This year has been designated by his Eminence Abp. Khajag Barsamamian as the year of vocations. The word vocation, (goghoom in Armenian), means a calling. The usage of this word indicates that the church teaches that people are called to serve God. In fact, our church teaches that God calls to everyone in a variety of ways. This article will present an overview of the different ways God has called out to people through history, and how he is still calling to us today. We will also address the difficulties and advantages in answering His call.
God’s call to a person can we done in an overt way.
In the Old Testament there are numerous examples of God calling to people. A few examples are: God called to Abram and directed him to follow his will for his life (Genesis 12), God called to Moses from the burning bush (Exodus 3), God called the prophet Samuel to anoint King David while David was still a boy (1 Samuel 16:12),
In the New Testament God called Mary, via an angel, to become the mother of God, he called to the apostles to follow him, He also called out to the people gathered at Jesus’ baptism, instructing them to listen to Jesus, God also called St. Paul to ministry (Acts 9).
God’s direct to call to a person can be very clear as in the aforementioned examples.
But at other times God’s call can be harder to identify.
In 1 Samuel 3, Samuel is a boy whose upbringing has been entrusted to Eli, a priest in ancient Israel.
One night while there were in the temple
the LORD called Samuel.
Samuel answered, "Here I am." 5 And he ran to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me."
But Eli said, "I did not call; go back and lie down." So he went and lay down.
6 Again the LORD called, "Samuel!" And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me."
"My son," Eli said, "I did not call; go back and lie down."
8 The LORD called Samuel a third time, and Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me."
Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy. 9 So Eli told Samuel, "Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, 'Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.' " So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10 The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, "Samuel! Samuel!"
Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening."
Samuel did not initially recognize that God was calling to him. He needed someone who had already heard the voice of God in his life to help Samuel relize that God was speaking to him.
God has been speaking to the church for two thousand years. Just as Elie Helped Samuel identify the call of God in his life, so too the church helps us hear Gods’ call in our own lives; and not only that, but God speaks to us through the Holy Tradition of the church. The Holy tradition consists of, first and foremost, the Bible. It also has received from God other holy writings through which God directs us. In the orthodox church we understand that God has therefore called to us through the bible, and also through the writings of the church fathers, the decisions of the holy councils, the creeds, the liturgies, the hymns, the canons, revelations, the lives of the saints and even through iconography. These are all means through which God directs us.
We do believe that God calls us to fulfill certain plans because God himself revealed this to us. In Jeremiah 19:11 God says, “I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Answering God’s Call
The problem with hearing God’s plans for our lives however, is that God might be calling us to do something difficult. This was the case in the story written above with God calling to Samuel. To continue that story…
11 And the LORD said to Samuel: "See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears of it tingle. 12 At that time I will carry out against Eli everything I spoke against his family—from beginning to end. (Eli’s sons has profaned the temple). 13 For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons made themselves contemptible, [b] and he failed to restrain them. 14 Therefore, I swore to the house of Eli, 'The guilt of Eli's house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.' "
15 Samuel lay down until morning and then opened the doors of the house of the LORD. He was afraid to tell Eli the vision, 16 but Eli called him and said, "Samuel, my son."
Samuel answered, "Here I am."
17 "What was it he said to you?" Eli asked. "Do not hide it from me. May God deal with you, be it ever so severely, if you hide from me anything he told you." 18 So Samuel told him everything, hiding nothing from him. Then Eli said, "He is the LORD; let him do what is good in his eyes."
Samuel was apprehensive to say what God wanted him to say because he feared Eli’s reaction.
So often when God calls people to serve he puts them in difficult positions, yet if people remain true to God and God’s call and do what God is calling them to do in the midst of their difficulties, then God will bring about great blessings.
Consider some of these difficult callings and the results:
· Jonah was called to preach to the Ninevites – yet the city repented and was saved.
· Moses was called to speak to Pharoah, ye the Israelites were saved.
· And our Lord himself was called to sacrifice his life for our salvation, yet His Father raised him from the dead and through God’s actions death has been conquered for us.
· St. Gregory was called to preach the gospel of salvation to King Dertad, yet through his tortures Armenian became the first Christian nation.
To answer God’s call often involves sacrifice and a degree of discomfort of some kind. Yet we are not to shrink from answering his call because it presents difficulties for us.
For Jesus himself said, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. “(Luke 9:23) and also.. anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.(Mt 10:38).
