Fourth Sunday of Great Lent: Sunday of Unjust Steward Դ Կիւրակի Քառասնորդական Պահոց (ՏՆՏԵՍԻՆ)

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1 ê. ñç áñ Èáõë³õáñÇã гÛó. ²é³ù»É³Ï³Ý ºÏ»Õ»óÇ ²ñÅÝ. î. Ø»ëñáå øñýû. Úáíë»³Ý St. Gregory the Enlightener Armenian Church Rev. Fr. Mesrob Hovsepyan, pastor 1131 North Street, White Plains, NY / Office: (914) Pastor: (804) Der Mesrob - fr.mesrob@yahoo.com, Office - saintgregorychurchwp@gmail.com Web: Office Hours: Monday closed, Tuesday-Friday 9:30-3:00 pm Մարտի 4, 2018 March 4, 2018 Welcome to St. Gregory the Enlightener Armenian Church! Legacy of Our Martyrs: A Gift to Carry Forward The Morning Service starts at 9:45 a.m. on s and is followed by Soorp Badarak (Divine Liturgy) at 10:15 a.m. Parish Council Members on Duty: Arman Bedonian, Lauren Kayaian, Anthony Picone Today s Scripture Readings: Ephesians 4:17-5:14. Luke 16:1-31 Fourth of Great Lent: of Unjust Steward Դ Կիւրակի Քառասնորդական Պահոց (ՏՆՏԵՍԻՆ) Today there will be no Requiem Service after Badarak.

2 SUNDAY OF STEWARD The fourth of the period of Great Lent is called the of the Steward, and the message of the day teaches us with the parable of the unjust steward. This parable is mentioned only in the Gospel of St. Luke. In the parable, a wealthy man learns that the steward of his house is squandering his possessions. The rich man calls the steward, asking for an accounting, having decided to release him from employment. The steward, realizing that he may soon be without work, begins to act accordingly so that in the near future, others may accept him into their homes. The steward calls those men who have debts to his employer, and he relieves them of a portion of their debts. Following this act, the wealthy man praises the steward for his contrivance. At first glance, it seems as though there is a great contradiction in this commendation. But the unjust steward grants back to the debtors, only that which he had added to the debt originally for his own gain. Thus, the wealthy man is not injured by the actions of his steward. The master praises the steward for resigning himself from the gains that the steward would have realized in these transactions. Thus, high praise is given to resignation, or abstinence, which is one of the foundations of Great Lent. Lent teaches mankind about the ability we each have to resign ourselves from all forms of temptation, the beginning of which is self-control and selfdenial. Christ says, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me. This parable admonishes every one of us that the journey towards salvation must include self-control and resignation. The allegorical meaning of the parable is in the wealthy man symbolizing God, and the unjust steward symbolizing the sinner. For an extended period of time, the sinner carelessly wastes the graces granted by God, until God calls him for an accounting of his life. The unjust steward symbolizes all who, upon regretting their actions, forgive those who have sinned against them, and become seekers of righteousness and the just. ՏՆՏԵՍԻ ԿԻՐԱԿԻ Մեծ Պահքի չորրորդ կիրակին կոչվում է Տնտեսի, ըստ այդ օրվա խորհուրդը բացատրող անիրավ տնտեսի մասին առակի: Մի մեծահարուստ իմանում է, որ տնտեսը վատնում է իր ունեցվածքը, կանչում է նրան եւ հաշիվ պահանջում, որոշում հեռացնել աշխատանքից: Տնտեսը հասկանում է, որ կարող է անգործ մնալ, խորամանկության է դիմում: Նա կանչում է տիրոջ պարտապաններին, նրանց շնորհում իրենց ունեցած պարտքի մի մասը: Եվ այս ամենից հետո տերը գովում է տնտեսին` հնարամտությամբ վարվելու համար: Առաջին հայացքից թվում է, թե հակասություն կա այս գովեստի մեջ: Բայց անիրավ տնտեսը պարտապաններին շնորհում է այն, ինչն ավելիով գրել էր իր օգտին` պարտքի շնորհումով` ոչ մի վնաս չպատճառելով իր տիրոջը: Տերը գովում է տնտեսին` իր հասանելիք շահույթից հրաժարվելու համար:այսինքն` հույժ գովելի է հրաժարումը, որն էլ հենց պահքի իմաստն է:պահքը մարդուն որեւէ գայթակղությունից հրաժարվելու ունակություն է սովորեցնում, հրաժարում, որից սկսվում է

