Armenian Church of the Holy Martyrs

The season of Advent is the final season of the liturgical year of the Armenian Church. It escorts us to the Feast of Nativity and the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Advent is one of the most exciting seasons in the Armenian Church. Not only and simply because it is that time of the year when earth changes its appearance and mood from the beautiful foliage of Fall to the brisk and snow-covered days of Winter. More importantly, Advent is a period of preparation for the celebration of God’s love for us, supremely manifested in the birth of our Lord and Savior from the Virgin Mary. As such, Advent is a period of reflection on our privileged status as the beloved sons and daughters of God. Being the season before Christmas, Advent is also a period of anticipation. Christians around the world start counting the days for the arrival of the Feast of Feasts! Theologically speaking, the voyage of Advent mirrors the journey of every Christian that anticipates the day of our return home, to the Kingdom of God and our encounter with the Lord. However, in our culture today, this beautiful and holy season of Advent has been completely ignored. At best it has been marginalized as a season of consumerism and shopping and relegated to a season of hunting for gift ideas, parking spots and less crowded highways and streets. Mega-businesses have succeeded in hijacking this holy season from the church in the West and turning it into an aggravating and frustrating commercial season. Most of us go through the season like the rest of the non-Christian world, mainly shopping for gifts, yet ignoring the greatest gift of all: God’s love for us, the reason for the season. So, this year let’s make every effort to reclaim this holy season! May I suggest a few ideas? Make a commitment to yourself and your family members not to do any shopping on Sundays. After all, Sunday is the day of the Lord. (We might as well try to reclaim that one from the world of consumerism back to the church.) Instead, start the day by joining the church at worship and spend the afternoon or evening with your immediate family or extended church family. Start reading, or re-read, one of the Gospels. (May I suggest the Gospel of Matthew or Luke.) You can always join our Bible Study groups, including the newly-resumed evening group. Buy a book that reflects on the mystery of the birth of Jesus or on God’s love for us. (You can Google many websites which sell Christian books.) Also, make a donation to a Christian or benevolent cause or charity, in lieu of gifts to family members, and send a note to the family members explaining to them what and why you did. Finally, do not overload your schedule with social/business/shopping events. Set some time aside to enjoy the journey of Advent as an individual and as a family. Have a blessed Advent. In Christ’s service, Fr. Vahan Hovhanessian