Entries by stjohn

GOD’S DESIGN

I recently read a story about Henry Ford, the founder of the Ford Motor Company. One day, he was driving to work through the countryside in Michigan. He noticed a frustrated man by the roadside, peering under the hood of his Model T Ford. The car had broken down, and the man was struggling to figure out what had gone wrong. Henry Ford pulls over and offers to help. He bends over the engine, takes a look, and within a few seconds, he makes a small adjustment. Suddenly, the engine roars to life…

RED SUNDAY

The fourth Sunday of Eastertide is known as Red Sunday (Garmir Giragi, Կարմիր Կիրակի). The name does not have an ecclesiastical origin. Red is the color of blood, and this may be an appropriate time to honor the memory of the early Christian martyrs.

GREEN SUNDAY

Today, on this beautiful Green Sunday, we celebrate a very special day in our Armenian Church calendar—a day that breathes life, renewal, and hope into our spirits. Green Sunday is not just a tradition; it is a profound reminder of the vibrant life God promises us, a celebration of renewal, just as the earth renews itself in the spring.

GOD’S MATERPIECE

We often focus on our flaws and character elements that seem incomplete or imperfect. We judge ourselves harshly, forgetting the divine perspective from which we are seen.

An early church father, St. Gregory Nazianzus, poetically described Christ as “the skilled artist who gently restores the image of God in us in all its beauty.” This imagery reminds us of our inherent worth and beauty in God’s eyes.

BIRTH OF ARTAK MOVSISYAN

Artak Movsisyan was a young and prolific historian of the post-Soviet generation in Armenia who made an important contribution to the study of ancient history.

He was born on April 10, 1970, in the city of Abovian. After graduating from the local No. 7 school, he served in the Soviet..

PRAYING HANDS

In the Gospel of Luke, we encounter the inspiring story of a woman who endured twelve long years of suffering from bleeding (Luke 8:43-48). St. Luke shares a poignant detail in this narrative, noting that “though she had spent all she had on doctors, she could not be healed by any” (Luke 8:43).
It’s a common experience, isn’t it? Often, we find ourselves turning to the Lord for healing or for our needs only after we’ve …

ROOTED IN LOVE

Roots are essential for a tree’s survival. They provide anchorage, but more importantly, they are the tree’s source of nourishment. They absorb water and minerals from the soil, which the tree needs to grow and thrive. And just like these trees, our spiritual lives need to be rooted. But not in anything; we need to be rooted in love—God’s love.

God’s love is like the fertile soil that nourishes our roots. It’s rich and endless and provides everything we need to grow spiritually. Remember what John tells us: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son so that whoever …

GREEN SUNDAY, SUNDAY OF THE WORLD CHURCH

Easter Sunday is followed by a period of fifty days (Hinoonk). This period from the Resurrection to Pentecost (Hokekaloost) is dedicated to the glorification of the Resurrection. Each of the seven Sundays of Hinoonk has a special name. Second Sunday after Easter is Green Sunday (Ganach Giragi), also called Sunday of the World Church, that commemorates the establishment in …

ANNUNCIATION OF MARY

Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Annunciation of Mary, the Mother of God. This is the day the angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would bear the Son of God: an ordinary girl, in an ordinary town, receiving an extraordinary message. And Mary’s response to this unfathomable news was one of humble acceptance. She said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).

Friends, St. Mary’s story is not just a beautiful beginning to the greatest story ever told; it’s also a lesson for all of us. In that instant, …

BIRTH OF VARTAN GRIGORIAN

Historian by vocation and administrator by destiny, Vartan Gregorian went from a difficult childhood to becoming one of the most respected intellectuals in America.

He was born on April 8, 1934, in Tabriz (Iran). His father was mostly absent. His mother died when he was six and his father later remarried. Vartan and his younger sister were raised by his maternal grandmother.