3 ինքնազսպումը կամ անձի ուրացումը: Քրիստոս ասում է. Եվ ով իր խաչը չի վերցնում ու Իմ ետևից չի գալիս, Ինձ արժանի չէ: Այս առակը հորդորում է յուրաքանչյուրին հրաժարվելով և ինքնազսպմամբ հասնել փրկության: Առակի այլաբանական իմաստն այս է: Հարուստ մարդը խորհրդանշում է Աստծուն, անիրավ տնտեսը` մեղավորին, որը երկար ժամանակ անհոգ կերպով վատնում էր Աստծո տված շնորհները, մինչեւ որ Աստված նրան պատասխանատվության է կանչում: Անիրավ տնտեսը խորհրդանշում է այն բոլոր մարդկանց, ովքեր զղջում են, ներում իրենց պարտապանների պարտքերը եւ սիրելի դառնում հրեշտակներին ու արդարներին: TODAY S SCRIPTURE READING The reading is from the Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Luke (16:1-31) Jesus told his disciples: There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. So he called him in and asked him, What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer. The manager said to himself, What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I m not strong enough to dig, and I m ashamed to beg I know what I ll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses. So he called in each one of his master s debtors. He asked the first, How much do you owe my master? Nine hundred gallons of olive oil, he replied. The manager told him, Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred and fifty. Then he asked the second, And how much do you owe? A thousand bushels of wheat, he replied. He told him, Take your bill and make it eight hundred. The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else s property, who will give you property of your own? No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other.you cannot serve both God and money. The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. He said to them, You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God s sight. The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing their way into it. It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law. Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

4 Honor your loved ones by donating an engraved leaf on the St. Gregory TREE OF LOVE Children, Grandchildren, Parents, Grandparents, Aunts & Uncles Each brass leaf will be custom engraved to honor your loved one(s). No limit on how many you can purchase! This is a wonderful way to honor a special occasion, milestone event, marriage, new baby, in tribute to, in memory of, etc. Each leaf is 2 x 3 and can be engraved with 20 characters on each of four lines. The cost per leaf is $500. (payable to: St. Gregory the Enlightener Armenian Church) For each leaf sold the Parish Council will donate $10 to the ACYOA Juniors. ACYOA Juniors Anybody who has recently turned 13 years old is welcome to join our juniors' group. Please contact chairperson Emma Daw at emmie09d@gmail.com. Feel free to come by our next meeting on, February 4th following immediately following the Liturgy. Today, please take a moment to remember in your prayers Arshaluys Kaleli, Girair Poladian, Agnes Krikorian, Rev. Fr. Shnork Souin (currently in recovery, awaits for heart transplant) as well as all the sick and recovering members of our community. May God touch His faithful servants with His healing hand, and grant them good health & recovery. Please inform Der Hayr if you have friends or family who are suffering any physical or spiritual distress and are in need of prayer, and he will add them to his prayer list where they will be remembered before the Holy and Immortal Lamb of God during the Eucharist. We all need prayer both to say for others and to be said for us.

