On Sunday, October 31, 2021, H.G. Bishop Torkom Donoyan, Prelate, presided over Divine Liturgy at St. Mary’s Church in Glendale. H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian conducted the service and delivered the day’s sermon, while St. Mary’s pastors Archpriest Fr. Komitas Torosian and Rev. Fr. Ardak Demirjian participated.
Prior to the sermon, the Prelate praised Archbishop Mardirossian’s spiritual service to the Western Prelacy, highlighting his merits and many years of God-pleasing and patriotic activity. “Indeed, during the past twenty-five years, as the Prelate of the Western Prelacy, H.E. Mardirossian was with his people, stood by his people, and was for the people,” the Prelate emphasized, wishing the former prelate good health and bright days ahead.
In his sermon, His Eminence conveyed glory and gratitude to Almighty God for the opportunity to pray and participate in the Divine Liturgy, noting that it was his first service at St. Mary’s Church as a former prelate. He thanked the prelate for extending the invitation, and wished him success in undertaking his new initiatives and programs.
After welcoming Executive and Religious Council members, clergy, members of prelacy parishes and the faithful, Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian chose the biblical verse “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice,” (Luke 8:21) as the basis for his sermon, explaining that Jesus Christ, as the supreme sower, always spoke to his followers in picturesque language and through parables, so his believers would not only hear the word of God, but also understand and more readily adopt them.
Highlighting the Parable of the Sower, His Eminence talked about the disciples who approached Jesus, while he was telling the parable to his followers, and said: “Your mother and your brothers are waiting for you,” to which Jesus replied: “My brothers and my mother are all those who hear and apply the word of God.”
“Therefore, with these words, Christ invites each of us to become a part of his family, to listen to His words and teachings, and to implement them to fulfill God’s will.” He urged those present to not only repeat the words of the Lord’s Prayer, “Thy will be done,” but to also live them, as did the servants of the Armenian Church and our saints—to embody His will each and every day.
