Message of Fr. Vazken Movsesian, parish priest of St. Andrew Armenian Church, Cupertino, from the Nakhagoch Newsletter. Electronic version archived on: SAIN-- St. Andrew Information Network -------------------------------------- c. 1987 Fr. Vazken Movsesian Address comments to: dervaz@sain.org -------------------------------------- Easter 1986 There is a story of a court jester who was such an amusing comedian that one day the king handed him a rod and said, "Take that. It's my scepter. I'm giving it to you because you're the greatest fool I ever met. If you ever find a bigger fool than yourself, give it to him." Years later a messenger came to the poor fool to say to him: "The king is dying, and he would like to see you before he dies." The poor fool took the rod and went to see his master. When he arrived at his bedside the king said, "Fool, I am going on a long journey, a journey from which I shall never return. I have called you here to say farewell." The fool looked at him and said, "You're going on a long journey. I suppose, then, you have made inquiry about the place to which you are going and that you have made proper preparation for it." "No," said the king. "I've been busy and I haven't had the time. I'm going on this journey but I don't know where I'm going." The fool looked at him and said, "Take the rod. A man who is going on a journey from which he shall never return and doesn't ever take the trouble to find out where he is going, is a bigger fool than I am." This message is about two very unpopular things--death and taxes. But please read onÉI promise to give some exciting and helpful information about BOTH. We have heard: There are no sure things except for death and taxes. As April 15 approaches we become more and more anxious about our tax return. Not to evade, we try to avoid paying more than our fair share of taxes. We expend great energies to prepare our returns always fearing the consequences--possibly an audit. The other "inescapable" is death. We not only try to avoid death itself, but even conversations about it. It is an uncomfortable subject to discuss. It certainly is not pleasant. Nonetheless, we each have a date with death sooner or later. Death gives finality to our lives. It is the reason we seek meaning and purpose in our lives. We can never know the exact time and therefore, death demands us to be prepared at all times. (For many, unfortunately, this can become an obsession). On March 30, 1986 we will celebrate THE FEAST of the Christian Church - EASTER. It is the victory of life over death because our LORD Jesus Christ RESURRECTED from the dead. There have been many good teachers, who have taught us good works, who have preached love, yet only Jesus Christ has conquered death. The gospel of the Early Church, the gospel (the Good News) of the First Church, the gospel of the Armenian Church today is the SAME É Christ has Resurrected and there is a promise of eternal life for all of us who believe. Earlier I promised some helpful and exciting news about both taxes and death. About taxes--your donations of items and money to the Church are tax deductable. About death--Christ conquered it. As you read this, some may be saying, "We've been had, I knew about tax deductions." Well, I am confident that we all knew/know about the resurrection, yet how much time do we spend preparing for it? If we spent on our salvation, only a fraction of the time and energies that we expend to prepare our tax returns, how much more richer we would be!?! A tax return we file to be safe here in this life. Have we guaranteed ourselves anything in the next life? We are talking not about a few years but about an eternity! The central point our Church ministry is the resurrection. There has been nor will there ever be anything greater than this event. The resurrection views death in its proper perspective--not as something we avoid, but as a natural order of events. "But we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep." (IThes.4:13f) For more information É on saving taxes: contact your accountant É on your own salvation: come to Church. Come and celebrate the resurrection of our Lord. Easter is a celebration of Life. It signals a new beginning. Let this be a season of new beginnings. Let us rededicate and recommit ourselves to the fundamentals of our faith. Let us rediscover Life É at Church let us attend and partake of the Holy Communion knowing that we too conquer death through our Lord Jesus Christ. "Ébe of good cheer, I have overcome the world." (Jn.16:33) May the LORD bless you and your families during this Easter season. --Fr. Vazken Movsesian -------------------------------------- c. 1987 Fr. Vazken Movsesian Address comments to: dervaz@sain.org --------------------------------------