You Are The Church
The Pastor’s Update:#8
Fr. Nareg Terterian
May 31, 2024
Parishioners who become upset with their pastor often end up leaving the church. I have observed this occurrence in almost every community. I can understand this to some extent, especially in the context of Christ’s teachings on temptation and sin, as recorded in the Gospel of Matthew. The passage says, “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come! (Mt. 18:6-7). As pastors and ministers, we make choices that may offend our parishioners. These choices could result from ill will or pure ignorance, and we cause people to stumble and be scandalized. However, I believe there is a significant distinction between the clergy and the church.
The secular perspective often views the church as a business that offers religious or spiritual services. Like any business, the church must manage its finances and offer a mediocre-tasting cup of coffee. However, when we delve into the Holy Scriptures, we see that the author of the third Gospel and the Book of Acts of the Apostles, Luke, draws a parallel between the opening chapters of his two works. In the first two chapters of the Gospel, Luke describes the birth of Jesus through the Holy Spirit, and in the first two chapters of Acts, he describes the church's birth through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit descended into Mary’s womb for the incarnation of Christ, and the same Holy Spirit descended into the hearts and minds of the followers of Christ some thirty-plus years later, conceiving the church. To Luke, Christ is our Savior, and the church is our salvation community. In both miracles, God uses the powerless, the vulnerable, and the unimportant.
This Sunday, we celebrate the Feast of Holy Mother Etchmiadzin. This feast day commemorates the Armenian Church's establishment and paganism's end. The Armenian Church, as part of the Church conceived by the Holy Spirit, has endured persecution and demonstrated Christian witness. However, I am deeply troubled by the current attack on our church by the government of the Republic of Armenia. Like many of you, I was angered by the scene of police and security personnel preventing Catholicos Karekin II from entering Sartarabad on May 28th. Some may argue that this was a response to the movement led by Archbishop Bagrat, which is challenging the rule of Mr. Pashinyan. However, I believe this act was not just a response to the movement but also a deliberate attack on the sanctity of the church.
In Rabbinic Literature, there is a story about a group of people traveling in a boat. One of them started drilling a hole beneath himself. His companions asked him, "Why are you doing this?" The man replied, "What concern is it of yours? Am I not drilling under my own place?" They told him, "But you will flood the boat for all of us!" (Midrash Rabbah, Vayikra 4:6). In the political milieu, certain groups and ideologies drill holes that result in sinking entire nations and civilizations. Fascism and communism are great examples of this mindset. The Armenian Church is similar to that boat of the Midrash; it may not be the most comfortable transportation vessel taking us from this life to eternal life, but drilling a hole is not the smartest answer. Like Noah's Ark, our church is a place of refuge, safety, and salvation. Like Noah’s ark, it can be stinky and filled with various characters, but there is a deluge outside it.
If your idea of church is a place of holy and righteous people, I won't be able to be part of it. Jesus chose ordinary people with everyday problems to spread His Word. St. Paul also shared this idea in his letter to the Corinthians: "Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:26-31)
As a priest serving in the Armenian Church for the past two decades, I am certain that I have made many mistakes and hurt many people. I am only human. I am also well aware of people's grievances against clergy at all levels serving our church. I have no justification for the sins that we commit. My apology here may not mean anything to you, but I want to remind you that I am not the church. The clergy is not the church, but you are the church. The church is the community established by the Holy Spirit, the same Holy Spirit that you have received at your baptism. When you invite the Holy Spirit to work within you, you can bring about change and reform in the life of the church. Through our communal worship and clear understanding of our mission, we can forgive individual weaknesses, including that of the clergy, as we maintain the boat intact against others aiming to overturn us and navigate our journey to the kingdom of God.
I invite you with the words of this weekend’s hymn to “Come and build the altar of light.”
«Եկայք շինեսցուք սուրբ զխորանն լուսոյ»
Hymn for Holy Etchmiadzin
The only begotten of the Father
Descended and the light of glory with Him,
The voices resounded from the depths of Hell.
Having seen the great light, our patriarch Grigor
Told the converted king with joy:
Come let us build the Altar of light,
For there the Light dawned upon us in Armenia.
Author: Catholicos Sahak III of Dzorapor (+703 A.D.)
