Meditations on the Crucifixion
Արմէն Աղոթք
Մարմնիդ վրայ գրկե ամեն մեղքերս, եւ տուր ինծի հարութիւն եւ կյանք հավիտենական:
Meditate upon a cross for one to three minutes and begin reading meditations on the crucifixion
I
Jesus Christ, conform to your crucifixion my soul, my spirit, and my mind, unite me to your cross, so I may become what I see, and be to humanity what you are and have become to me. Only let me suffer as you have, outwardly in appearance of shame and in slavery, yet only in holiness and in regality, and in the noble love of a father and a king.
II
Your crucifixion, your holy body, emanates the love of your humanity, the love of your divinity, two natures, yet one love, united in you Jesus Christ. You love and have suffered for me and mankind, let me suffer for you.
III
The solution for humanity, in one sign, one image, the sign of the cross, one person suffering for me and for creation's sin. I do not know, yet I know, for there before me is a sign of suffering and holiness, a golden cross is heaven and gives contentment to my incompleted soul, I do not know yet I know because there you are in substance and form dying and suffering for me. This, the sign, the solution to my soul, the solution to humanity, the solution to creation.
IV
Crucified King, crowned with thorns, my God, your weakness is my salvation, and has become the sweetness of creation, for in bearing this humiliation, you transform a crown of thorns into love, a sign of mercy, an emblem of eternal love for your children, to be weak before man, to show forth his sweet and gentle mercy, a sign into the mind of Christ, you show the endless softness in the innermost essence of the Trinity.
V
Behold, Jesus Christ, his arms outstretched. You are suffering, and I am not. I stand before you in need to be as you are, for you are holy and your ways, your act is beautiful to my soul. You are crucified yet holy, dying yet eternal, suspended, yet free, hanging yet changing all that is, ascending and descending, risen on earth and in the heaven of heavens through one way, your arms outstretched, now embracing mankind.
Armen Leo Artashesian