Pastor's Points of Light

Vol. 53:3 2005

 

A Prayer by the Bedpost.

 

I had intended to write and would normally be writing an Easter message today blending with the Gospel of Christ�s salvific works, His Passion, Crucifixion and Glorious Resurrection, with the 90^th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide which will be commemorated on April 24^th.  I can't help however, this year, to defer to our Primate, for the exposition of the Easter Story.  Let me invite you instead, into an experience that God allowed me to have bringing substance and sustenance to my Lenten Journey which can now be crowned in the dual celebrations of Christ's Victory at Easter and the victorious commemoration of Survival and Resurrection on April 24^th.

It had been a crazy couple of weeks.  In the midst of family commitments, an active schedule of church activities, home visitations, seasonal mailings to prepare, typical deadlines and a 2-day clergy retreat (paradoxically built around the theme of "Balance" where I myself had to share a meditation about bringing balance between pastoral and private life) thrown in, I had committed myself to presenting a lecture to the faithful of St. Mary Armenian Church in Washington, DC by the invitation of Fr. Vertanes Kalayjian, a priest that I both love and respect very much.  In my mind, I knew that for so many reasons this trip was the wrong timing not to mention the dread of an 8 hour drive within a 2 day period that I would endure before getting back to Livingston for a Parish Council meeting.

After arriving at the parish and having some moments of conversation with Der Hayr,  we shared a Lenten dinner lovingly prepared by the Women's Guild, then participated in an inspiring Rest Service in the Sanctuary with approximately 30 people in attendance.  My talk was about the Mystical Eighth Day Revealed in the Badarak, or Eschatology and the Badarak.  The talk went well and there were many questions and many people admitted that they learned about a whole new dimension of the Badarak and how it makes eternity and the Second Coming of Christ, mysteriously present to us even NOW!

That evening, Der Hayr had arranged for me to stay at the home of a newly wed couple from his parish who had just purchased and renovated their home only minutes from the church in Washington.

That evening, we spoke until about 12:30am, sipping on Herbal tea and eating nuts and olives (Lenten Fare) where in the conversation the couple admitted that they had to make many sacrifices in order to purchase a home in proximity to the church since "the church is the center of our (their) lives" and would be the center of the lives of their children.

Just after turning out the lights, prepared to start my prayers, where I would thank God for this opportunity to share my faith with another Armenian Christian community and also for this new young "American Born" Armenian  couple who graciously opened their new home to me, I heard a knocking on the door!  I was startled!

It was Sevan and Kerri!  I asked, "Yes?"  And from the other side of the door I heard them sheepishly say, almost in unison, "Sorry Der hayr, would you mind if you prayed with us before we go to bed?"

I was amazed!  I immediately jumped up and rushed to fling open my door to the pajama clad couple.

Sevan and Kerri hurriedly came and kneeled at the foot of my bed and I kneeled by its side.  We began to pray.  We shared our words before God extemporaneously then, first, thanking Him, then praising Him then petitioning Him in the Name of Jesus Christ to care for our families, for our church, for our people and for the people of the world.  We ended our evening prayers by singing Soorp Asdvads and Hayr Mer.  When I offered the Doxology, I realized exactly why God brought me to the nation's capital in the midst of my busy life to pray, and to be reminded that prayer is the central heartbeat of the family and that in the faith of this young couple is all the hopes and dreams of the Armenian Church in America.  Happy Easter.  Christ is Risen!   Blessed is the Resurrection of Christ!

Prayerfully, In Christ,

 

Der Shnork