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November 27, 2014

A Thanksgiving Message from the Prelate…

Յանուն Հօր եւ Որդւոյ եւ Հոգւոյն Սրբոյ: Ամէն:

Գոհութիւն, շնորհակալութիւն եւ փառք քեզի Տէր Աստուած, մեզի շնորհած առատ բարիքներուդ եւ պարգեւներուդ համար: Ամէն օր քաղցրութեամբդ ու բարի կամքովդ առատապէս կը կերակրես մեզ, որպեսզի մեզ՝ քու ծառաներդ հաղորդակից դարձնես հոգեւոր բարութեանդ եւ երկնքի արքայութեանդ, ըստ մեր ակնկալութեան եւ յոյսին: Ամենակալ Տէր, մեր Աստուածը, փրկէ մեզ եւ ողորմէ մեզի:

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Let us be thankful for the plenteous gifts of our Lord God, who in sweet bounty nourishes us day by da6y of His own will, that He may make His servants share in spiritual goodness and in the heavenly kingdom, according to the expectations of our hope. Almighty Lord our God, preserve and have mercy upon us.

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On this national day of Thanksgiving, as we open our hearts to receive God, let us renew our thanks and devotion to our heavenly Father, whose blessings surround us not only on this day, but always. Let us honor and praise Almighty God and pray that His generous bounty will continue to grace our lives.

As you gather together on this holiday with your loved ones, may you be filled with happiness and contentment in the true spirit of Thanksgiving. Let us express our gratitude for God’s glorious gifts and raise our voices, “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20).

My dear Faithful Friends,

On this special day, please share the munificent blessings we enjoy with those in need. Please remember our brothers and sisters in Syria who have been suffering tremendous hardship for several years. To make a donation now to the Fund for Syrian Armenian Relief click here.

I also encourage you to support the 2014 Armenia Fund Thanksgiving Telethon that will benefit the completion of the Vardenis-Mardakert Highway connecting Artsakh with Armenia’s northern regions. For information about the Telethon click here.

Let us pray that peace and goodness will prevail in the hearts of all humankind. With Christ in our hearts we reaffirm the words of the psalmist, “The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts” (Psalm 28:7).

ARCHBISHOP OSHAGAN

BIBLE READINGS

Bible readings for Sunday, December 1, Second Sunday of Advent, are: Isaiah 36:22-37:11; Thessalonians 4:1-11; Luke 13:1-9.

At that very time there were some present who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. He asked them, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them—do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.”

Then he told the parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, ‘See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?’ He replied, ‘Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’” (Luke 13:1-9)

For a listing of the coming week’s Bible readings click here.

SAINTS THADDEUS AND BARTHOLOMEW

This Saturday, November 29, the Armenian Church commemorates Saints Thaddeus and Bartholomew, two of the twelve apostles who were the first evangelizers of Armenia, and were martyred there, giving the Armenian Church its apostolic identity and earning them the title, “First Enlighteners of Armenia.”

Thaddeus came to Armenia about 43 AD to preach Christianity. He was martyred in southeastern Armenia. His tomb lies in the Armenian monastery of St. Thaddeus (Iran) where a chapel was built in the third century. Bartholomew is believed to have arrived in Armenia about 66 AD. He was martyred in Hadamakert, southeast of Lake Van.

An apostle is “someone who is sent,”—an emissary or ambassador of the Kingdom of God, sent to announce the Kingdom’s coming in Jesus Christ, and authorized to claim men and women’s allegiance to him. “We are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God,” (2 Corinthians 5:20).

HAVE A HAPPY AND SAFE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY

Web pages of the parishes can be accessed through the Prelacy’s web site.

To ensure the timely arrival of Crossroads in your electronic mailbox, add email@armenianprelacy.org to your address book.

Items in Crossroads can be reproduced without permission. Please credit Crossroads as the source.

Parishes of the Eastern Prelacy are invited to send information about their major events to be included in the calendar. Send to: info@armenianprelacy.org.

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