The secular perspective often views the church as a business that offers religious or spiritual services. Like any business, the church must manage its finances and offer a mediocre-tasting cup of coffee. However, when we delve into the Holy Scriptures, we see that the author of the third Gospel and the Book of Acts of the Apostles, Luke, draws a parallel between the opening chapters of his two works. In the first two chapters of the Gospel, Luke describes the birth of Jesus through the Holy Spirit, and in the first two chapters of Acts, he describes the church's birth through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit descended into Mary’s womb for the incarnation of Christ, and the same Holy Spirit descended into the hearts and minds of the followers of Christ some thirty-plus years later, conceiving the church. To Luke, Christ is our Savior, and the church is our salvation community. In both miracles, God uses the powerless, the vulnerable, and the unimportant.
This Sunday, we celebrate the Feast of Holy Mother Etchmiadzin. This feast day commemorates the Armenian Church's establishment and paganism's end. The Armenian Church, as part of the Church conceived by the Holy Spirit, has endured persecution and demonstrated Christian witness. However, I am deeply troubled by the current attack on our church by the government of the Republic of Armenia. Like many of you, I was angered by the scene of police and security personnel preventing Catholicos Karekin II from entering Sartarabad on May 28th. Some may argue that this was a response to the movement led by Archbishop Bagrat, which is challenging the rule of Mr. Pashinyan. However, I believe this act was not just a response to the movement but also a deliberate attack on the sanctity of the church.
In Rabbinic Literature, there is a story about a group of people traveling in a boat. One of them started drilling a hole beneath himself. His companions asked him, "Why are you doing this?" The man replied, "What concern is it of yours? Am I not drilling under my own place?" They told him, "But you will flood the boat for all of us!" (Midrash Rabbah, Vayikra 4:6). In the political milieu, certain groups and ideologies drill holes that result in sinking entire nations and civilizations. Fascism and communism are great examples of this mindset. The Armenian Church is similar to that boat of the Midrash; it may not be the most comfortable transportation vessel taking us from this life to eternal life, but drilling a hole is not the smartest answer. Like Noah's Ark, our church is a place of refuge, safety, and salvation. Like Noah’s ark, it can be stinky and filled with various characters, but there is a deluge outside it.
If your idea of church is a place of holy and righteous people, I won't be able to be part of it. Jesus chose ordinary people with everyday problems to spread His Word. St. Paul also shared this idea in his letter to the Corinthians: "Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:26-31)
As a priest serving in the Armenian Church for the past two decades, I am certain that I have made many mistakes and hurt many people. I am only human. I am also well aware of people's grievances against clergy at all levels serving our church. I have no justification for the sins that we commit. My apology here may not mean anything to you, but I want to remind you that I am not the church. The clergy is not the church, but you are the church. The church is the community established by the Holy Spirit, the same Holy Spirit that you have received at your baptism. When you invite the Holy Spirit to work within you, you can bring about change and reform in the life of the church. Through our communal worship and clear understanding of our mission, we can forgive individual weaknesses, including that of the clergy, as we maintain the boat intact against others aiming to overturn us and navigate our journey to the kingdom of God.
I invite you with the words of this weekend’s hymn to “Come and build the altar of light.”
«Եկայք շինեսցուք սուրբ զխորանն լուսոյ»
Hymn for Holy Etchmiadzin
The only begotten of the Father
Descended and the light of glory with Him,
The voices resounded from the depths of Hell.
Having seen the great light, our patriarch Grigor
Told the converted king with joy:
Come let us build the Altar of light,
For there the Light dawned upon us in Armenia.
Author: Catholicos Sahak III of Dzorapor (+703 A.D.)
The Word of God
This Sunday's Gospel reading presents the Jews asking Jesus, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” Jesus answers them, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me."
Both what Christ told them and the works He had done have already answered their question. Only the Messiah could open the eyes of the blind or perform these miracles that bear witness to Him. Likewise, only the Messiah could speak to people's hearts as Christ had (Copyright © 2008 by St. Athanasius Academy of Orthodox Theology).
Prayerfully,
This Sunday's Gospel reading presents the Jews asking Jesus, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” Jesus answers them, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me."
Both what Christ told them and the works He had done have already answered their question. Only the Messiah could open the eyes of the blind or perform these miracles that bear witness to Him. Likewise, only the Messiah could speak to people's hearts as Christ had (Copyright © 2008 by St. Athanasius Academy of Orthodox Theology).
Prayerfully,
