As you sip your Monday morning coffee and prepare for your week, I offer you the following prayer for reflection:
PRAYER WHEN ENTERING THE CHURCH
ԱՂՕԹՔ ԵԿԵՂԵՑԻ ՄՏՆԵԼԵ ԱՌԱՋ
- Excerpt from Book of Hourly Prayers of the Armenian Apostolic Church
Առ դրանն սրբոյ Եկեղեցւոյս եւ առաջի աստուածընկալ եւ պայծառացեալ սուրբ նշանացս խոնարհեալ երկիղիւ երկիր պագանեմք քեզ, Տէր Աստուած, որ յերկինս ես եւ ամենայն ուրեք: Զսուրբ, զհրաշալի եւ զյաղթող Տէրութիւնդ քո օրհնեմք եւ փառաւորեմք եւ քեզ մատուցանեմք զօրհնութիւն եւ զփառս Հօր եւ Որդւոյ եւ Հոգւոյն Սրբոյ, այժմ եւ միշտ եւ յաւիտեանս յաւիտենից: Ամէն:
Այս սուրբ Եկեղեցւոյ դուռին առջեւ ու աստուածընկալ եւ լուսապայծառ սրբութիւններու առջեւ երկիւղածութեամբ կը խոնարհինք ու կ’երկրպագենք քեզի, Տէր Աստուած, որ երկինքն ես եւ ամենուրեք: Կ’օրհնենք ու կը փառաւորենք Քու սուրբ, հրաշալի եւ յաղթող Տէրութիւնդ եւ քեզի՝ Հօրը, Որդւոյն եւ Սուրբ Հոգւոյն, օրհնութիւն ու փառք կը մատուցանենք, այժմ եւ միշտ եւ յաւիտեանս յաւիտենից: Ամէն:
At the door of this holy Church, O Lord, and before the holy signs that hold God up to us and thus are made bright, we bow down in fear and worship; we bless and glorify thine holy, wondrous and triumphant dominion and we offer praise and glory to the Father, to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and always and unto the ages and ages. Amen.
When you arrive at the doorstep of church on Sunday morning, you have also arrived at the time to take pause and be mindful about shedding that which may distract you from being wholly present in the house of the Lord. It is the moment to purposefully let go of the concerns and responsibilities of your week, so you can attain a clear mind when you enter the sanctuary. As you disconnect from the interferences of the world and enter with a clean mind, heart and spirit, you are preparing yourself to be fully present for the Divine Liturgy. This practice will allow you to offer your wholehearted praise and gratitude to our Heavenly Father, and in turn, you will be prepared to fully experience the peace of our sanctuary and the transcendent nature of the Divine Liturgy. Your mind, heart, body and soul will be ready to be filled up with the divine presence of the Holy Spirit and prepared to receive the body and blood of Christ (which we will discuss further in a future Monday Morning Prayer).
I have always cherished this simple line from the Book of Acts, as it strikes me as the ideal metaphor for how we are to prepare to enter our Holy Place: “Then the Lord said to him, 'Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.’ ” – Acts 7:33
When you train yourself to “take off your sandals” so to speak, you will then be able to honor the Lord accordingly during the Divine Liturgy and you will leave the service feeling fulfilled, refreshed and uplifted.
Let us remain faithful, mindful and spiritually strong, as we stand together in the face of this pandemic.
Prayerfully yours,
Father Oshagan
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