So then Jesus tells us that if we are to be worthy of him, and his kingdom, we must be willing to answer his call to serve even if that service necessitates personal sacrifice. One sacrifice we are called to make weekly is attending Badarak. In fact, the word Badarak literally means sacrifice. During the Badarak we are remembering our Lords’ sacrifice on the cross for our salvation, as we simultaneously make a sacrifice of our own. When we attend Badarak we sacrifice all the other things we could be doing Sunday morning instead, as we choose to honor Jesus’ command to “do this is remembrance of me” and honor his sacrifice on the cross. Coming to offer our prayers up together weekly is but one of many sacrifices God calls us to make.
Attending Badarak is in itself a humble act of answering a call from God to remember him.
And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me." Luke 22:19 (see also 1 cor 11:24-25)
During Badarak we also acknowledge that we are each called to profess Christianity – to share the good news of Christ.
I have also sinned against all the commandments of God, both positive and prohibitive; for I have neither performed the positive commands, nor abstained from those things that are prohibited. I accepted the laws, but was slothful in keeping them. I was called to the profession of Christianity but was found unworthy of it by my deeds. While knowing the evil, I willingly gave in to it, and I purposely kept away from good deeds.
from the confession
We are called, each one of us, to deepen and strengthen our walk with our Lord on a daily basis. We are each called to sacrifice of ourselves to do whatever it is God is calling us to do; and God certainly calls everyone to a vital mission is his holy church, while warning those unwilling to sacrifice that there are grave consequences for putting their personal comfort above honoring God’s will for their lives. (Mt 10:38).
Dear faithful, this year as we follow our Primate’s directive to focus on vocations I encourage you to ask yourself, “how is God calling me to help in the profession of Christianity?” For the work of the church is the salvation of souls, and you are called by God to make His mission your mission. God is calling you to help. How will you respond?
Fr. Tavit
During Badarak we recognize we recognize that we have all been called. At one point the priest prays,
Holy Father, you who have called us by the name of your Only-begotten and have enlightened us through baptism of the spiritual font, make us worthy to receive this holy mystery for the remission of our sins. Impress upon us the graces of your Holy Spirit, as you did upon the holy apostles, who tasted it and became the cleansers of the whole world.
We are also called to the resurrection – from sharagnots
And by Your life-giving resurrection
You called us who were dead
To the resurrection of immortality,
(from the canon for the second Sunday of great Lent)
We are all called to the Divine marriage Feast – and to wisdom (from sharagnots)
You have called us who were far away
To the marriage feast of Your only-begotten
And to drink the cup of wisdom
From the canon to St. Gregory
Attending Badarak is in itself a humble act of answering a call from God to remember him.
And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me." Luke 22:19 (see also 1 cor 11:24-25)
We are all called to be part of the ‘royal priesthood of believers’
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 peter 2:9
Regarding how all people are called to serve in the church St. Paul writes: in 1 cor 12,
12The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13For we were all baptized by[c] one Spirit into one body…and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. …there are many parts, but one body. …27Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration…
We called to profess Christianity – to share the good news of Christ – from the confession
I have also sinned against all the commandments of God, both positive and prohibitive; for I have neither performed the positive commands, nor abstained from those things that are prohibited. I accepted the laws, but was slothful in keeping them. I was called to the profession of Christianity but was found unworthy of it by my deeds. While knowing the evil, I willingly gave in to it, and I purposely kept away from good deeds.
We are called to rest in Christ Mt 11:28
Jesus said, “come to me, all who labor and are h eavily laden – and I will give you rest.”
All who are thirsty are called to come to Christ
On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Jn 7:37
Because people answered his call – priest and laity –
the church has been preserved –
the gospel has been preached –
our people have remained committed to Christ.
The parishes and Diocese have been built and sustained by those who answered this Divine call
Application:
Since we are all called - This week ask yourself – how well are you answering the call of God to serve his church?
God prunes vines to make them more productive
1"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. Jn 15
God is calling you to serve him in his church – if you are too busy ask – what can you cut out of your life to be more productive for the Lord?
This week think about expanding your role – what more is God calling you to do to build his kingdom?
What could you give up to have more time or resources available to build his kingdom?
How could you prepare yourself to be a more productive servant for His kingdom?
Some of those called, are called to the ordained priesthood
Describe your calling to the priesthood.
Share that you can only accomplish this ministry by God’s abundant grace.
Who is worthy of being a priest? – No one
No one is worthy of being a priest – God does not call the qualified – he qualifies the called. Here are a couple of examples of how the Armenian Church acknowledges the unworthiness of the priest to offer the sacrifice.
