The Diocese
Posted: 02/05/2021
“Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come to You. Do not hide Your face from me in the day of my trouble.” Psalm 102:2-3
It is absolutely astonishing to think of the steps our church fathers have taken in the preparation for embracing the New Life, the gateway to which is Great Lent. Why? Because through 40 days of fasting and prayerful self-reflection, Great Lent purifies us so that we may see the holy face of God.
Humanity in general and the Armenian Christians in particular, need to fill their lives with the vibrant presence of God so that the words that emerge from our soul become the words of God and our deeds become the tangible reflection of those very words.
“Hear my prayers, O LORD.”
The supplications that stem from our prayers must originate from a sincere heart and must be the result of our inner, spiritual urge. It is the desire of every Christian to get closer to God, dwell in His presence, and indulge in the goodness of new life. We offer our heartfelt prayers to God, beseeching him to hear our pleas and direct our steps towards the light and truth.
“Let my cry come to You.”
The words of the psalmist emphasize the desire of our hearts, that is for our prayers to become audible to God because our spiritual lives have the thirst for God’s word, love, and wisdom.
“Do not hide Your face from me.”
 With these words, the psalmist, on behalf of all of us, begs of God not to deny us His mercy and compassion.
During the spiritual journey of Great Lent, we urge you to recite the following words from the bottom of your hearts as you wake up and open your eyes to sunlight:
“Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come to You. Do not hide Your face from me in the day of my trouble.” Psalm 102:2-3
Let us recite this psalm before bed as well so that we may surrender our mind and soul into the hands of God.
Continuing our spiritual journey, let us select prayers and readings from the scriptures and the writings of the holy fathers so that we may adorn our essence with the jewels of heavenly mysteries. The days of Great Lent should differ greatly from the rest of the days of the calendar, for lent offers a unique opportunity for spiritual preparation through which the new and cleansed person is born, ready to embrace the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who is the anchor of our faith.
Therefore, once again, we ask you kindly to dedicate special time for prayer and devotional reading, especially in the morning and at night, so that your days and spiritual journey may be blessed.
For this reason, the church fathers have established special rites for Great Lent, with unique prayers, hymns, and scriptural readings, which with its melodic sweetness engulf the hearts of the faithful with the love of God, leaving no space for darkness. When we chant those hymns and reflect on the prayers, we achieve ultimate peace in body, mind, and soul. Without peace, we will be unable to welcome the Resurrection of Christ.
With your daily devotional readings, we intend to present you daily reflections derived from our readings. We hope that through those reflections, you can hear the prayers of our heart.
Archbishop Hovnan Derderian
Primate
January 18, 2021
