The Gospels clearly echo our Lord’s teaching regarding the essential necessity for everyone to retreat regularly from one’s daily routine and to reflect upon one’s spiritual journey and destiny. Our Lord emphasized that there are difficulties in life that we face that cannot be overcome and conquered without a strong spiritual preparedness through fasting and prayer (Matthew 19). In fact, our Lord Himself retreated regularly from His daily living to focus on His prayer and spiritual life. Every major turning point in His life was preceded by a retreat or seclusion as in the forty days of fasting before launching His public ministry or the intensive prayer vigil before His arrest.

          Based on the teachings of our Lord, the Armenian Church throughout the centuries emphasizes the importance of Great Lent as a period of annual retreat, prayer and spiritual self-examination. Great Lent is the season to dedicate more time to our prayer discipline, to spend more time examining our lifestyle, behavior, interactions, to acknowledge our wrongdoings and unchristian behavioral patterns and, more importantly, to make a commitment to correct these patterns and behaviors. Traditionally, the church prescribes three important elements to make this annual experience a successful one: 1) focus on our prayer life, 2) fasting, and 3) almsgiving or helping those who are less fortunate than we.

          Socially and culturally much has changed since the days our Lord walked on this earth. As such, we need to update our spiritual exercises to meet the demands of our challenges of today. May I suggest the following ideas? If your prayer life is limited to the recitation of traditional prayers in Armenian or their English translation, during this year’s Lent consider writing your own prayers. Start by acknowledging God as our creator, sustainer and savior, then list God’s blessings that you enjoy in your life, then move to the challenges that you face in your personal, family, church and work life. Conclude your prayer with a statement of praise. You can use the traditional Armenian Church prayer-endings as in the phrase “For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

          When it comes to fasting, please make an effort to give up certain things that are not essential to your daily survival. This is a very important exercise to strengthen your power of will. Fasting should not be a mere dietary practice. Please do not make a resolution to give up red meat during Lent if you are a vegetarian! Fasting can be a powerful way to remind us of how dependent we are on God’s blessings, and thus acknowledge Him as the source of everything we enjoy in this world. Fasting reminds us also of how mortal and fragile our lives are on this earth.

          Finally, Armenians are usually (especially at Holy Martyrs) generous when it comes to helping others and those who are in need. However, during Lent please make an extra effort to reach out to those who are less fortunate than we are. We have a sister parish in Armenia. If you haven’t contributed to it, why not consider making a generous donation this Lent to help our brothers and sisters in our sister parish of the Holy Resurrection in Spitak, Armenia. In addition, before and during Lent, the various schools and auxiliaries of our parish will announce several causes that need our financial support. Please participate and please be generous.

Yours in Christ

Fr. Vahan Hovhanessian