoration
from the magi and seeing you the shepherds said: You are the Lamb of
God and Son of the Father.
Having seen the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove John cried
out saying: This is the Lamb of God and Son of the Father.
From the Canon for the seventh day of Theophany according to the
Liturgical Canons of the Armenian Apostolic Church
HAPPY NEW YEAR
Today is the final day of 2009. Tomorrow starts a new year with new
hopes and dreams. In the Armenian tradition the New Year (Navassart)
is a time to set aside anger and resentment and start anew. On New
Years Day Armenian families are prepared to entertain impromptu
visitors with a table filled with a variety of sweets, nuts, and dried
fruits.
In the Armenian tradition the exchanging of gifts, festivities
and decorations are associated with the New Year rather than
Christmas. Homes were decorated with crosses and red ribbons. The
outside entrances were usually decked in red signifying the hope of a
prosperous year. Santa Claus (Gaghant Baba) makes his rounds on New
Years Eve.
We wish you a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year, filled
with the blessings of our Lord.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
December 31St. Gregory Church, Philadelphia, New Years Eve
celebration, Seroonian Community Center.
December 31Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield, New Jersey, New Years
Eve Dinner Dance.
January 5 and 6Christmas at St. Illuminators Cathedral, New York
City. Tuesday, January 5, Christmas Eve Service; celebrant
Rev. Fr. Mesrob Lakissian. Reading of Scriptures, 7:30 pm; Christmas
Eve Divine Liturgy, 8 pm. Wednesday, January 6, Christmas and
Epiphany. His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate, will
officiate. Morning services 10 am; Divine Liturgy 10:30 am; Blessing
of the Water, 12:30 pm. Immediately following the services, the grand
opening of the Cathedrals newly renovated kitchen will take place.
February 6St. Stephens (Watertown, Massachusetts) Ladies Guild, Mardi
Gras celebration, 7 pm at church hallo. Costumes optional; masks a
must. For information: Mary Derderian, [email protected]
(mailto:[email protected]) or 781-762-4253.
February 8-10Annual Ghevontiantz Clergy Gathering, hosted by
St. Gregory Church, Indian Orchard, Massachusetts.
March 21Musical Armenia, Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York
City. Featured artists: Tanya Gabrielian, pianist; Natalie Aroyan,
soprano.
May 13 to 16National Representative Assembly hosted by
St. Illuminators Cathedral, New York City, and St. Sarkis Church,
Douglaston, New York.
July 17A Hye Summer Night V, dance hosted by Ladies Guild of
Sts. Vartanantz Church and ARS Ani Chapter, Providence, Rhode
Island. Watch for details.
Web pages of the parishes can be accessed through the Prelacys web
site.
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