During one of my recent visits to Boston, I came across an old locomotive. It stood there like a witness from another time, a reminder of the days when trains carried people across mountains, valleys, and open fields, long before airplanes and modern electric trains became part of everyday life. Those great engines were massive, noisy, and powerful. But their strength came from something very simple: water, fire, and pressure. In Armenian, such locomotives are called շոգեկառք

In Scripture, the image of the shepherd is one of the most tender ways God shows His love for us. A shepherd guides the sheep, feeds them, protects them, and brings them back when they wander. In ancient times, the shepherd walked ahead of the flock, leading the sheep to green pastures and still waters. But often, behind the flock, there were dogs watching carefully. They kept the sheep together. They protected them from danger. They made sure no sheep was left behind. This g

Today, the Armenian Church remembers the vision of St. Gregory the Illuminator and celebrates the foundation of the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin. More than seventeen centuries ago, in the heart of Armenia, St. Gregory saw a brilliant light descending from heaven, marking the very spot where the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin would be built. This was no ordinary light; it was the light of Christ Himself, illuminating the path for a nation and its people. St. Greg

We often think of the body and the soul as separate. We care for the body with food, exercise, rest, and medicine. We care for the soul with prayer, encouragement, worship, and peace. But God created us as whole persons. What weighs on the heart can also press upon the body. Recent medical research has shown a connection between depression and lower bone density, especially in areas like the spine and femur. A heavy spirit can slowly affect the body in ways we may not notice

I recently read that anxiety is rising faster among young people than in any other generation. And honestly, that doesn’t surprise me at all. We live in a world of constant comparison. With just one swipe of a screen, you’re suddenly measuring your life against someone else’s highlight reel. You start asking questions like, “Am I good enough?” “Am I doing enough?” “Why does it seem like everyone else is ahead of me?” That kind of pressure can quietly wear you down. It sneaks

Recently, I came across old videos of Bob Ross on YouTube, the painter known for The Joy of Painting. From time to time, I watch his videos. There is something peaceful about them. The quiet way he creates mountains, trees, clouds, and rivers brings a sense of rest to the heart. Bob Ross was known for his “wet-on-wet” technique. Sometimes he painted on a dark canvas. He would explain that dark colors help reveal the light, and light colors help reveal the dark. In one episode

At the Diocese, we have the first printed Armenian Bible. In 1666, in Amsterdam, Bishop Voskan Yerevantsi printed the first complete Armenian Bible. Many people know about the Gutenberg Bible. For us, Armenian Christians, the Voskan Bible has that special place. For centuries before that, the Word of God was copied by hand, slowly and prayerfully. Because of this, complete Bibles were very rare. Many churches and families had only portions of Scripture: a Gospel book, a Psalt

On Sunday, May 17, I was at St. Mary Armenian Church in Livingston, NJ, for their 100th anniversary banquet. As I sat at the table, I noticed that the tablecloth looked old and a little unusual. When I looked more closely, I saw names sewn into the cloth. At first, I began reading them out of simple curiosity. But soon I realized that these were the names of Armenian Church Youth Organization of America (ACYOA) members from St. Mary, from the years 1961 to 1964. Each name rep

When we light incense in church, the charcoal first bursts into a strong flame. It catches quickly, burns brightly, and draws our attention. Then, after a little while, everything becomes calm. The surface looks still, and it may seem as though the fire has faded away. But when you lean down and gently blow on it, the coals begin to glow red again. The fire was never gone. It was hidden beneath the surface, waiting for breath. That is why the deacons keep the censer moving, a

Japanese traditional tea cups have no handles. You hold the cup directly in your hands. This may seem unusual, especially if we are used to mugs with handles. But there is wisdom in this simple design. The cup itself helps you know whether the tea is ready. They consider, that if the tea is too hot to hold, then it is too hot to drink. What a beautiful lesson for life. So often, we want to rush. We want quick answers, quick healing, quick success, quick change. We pray today

A man once wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper. He said, “I have been going to church for 30 years. During that time, I have probably heard about 3,000 sermons. But honestly, I can hardly remember any of them. So I wonder: are priests wasting their time preaching, and are we wasting our time listening?” That letter started a great discussion. People wrote back and forth. Some agreed with him. Others defended the value of preaching. Then one reader sent a simple respon

Years ago, a ship was caught in a violent storm. Everyone on board was filled with fear. The captain had his young son with him on the ship. In the middle of all the panic, someone noticed how calm the boy was. While the others were frightened, he sat quietly playing with his wooden toy. So the man went over to him and asked, “Son, how can you be so calm in this storm? Aren’t you afraid of what might happen?” The boy looked at him with the calm confidence only a child can hav

Fear and faith have something in common: they both ask us to believe in something we cannot yet see. The difference is which one we choose to trust. Fear believes in the worst that could happen. Faith believes in the best that God can make happen. In the Scriptures, when Moses sent twelve men to scout the Promised Land, ten came back with fear. They saw giants and said, “We felt like grasshoppers in our own eyes” (Numbers 13:33). That is what fear does. It magnifies the probl

Sometimes we imagine heaven as far away. When we pray, “Our Father, who art in heaven,” or hear that Jesus ascended into heaven, we may picture God as distant, beyond our reach. But today, as we celebrate the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Church reminds us of a beautiful truth: Christ rises to the Father, yet remains close to His people. Forty days after His glorious Resurrection, the disciples watched Him ascend into heaven. Before He went up, He gave them a promis

There is a unique kind of peace that comes from being in the presence of someone who has walked with God for a long time. These "giants of faith" offer a quiet, steady warmth that tells you everything will be alright. I was thinking about this today as we prepare to lay our beloved Fr. Karekin Kasparian to rest. My mind went back to 2015, when I first arrived in the United States and spent a day with him at the old St. Nersess Seminary in New Rochelle, almost like a one-day i

Happy and blessed Mother’s Day to all the mothers, grandmothers, and spiritual mothers. Today, we celebrate you, the women who pour out love, who shape lives, who hold families together with grace and strength. You may not always get the recognition you deserve, but remember, heaven sees every sacrifice, every prayer, every tear, every act of love. And God is smiling down on you today. The Bible says in Proverbs 31:28, “Her children rise up and call her blessed.” It doesn’t s

Today, there are phone apps that can tell people where your body is. Families use them all the time. With a quick glance, someone can know whether you are at home, at work, on the road, or safely arrived. But imagine if there were an app that could show where our mind is. That is a far more important than where my body happens to be. Because long before our feet move in the wrong direction, our thoughts usually go there first. We often ask one another, “How are you feeling to

When I was a teenager, like many boys of my generation, I was fascinated by movie stars. After watching films with Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Bruce Lee, I began collecting their pictures. To my young mind, they represented strength, confidence, victory, and discipline. I admired them. And somewhere deep inside, I wanted to be like them. Years later, I found myself collecting images again. But now the faces before me were different. No longer actors from th

In Milwaukee, there is a beautiful landmark called the North Point Lighthouse. During my visit, I wanted to see it because a lighthouse has always been one of the most powerful signs of hope. When a ship is drifting on the sea, when sailors are struggling against the waves and the harbor still feels far away, the light is already shining. It sends a message: “You are close. You are being guided. You are not alone.” That is the light of hope. Jesus says, “I am the light of the

During one of my visits to St. Mesrob Parish in Wisconsin, I visited a senior parishioner who could no longer come to church. She had not grown up Armenian, but she had married an Armenian man, and over the years, she had become part of the parish family. We sat together by Lake Michigan, enjoying coffee, looking at the peaceful water, and she shared a story that touched my heart. She told me that the first time she came to the Armenian Church with her late husband, she felt