In ancient belief, the “old” had to be destroyed and prevented from existing to bring about the new reality. Therefore, the ancients offered their available resources as sacrifices to the power capable of bringing about the new.
The value of this “old” sacrifice lay not in the item offered, but in the abundant grace being received.
The interface, the line of contact between the old and the new, is a battleground, a war. It marks the end of evil as the new good arrives to claim its rightful place. It heralds the beginning of righteousness, a virtue that can only flourish in the just peace that harmony brings. However, we must approach these words with caution, for grasping the essence of this parable is not an easy task. Neither war nor peace, authority nor the heavenly kingdom, justice nor righteousness can be fully comprehended under the constraints of human material nature.
To truly understand these concepts and symbols, we must reconnect them to their spiritual and eternal origins. Only then can the symbols acquire their true meaning, the mysteries become communion, and we become re-connected to the reality that gives them life and substance.
It is the risen Lord who comes to reclaim his rightful place as the creator of the world. He comes to restore the dominion of his heavenly kingdom. In our human nature, it appears to us that he is the gardener (as mentioned in John 20.15). However, we will not recognize him until we re-establish the vital connection between his physical presence and his divine essence. Only then will we be able to approach him in prayer and seek his guidance. We will also be able to compel the great Prophet, who is powerful in both action and speech, to remain with us during our times of darkness and doubt, as Luke describes in his Gospel 24.19 and 29.
When our God will pass judgment, the eyes of the blind will open, and the ears of the deaf will hear, as prophesied by Isaiah (35.1–10). The parched desert and dry lands will rejoice and blossom like a lily. New strength will flow into weary hands, and trembling knees will find steadiness in power. Everyone will begin to understand and accept the Word of God, bringing salvation. Righteousness will condense as life-giving dew in the souls shriveled under the breath of evil, and a new and sacred path will emerge. The unclean and those wandering aimlessly through human lies and deceit will not be permitted to use this path except in repentance and conversion into the love of the Heavenly Father.
This highway is the very same road that God is walking on to reach His creatures and bestow upon us the ointment of joy and peace, the comfort of the beatitudes, and the healing of all pain and sorrow. It is a road that remains unseen to those who consider themselves righteous. As Gregory of Narek eloquently put it, this road is the source of all blessings for us all—hope-giving confession, a precious heritage, a gift from the Father, a provision of eternal life, a bridge to life, unbreakable ties, appetizing nourishment, and the dissipation of all hardness of heart. It is the very definition of true godliness (Prayer 26.2).
