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. 1994 Fr. Vazken Movsesian Address comments to: dervaz@sain.org -------------------------------------- Priest's Message Christmas Prayer Christmas is one of those times of year that brings mixed emotions. For some it is a time of joy, for others it is a time which doesn't pass fast enough, and still, others are indifferent one way or another. With all the "noise" around the season, its meaning is not only lost, but may even be hard to find. I'm not talking about shepherds and bright lights in the sky. Those are the "trimmings" of Christmas and may, in fact, draw us farther away from its message. Robert Fulghum writes, "I confess that I'm usually a little confused about Christmas. It never has made a lot of sense to me. It's unrealÉ Singing about riding in a one-horse open sleigh is ludicrous. I've never seen one, much less ridden in one. Never roasted chestnuts by an open fireÉ Wandering Wise Men raise my suspicions, and shepherds who spend their lives hanging about with sheep are a little strange. Never seen an angel, either, and my experience with virgins is really limitedÉ Babies and reindeer stink. I've been around them both, and I know. The little town of Bethlehem is a pit, according to those who have been there. Singing about things I've never seen or done or wanted, dreaming of a white Christmas I've never known. Christmas isn't very real." The more you think about it, the images of Christmas (both religious and commercial) are not easily understood. There is, however, a special magic about Christmas. We see it in the eyes of children who remind us of youth and innocence lost. There is a wonder and an excitement in the air during the season. And although I have struggled with the commercialization of Christmas, I can also admit that Christmas cannot be confined to the events in Bethlehem alone. Sure, the little town with the "No Vacancy" signs might have been the birthplace for what we call "Christmas," but there is so much more. The central message of Christmas is in the words found in the Gospel of John, chapter 1. These words tell us of a special love God has for each and every one of us. It is the story of a Creator who doesn't give up on his creation and cares that His children live and enjoy life. Christmas is a story of compassion. Its a story of caring. Its about an intense love which says, you are loved. We have struggled through much this year, as a parish on the road to "community." I wish all of you the best this Christmas. May the magic and joy of Christmas penetrate our souls and soften the scares left by the difficulties of the year gone by. May we find the strength to give each other the greatest gift: the gift of love. It is the only gift that really matters today, or any day. Merry Christmas and God bless you all. ÑFr. Vazken John 1:1-14 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth. -------------------------------------- c. 1994 Fr. Vazken Movsesian Address comments to: dervaz@sain.org --------------------------------------