Weekly Sermons from St. Hagop Armenian Church features the weekly talks by Fr. Hovnan Demerjian during our Sunday Morning service. Please do share sermons or offer your comments!
It’s hard to let God be God. We long to explain things only God can know, seeking cause and effect for every good and every evil in this world. Yet terrible things sometimes happen to decent people, and bad behavior sometimes goes unpunished. In the war in Artsakh and Armenia, for example, many good and…
“Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” (Lk 20:25) Taxes have always been controversial. Some people hate taxes, and thus love Mark Twain’s joke about them; “What is the difference between a taxidermist and a tax collector? The taxidermist takes only your skin.” Other people, however, actually like taxes, and…
The art of losing’s not too hard to master…though it may look like disaster. (Elizabeth Bishop) ‘For he who is least among you all is the one who is great.’ Lk 9:48 From our earliest days, we learn to value and desire winning, beating out others to be the best. In my house we have…
‘Do not weep; for she is not dead but sleeping.’ –Luke 8:52 There is a deeply stirring video going around which I have known about for several weeks, but could not bear to watch until recently. It was made by Holy Etchmiadzin’s media outlet, Shoghakat TV, and captures the baptism of about a dozen young soldiers,…
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing…”-Ep.1:3 On Friday, by the initiative of Bishop Daniel, I participated in our day of fasting and prayer for peace and justice in Artsakh. I was intending to share brief prayers with you all via…
‘My name is Fr. Hovnan Demerjian, I have been the pastor of St. Hagop Armenian Church in Pinellas Park, FL for thirteen years. I studied at Boston College, Harvard Divinity School and St. Nersess seminary. I lived and worked in the Republic of Armenia for several years before ordination. I have been married for 17…
“Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing.” (Mk 12:43) Last week, aided by scripture, we talked about the importance of the calling of a soldier. Most immediately, we prayed and pledged our continued help for those soldiers called into a battle of self-defense in…