In 2002, during my last year at the Etchmiadzin Seminary, I had a disagreement with the deputy dean. It wasn’t just a small misunderstanding—it was serious. He was trying to expel me. In my mind, everything I had worked for was slipping away. I had given my heart to serving God, yet here I was, facing a battle I didn’t know how to fight. One day, after a tough conversation with him, I went to a friend’s room, simply needing to speak, to breathe, to make sense of what was happ

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

Life can feel like a marathon, not a sprint. There are moments when the road seems too long, the hills too steep, and the obstacles too heavy to overcome. You might be tempted to slow down, to pull over, or even to stop altogether. In those moments of exhaustion or discouragement, Scripture offers us a powerful encouragement to hold onto: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders, and the sin that so easil

If you’ve ever stood before The Bean in Chicago — that great, gleaming mirror of steel in Millennium Park — you know how breathtaking it is. You can’t help but be amazed at how it reflects everything around it — the skyline, the clouds drifting above, the people walking beneath. It’s so bright, so clear, so perfect. But what most people don’t realize is that it doesn’t stay that way on its own. Every morning, workers come to clean it. They remove the fingerprints, the dust, t

There are moments in life when our faith is tested beyond anything we could have imagined. Moments when the light fades and the future looks dark. I faced such a moment in the summer of 2022, after my car accident. I remember lying in that hospital bed; broken, bruised, uncertain. The doctors didn’t know what the future would hold. I was staring at the ceiling, thinking my life as I knew it was over. No walking. No serving. No celebrating Badarak. I saw a lifetime of pain ahe

Back in 2018, when I was the Director of Ministries at the Eastern Diocese in New York City, I was at a crossroads in my ministry. I had questions. I had doubts. The road ahead seemed unclear. So I decided to do something radical—I went on a silent retreat at Ender’s Island in Mystic, Connecticut. For three days, I turned off my phone. No calls, no texts, no distractions. I ate my meals in silence. Just me, God, and His Word. Each day, I spent hours reading and praying throug

For generations, our grandparents and great-grandparents knew what it was like to live in fear, to hear that knock on the door in the middle of the night, not knowing if they would ever see their families again. They lived through the unimaginable darkness of persecution and genocide. Yet God didn’t let their story end in sorrow. He led their children and grandchildren to America, to a land where they could live without fear. Here in the United States, we and our children can

A Sunday School class went on a special trip to a grand cathedral. As they walked into that magnificent sanctuary, the children’s eyes were drawn to the towering stained glass windows. Each window told the story of saints—men and women who walked with God, and who lived lives of faith, sacrifice, and courage. The teacher turned to the class and asked, “Children, do you know who the saints are?” There was silence as those young minds pondered the question. Then, a little girl,

The normal way we are wired, especially in today’s culture, is dualistic. We are taught to see everything in terms of black or white, good or bad, true or false. And then, of course, we feel pressured to choose one side and oppose the other. That’s one reason America and Armenia — and indeed, much of the world — are so angry today. When you are locked into dualism, you are always fighting, always defending, always trying to prove yourself. You have to win every argument. And

Have you noticed how the very thing that bothers you about someone else is often what you wrestle with yourself? You see impatience in traffic, and it drives you crazy—then you realize you’ve been honking a little too much, too. Or a friend brags just a little too often, and you think, “I can’t stand that,” but deep down God is saying, “Look closely—there’s a mirror in front of you.” God has a way of using the people around us as mirrors. Those people who push our buttons, wh

Tomorrow, October 26th, is National Pumpkin Day. Across the country, families will visit pumpkin patches, carve jack-o’-lanterns, bake pumpkin pies, and decorate their homes for fall. Carved pumpkins will be on porches, in windows, and all over social media—symbols of the cozy beauty of autumn. I still remember the first time I carved a pumpkin. I thought it would be quick and easy. But the moment I lifted the lid, I realized it was anything but neat. As I reached inside to s

The first time I ever went to a movie theater was back in the early 1990s—to watch King Kong. I remember walking in with a sense of wonder. The big screen in front of me was blank—just a plain white surface. No image, no sound, no story yet. Then the lights went down, and for a moment, everything was dark. Suddenly, a single beam of light appeared from the back of the room. That empty screen came to life—colors, motion, music, emotion. What had been just a flat surface became

When we think of new life, one of the simplest yet most powerful images God has given us is that of a chick breaking through its shell. From the outside, the shell looks solid, unbreakable. But on the inside, something is stirring. Life is forming. Change is taking place. And at just the right moment, that little bird pushes from within, and a new chapter begins. If an egg is broken by an external force, life ends. But if it breaks by an internal force, life begins. The diffe

Have you ever been in a familiar room—your living room, your study—filled with books, photographs, keepsakes, things you know by heart? But then the power goes out. Suddenly, what was clear becomes shadowy. Shapes blur. You stumble as you try to make your way. You know the things are still there, but in the darkness, you can’t see them. Then, in a moment, the lights come back on. Instantly, everything is clear again. You see the pictures on the wall, the books neatly lined up

Since my seminary years, I’ve always loved singing in the choir. Even when I studied in Strasbourg, where there was no Armenian church nearby, I joined the local university choir. And every time I have the chance, I still sing. Last summer at camp, I jumped right in with our campers and sang along. There’s something mystical, something beautiful about singing in a choir. Think about it, in a choir, some voices are strong and soaring, some soft and gentle, some perfectly on pi

We don’t have to look far to see that we’re living in challenging times. The headlines are filled with conflict and uncertainty. People are anxious, weary, and burdened by the pressures of life. Divisions run deeper, patience grows thinner, and hope can feel distant. Yet even in the middle of it all, there is a joy available to us—a joy this world didn’t give, and this world cannot take away. In the third century, when persecution raged against Christians and faith was put to

Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Translators. When we hear the word "translator," we might think of someone who takes words from...

Have you ever reached for your phone because you were certain it vibrated—only to find your pocket empty? Doctors have a name for this:...