No page of the Gospel, no parable, no story promises that Faith will guarantee us personal material or non-material dividends. It is we ourselves who, out of foolishness, sometimes reach the mistaken conclusion that for observing certain rituals or rules we must be rewarded with something good. From this weak logic, we reason roughly like this: “I do so many things—what is my reward? Surely God will notice my wonderful behavior and grant me a nice car, money, a position, fame, likes and hearts.”
To expect such “rewards” from God is, at the very least, naïve. God, of course, bestows His graces—but not for our personal enjoyment. He gives them so that, through us, they may be shared with the whole world. And so it is for every Christian.
…When I think about Samvel Karapetyan, Archbishop Mikayel and Archbishop Bagrat, as well as other political prisoners jailed at Pashinyan’s whim, I feel pain that they are in such a situation. Yet, from another perspective, I believe they are happy people. For to suffer for the sake of Faith, for God, for the Church (forgive me if I am mistaken) is an honor. “Who can separate me from communicating with God?” asks Archbishop Mikayel.
The same can be said about slander, insults, and ridicule from the authorities, their propagandists, and their supporters. To measure your life by the number of “emogies”—happy or angry—that you receive, and to shape your behavior accordingly, is exactly the method the authorities use today. For a truly believing person, this is barely a fraction of a problem.
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…In far harsher conditions, an Armenian—Ruben Vardanyan—tortured in a Baku prison and once again the target of Pashinyan’s preachers, has still managed to send us a message: that people are not simply divided into good or bad, because good and bad exist in each of us. “People differ in faith: those who believe in the existence of God, and those who do not. Those who doubt, hesitate, and those who choose other idols for themselves.”
Aram ABRAHAMYAN