During Psalm of Vesting
Lord almighty, having granted us to put on the same heavenly garment, make me, your useless servant, also worthy at this hour when I make bold to approach the same spiritual service of your glory, so that I may divest myself of all ungodliness, which is a vile garment, and that I may be adorned with your light. Cast away my wickedness from me and shake me out of my transgressions that I may be made worthy of the light prepared by you in the world to come.
When preparing to Receive the chalice the priest prays:
None of us who are bound by carnal passions and desires is worthy to approach your table or to minister to your royal glory; for to serve you is great and fearful even to the heavenly hosts… I beseech you, …cleanse my soul and my mind from all the defilements of the evil one; and by the power of your Holy Spirit enable me, who have been clothed with the grace of this priesthood, to stand before this holy table and to consecrate your spotless body and your precious blood.
Both of the above example show that we are useless in our sin – but by God’s grace in us he makes us worthy.
The Priests are called to invite the earth to heaven – from sharagnots
Glory in the highest
To the Holy Spirit who proceeds from the Father
Who inebriated with the cup of immortality
The apostles who invited earth to heaven.
From the canon for the first day of Pentecost
The above passage suggests that the proclamation of the gospel was done with a joyous heart. So then apostles (literally those who are sent with a mission) = arakel – are called to preach with joy
Those who seek to continue the ministry of the apostles must therefore have a Joy in Christ, and in God’s word. The importance of loving God’s word is emphasized in the psalms and is an essential quality for any priest or church professional.
1 Blessed is the man
who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners
or sit in the seat of mockers.
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers. Ps 1:2
Who is called then? ,,,those who find joy in the gospel, Those who delight in the law of the Lord.
Those who love God
The priest are also called to be examples of the embodiment of living by the gospel
If someone teaches the truth but does not practice what he teaches he is a false prophet – and subject to the judgment of God. Didache
Mt 23 – (Jesus said) "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.
Our tradition regarding the priesthood also tells us:
The priest must rejoice in the resurrection
He must have a zeal to serve the Lord
He must call those who wander to repentance, but not despair when his sheep stray.
if a human being wanders away from the right faith, great exertion, perseverance and patience are required; for he cannot be dragged back by force, nor constrained by fear, but must be led back by persuasion to the truth from which he originally swerved. The pastor therefore ought to be of a noble spirit, so as not to despond, or to despair of the salvation of wanderers from the fold, but continually to reason with himself and say, Peradventure God will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth, and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil. Chrysostum On the priesthood
Think for a moment about the joy of delivering good news
A loved one is expecting a child
The birth of a child
A well suited couple announces their engagement
Or share a time when the community as a whole received good news.
(Tell about how you felt receiving good news at a particular time in your life)
Ask them to think about a time they received good news and how joyous it made them feel.
It is a joy to share good news – and to receive good news.
A central call of the priest is to receive and share good news on a daily basis.
A priest must rejoice at the good news of salvation.
He must be eager to share the good news.
How parishioners can help people enter ministry:
Look for people who are: excited about their faith – disciplined – studious – prayerful – loving – enjoy serving – respectful.
Point out to those who love the love – that their love for the Lord is evident.
MOST IMPORTANT IS PRAYER –
• Jesus instructed us to pray:
• He (Jesus) told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Luke 10:2 (see also Mt 9:37-38)
Being a priest is not a job – it is a calling. Ultimately we want God to touch the hearts of those who have this divine calling and encourage them in their call.
For although we might think a person is the right candidate for the priesthood – only God knows for sure.
This is evident from the words of God to the prophet Samuel, when Samuel was to anoint a new king for Israel and went to the house of Jesse (1 Samuel 16:7)
7 But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."
4. Conclusion
A. This week think about expanding your own role
Think about how you can make adjustments in your life to make yourself and your resources more available to serve the needs of God’s kingdom on this earth, that is, the Holy Church.
For God calls you to be his love in action
He calls you to be his light to a dark world
He calls you to holiness, and to live a life embracing the gospel and showing by your words and deeds your joy in the salvation you have received.
And consider the young men and women in your church that may be good candidates for seminary.
Talk with them.
Encourage them to consider serving the church.
Point out to them the joy they already have from serving.
Help make resources available to them to grow in their relationship with Christ (ie. underwriting their trip and tuition to St, Nersess summer programs)
Most important: Pray for the clergy and church workers
and pray the Lord send out harvesters into his vineyard to harvest all willing souls before the imminent return of the vineyard owner.
Lead them in prayer –
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
Lord of the harvest, today we remember your return is imminent. We ask that you prepare and send men and women for ministry in your holy church. And help each of us this week to examine our own role in the church and ask ourselves what adjustments we can make in our lives to better serve and glorify you now and forever and unto the ages of ages.
Amen
