Preparing sandwiches for shelters in Massachusetts A famous American psychiatrist, Karl Menninger, was once asked what he would tell a person who felt like they were on the edge of a breakdown. People expected him to say, “Go find a doctor. Take care of yourself. Take this or that medication.” But his answer was surprising: “Lock up your house, cross the tracks, find someone in need, and help that person.” Modern science has proven that when we help people, and they thank us

In almost every home, there is a thermostat and a thermometer. Though they may sit on the same wall, they serve very different purposes. A thermometer only reflects the temperature around it. If the room is cold, it registers cold. If the room is warm, it registers warm. It simply mirrors whatever atmosphere it is placed in. A thermostat, however, does something far more active. It sets the temperature. It shapes the atmosphere. It brings the environment into alignment with t

In 2003, when I was still a deacon, I remember one Sunday during Holy Badarak at Etchmiadzin, while I was watching the celebrant at the Altar, something stirred inside of me. I felt a strong, unshakable desire—almost a pull—to be on that Altar myself, to celebrate the Badarak one day. A few weeks later, I was with His Holiness Karekin II when he suddenly turned to me and asked, “Are you ready for ordination this coming Sunday?” It was like the voice of God confirming what He