PALM SUNDAY

This Sunday, April 5, is Palm Sunday, which commemorates Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem and the beginning of Holy Week. The Church is joyful after forty days of repentance. Christ is coming to Jerusalem. He is coming in the name of the Lord in fulfillment of the prophecy (Zechariah 9:9-16). 

Rejoice, O Jerusalem, and adorn your bridal chamber, O Sion, for behold your King Christ, seated on the new colt, shows meekness and comes to enter into your chamber. ... Cry aloud, Hosanna, blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord, who has great mercy. (From the Introit of Palm Sunday)

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

  

  

THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST ACCORDING TO MATTHEW (20.29-21.17)

As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!"   

The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!"   
Jesus stopped and called them. "What do you want me to do for you?" he asked.   
"Lord," they answered, "we want our sight."   
Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.   
As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away."   
This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:   
"Say to Daughter Zion,   
   'See, your king comes to you,   
gentle and riding on a donkey,   
   and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.'"   
The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,   
   "Hosanna to the Son of David!"   
   "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"   
   "Hosanna in the highest heaven!"   
When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, "Who is this?"   
The crowds answered, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee."   
Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. "It is written," he said to them, "'My house will be called a house of prayer,' but you are making it 'a den of robbers.'"   
The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, "Hosanna to the Son of David," they were indignant.   
"Do you hear what these children are saying?" they asked him.   
   "Yes," replied Jesus, "have you never read,   
   "'From the lips of children and infants   
   you, Lord, have called forth your praise'?"   
And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night.

   

ՅԻՍՈՒՍ ՔՐԻՍՏՈՍԻ ԱՒԵՏԱՐԱՆԸ ԸՍՏ ՄԱՏԹԷՈՍԻ ( 20:29-21:17)

This Saturday, April 4, we commemorate the Raising of Lazarus as told in the Gospel of John, Chapter 11. Lazarus and his sisters Mary and Martha were good friends of Jesus. Their home in Bethany (near Jerusalem) was Jesus' home whenever he was in Jerusalem. Lazarus' sudden death threw his sisters into deep mourning. Jesus also wept for his friend. John's gospel account emphasizes the fact that Lazarus was indeed dead by pointing out that his body was in the tomb. Jesus' raising of Lazarus convinced many people of his divine powers, and according to John, the authorities took steps to try to silence him.

Lazarus represents humankind and Bethany represents the whole world. The major themes of this day are the forthcoming victory of Christ over death, the supreme sacrifice of love, and the resurrection as the ultimate triumph of love. 

The forty days of Great Lent (Medz Bahk) come to an end with Vespers on Friday prior to the commemoration of the Raising of Lazarus. A new fasting period for Holy Week begins on Monday and continues through Holy Saturday.

THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE HOLY MOTHER OF GOD

This Tuesday, April 7, is the Annunciation of the Holy Mother of God that is celebrated nine months before the Nativity. It is the celebration of the announcing of the forthcoming birth of Christ to the Virgin Mary as recorded in the Gospel of Luke.

 

"And behold. You will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there will be no end." (Luke 1:31-33)

 

"The unspeakable mystery hidden from the nations and ages has been revealed today by the descent of the archangel to the holy virgin Mary, whom we have as intercessor for our souls before the Lord. ...O joy of our sorrowful nature, blessed virgin Mary; at the greeting of the good news you received and bore in yourself the giver of the law of greeting. Always intercede for our souls before him." (Canon for the Annunciation of the Holy Mother of God from the Liturgical Canons of the Armenian Church)