5 Tracing the Roots of the Arevakal Service The sunrise service (Arevakali jamerkoutiune) is a unique feature of the Armenian Church, absent from the breviary of fellow Eastern Orthodox Churches. The sunrise service is traditionally preformed at dawn on Wednesdays and Fridays during the six weeks of Lent but out of convenience to parishioners, churches in the U.S. will often perform it on s after the Divine Liturgy during the Lenten season. Though introduced in the 7th century by Catholicos Ezr of Paraznakert, the sunrise service was transformed in form and structure in the 12th century by the revered theologian, writer, and composer Nerses Shnorhali. Shnorhali restructured the service by adding hymns, prayers, and psalms and pairing them with exceptionally stirring music still heard in the modern-day service. The sunrise service is comprised of four sets, each one consisting of one hymn, one prayer, one psalm and various exhortations and supplications. Each of the four sets serves a different role in the service: the first set is used to bring the faithful into the service by addressing them as a whole. The second set serves to address martyred saints. The third set is directed towards the Trinity, and the fourth towards Christ. As light is the central theme of the service, those addressed in each set are framed in terms of producing or receiving divine light. For example, the Father is celebrated as the creator of light during the service, while Christ is glorified as being born of light and as bringing light to the world. The following excepts illustrate the significance of light in the service: May the name of the Lord be blessed forever; for his name is before the sun. O God everlasting, O God eternal, who causes light to shine in this our lower world and enlightens us and dispels the darkness of our sins. Almighty God most Great, accept our prayers of this morning and the adoration of our hearts in your holy and heavenly sanctuary, shed forth into us the light of your righteousness and wisdom, and make us the children of light and children of the day Arevakal Service booklets may be found in the pews. Please join Fr. Mesrob, the altar servers and the choir members for this special Lenten service.

6 LENTEN FRIDAY PROGRAM March 9, Friday 7:30 PM Professor Roberta Ervine of St. Nersess Armenian Seminary will present a lecture entitled, Catholicos Karekin Hovsepiants speaks to American Armenians. LENTEN FRIDAY PROGRAM March 23, Friday 7:30 PM Support Artsakh Defense Forces: Armenian Wounded Heroes Foundation Presentation Special guest: H.E. Robert Avetisyan, Permanent Representative of Artsakh to the U.S. On March 23rd, Razmig Arzoumanian, co-founder of the AWHF, will give an informative and heartfelt presentation about this important non-profit organization. AWHF was established in 2016 to help the wounded soldiers fighting in Artsakh. The organization is also raising funds to provide Armenian soldiers with basic medical kits that can help save their lives during combat. Samples of the medical kits will be shown during the presentation as well as clips of videos of soldiers who are currently being helped through the financial support from the AWHF.

7 March 25, April 1, April 8, April 30 - May 5 May 6, ACYOA Day/Palm Luncheon & Program by ACYOA Juniors & Seniors Easter : Feast of the Glorious Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ Bake Sale Fundraiser by ACYOA Juniors. Lionel Galstaun Annual Memorial Concert: Vartan Gabrielian (Bass-Baritone) Vache Jambazian (Pianist). 116th Annual Diocesan Assembly & Clergy Conference 50th Anniversary of St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral. Pontifical Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral. Divine Liturgy will not be celebrated in our church. Everyone is invited to attend the Pontifical Liturgy at St. Vartan Cathedral.

8 Today March 9, Friday March 11, March 17/18, Satr. Sun. March 23, Friday Divine Liturgy will be celebrated in the Tutak Hall due to renovations of the sanctuary. The Lenten reflection, in lieu of the sermon, will be provided by Annie Ovanessian: Topic: The of the Steward. Following the service the St. Gregory School will host a virtual tour of Etchmiadzin Cathedral. You will have the opportunity to speak directly to the moderator with any questions you may have after the tour is over, or she may stop and give an explanation of a location while she is there. Ani Deyirmenjian will be our tour guide on this incredible journey. Refreshments will be served. Hope to see you all there for this wonderful experience. Lenten Friday Evening Program 6:30pm - Lenten Service; 7:00pm - Lenten Dinner is sponsored by the Choir; 7:30pm - Program. "His Holiness Catholicos Karekin Hovsepiants" presentation by Prof. Roberta Ervine ACYOA Juniors Meeting Following the Divine Liturgy. Armenian School Food Sale. The Flyer can be found in Narthex. Lenten Friday Evening Programs 6:30pm - Lenten Service; 7:00pm - Lenten Dinner is sponsored by the Armenian & Schools; 7:30pm - Program Armenian Wounded Heroes Project Join us to learn about the highly effective projects to save lives of soldiers on the Armenian front lines.