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. 1986 Fr. Vazken Movsesian Address comments to: dervaz@sain.org -------------------------------------- PASTOR'S MESSAGE HAPPY NEW YEAR- TIME TO TRADE IN THOSE MONEY MARKET ACCOUNTS FOR SOME REAL INTEREST What's in store for the New Year? What can we expect from the New Year? The parable Jesus offers in LukeÊ19:12 once again speaks to us today. According to the parable, there was a nobleman who went away to receive his kingdom. Before leaving he gives his servants a mina (=Êabout 3 months pay, let's use $10,000 for convenience sake). Each was to do use his money until the nobleman returned. When the man returned with his kingdom, he askes an accounting of his servants. The first returns $100,000 (10 X the amount given him). The second returns $50,000 (5 X the amount given him). While the third servant returns the original amount--no more, no less-- back to the king. The first two servant are rewarded and given cities to govern. The third servant, however, is condemned! The king says to him, "Why then did you not put my money into the bank, and at my coming I should have collected it with interest?" He didn't even care to mention what type of account--money market, high yield CD'sÉwe can imagine that he would have been content even with the yield on a passbook savings account. Finally, the king orders that even the $10,000 that was given him should be taken away and given to the servant who had $100,000. At the conclusion of this parable Christ explains, "that to every one who has will more be given; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away." This is perhaps one of the most powerful statements Jesus makes and a statement that is so often misunderstood. What does it mean? Are the poor to lose even the shirt off their back? Why does our church spend so much energy to feed and shelter those in need? We tend to understand this parable only in its material form. There is a spiritual side as well, and a spiritual poverty as well. The nobleman in the parable is Christ, who goes away to come back in His Kingdom. Before he leaves he leaves us in charge of certain things, and expects to have those things returned with interest! What does Christ give us? What type of yield are we expected to bring on these valuables? 1) LIFE--Christ gives us our lives. What do we do with that life? Do we live each day to it's fullest? Do we maximize the yield on life? Or do we play games of anticipation, wondering what the future will bring? Always worrying, and never really living. Or perhaps do we live without caring? Do we haphazardly make decisions that affect the lives of others? Do we live responsibly? 2) Our BODIES--are we doing honor to this gift? Is it something that it making interest, or collecting it? Are we abusing our bodies with tabacco, alcohol, over eating? 3) Our FAMILIES--how do we manage them? Do we feed our children only physically, or spiritually as well? Are we in tune with the feelings of our spouses? Is every action taken into consideration with the welfare of the entire family in mind? Are the children returning love and respect to their parents? Are all the parts of the family working in harmony bringing the greatest yield? 4. Our CHURCH--the most under appreciated gift given to us by Christ. How do we manage it? Is it something that is there for our convenience? Is it something for others to manage? Are we content with the interest rate we are receiving on our investment? Will God be content with the interest rate He is making on the investment He put into His Church--His Son? Will we be returning the Church to Him as He gave it to us (as the 3rd servant did) or will it be returned with the proper interest? Of course we want to maximize the yield on our investments. According to the Luke 19 parable, so does God. January 1 is just a mark in time, no different from any other day. However, as a mark in time it is a convenient time to change. We all make resolutions, some we keep, others we can't. As we start this New Year, let us be comitted to maximizing our yield. Christ gives us our lives, bodies, families and Church. Let's work at all of these, to return the most we can back to Christ. May the blessings of the Lord be upon all your homes during this New Year. May it be filled with health and happiness. Together, may we always give praise to God. Prayerfully, Fr. Vazken Movsesian The reason Jesus offers the parable in Luke 19 is, "because they (the people) supposed that the Kingdom of God was to appear immediately" (vs.11). With the end of the year we have many expections for the coming year. Perhaps many share the expectation of the people during Christ's time. (History shows an increased anticipation for the end times at the end of years, centuries, millium--here we are a few days into the New Year, toward the end of the century and the millenium.) Yet Jesus, knowing what is in our hearts, speaks to us abount something much more important, that expecting and axiously awaiting the end times. -------------------------------------- c. 1986 Fr. Vazken Movsesian Address comments to: dervaz@sain.org --------------------------------------