TASTE AND SEE

When I was a teenager serving on the altar at St. Sarkis Church, one of my favorite moments in the Badarak was just before communion, when we sang the hymn “Blessed is God.” I especially loved the line, “Taste and see that the Lord is good, Alleluia.” At that age, my joy was simple but profound—I loved the taste of the Holy Communion. It was sweet, unforgettable, and even today, when I sit down to write, I can still recall that taste as though it happened yesterday.

But as I grew older and entered seminary, I began to see that these words point to something much deeper than bread and wine. They are an invitation, a call from God Himself, to be in communion with Him, so that we don’t simply know about His goodness, but truly experience it.

Think of it this way: you can study an apple. You can describe its color, talk about its sweetness, even write books about its texture. But until you take a bite, you don’t really know what it tastes like. It is the same with God. You can read about Him, study theology, attend lectures, and know about Him. But His desire is that you taste for yourself, experience His goodness personally.

That’s what David meant in Psalm 34:8: “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” Notice he didn’t say, “Think about the Lord and maybe you’ll figure out He’s good.” He said, “Taste.” Take it in, make it real, make it personal. And then he added, “See.” Because once you taste His love and peace, you begin to see His goodness everywhere.

And when you taste His goodness like that, it becomes nourishment for the soul. It gives you strength when you feel weary. It refreshes you when the burdens of life weigh heavy. It encourages you when the journey seems long. And it empowers you to keep moving forward toward the destiny God has prepared for you.

Friends, every Sunday during Badarak, we are reminded of this invitation: “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” Don’t just stand at a distance and hear about God’s goodness—come closer and taste it for yourself. Step into His presence, and you will discover a sweetness that the world cannot offer and a peace that nothing can steal.

Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan
September 13, 2024