Service has no expiration date
This past weekend, my wife Susan and I attended the retirement celebration of Father Antranig Baljian, who recently concluded his 50th year of parish ministry as pastor of St. Stephen’s Armenian Apostolic Church of Greater Boston.
Our connection with Der Antranig and his Yeretzgin, Cheryl, is very personal. Susan grew up with Der Hayr and Cheryl in the Worcester community at Holy Trinity parish. Der Antranig was ordained at my home parish of St. Gregory of Indian Orchard as the first American-born priest in the Prelacy. My father, Carnig, was his dedicated deacon and advisor during the early years of his ministry. Der Antranig baptized our children during his tenure in Indian Orchard. Their children, Nayiri and Der Stephan, still call me “Uncle Stepan,” a reflection of the bond between our families. My father and I were honored to serve many years on the board and as delegates under Der Hayr’s leadership.
Perhaps most importantly, Der Antranig brought me closer to Jesus Christ, for which I am forever grateful. Undoubtedly, many of the over 350 people in attendance at the retirement celebration have similar relationships with the Baljians. Der Hayr and Cheryl have that kind of impact on people.
The program was an abundance of love for a couple who have faithfully served God, two parishes and the church for decades. The audience—from young children to senior members—reflected the remarkable impact of his ministry and the respect he has garnered over the decades. There was great anticipation to hear from the honoree. I have listened to Der Antranig’s sermons and public speaking for many years and am always drawn to his wisdom, depth and humility. His words reflect who is as a person.
Throughout the program, many speakers referred to the issue of “retirement,” with some emphasizing that Der Hayr was retiring from his parish ministry. In recent years, both the Prelacy and the Diocese have established 70 as a target age for retirement from parish ministry. Of course, this depends on a number of factors, such as the community, the priest himself and the availability of a successor. The latter is a critical factor, given the current imbalance in both the Prelacy and the Diocese between clergy supply and demand. Several parishes are currently without a full-time priest. Most retired clergy continue their ministry with important work, such as visiting mission parishes or serving churches awaiting their next pastor.
A dear friend of mine, Father Arnak Kasparian of blessed memory, often referred to himself in retirement as a “spare tire”—always available when needed. Ministry is a lifelong vocation and, like many of his brothers in Christ, Der Antranig is entering a new chapter. Usually when I listen to Der Hayr, I find myself soothed by his words, flowing into my being like spiritual therapy, uninterrupted by the world around us. But this time, he said something that struck a chord: an Armenian priest is ordained with the eternal Holy Muron. It doesn’t wash off when the day of retirement arrives. After all, “service has no shelf life.”
Sitting at our table, I leaned over to my wife and asked her for a pen, who acquired one from a friend at our table. Why did I need a pen? In writing this column, I usually have a topic selected prior to the submission window that week, but I always leave the door open for the unexpected. I knew immediately that Der Hayr had gifted me the theme for this week. As I wrote down his words with some supporting context, the rest of the program began to fade around me. My mind raced with emerging thoughts of Der Hayr’s profound words.
Some priests have joked that the next phase of their ministry brings immense joy as the “noise” of parish life quiets down. There is much wisdom in this perspective. Our parish priests take on an almost impossible responsibility. The constant phone calls and complaints from parishioners can be debilitating—were it not a spiritual vocation. Our priests are called to serve Our Lord and bring His Word to the faithful. The Holy Muron doesn’t evaporate. The prayers of the Holy Ordination do not fade with time.
Our lives on earth are intended to build a loving and personal relationship with Jesus Christ in preparation for our salvation. After their calling by Our Lord, our priests serve a lifetime in their ministry. In that context, the negative experiences of parish life are real, but their impact fades with time. What remains is the comfort priests bring to families in their time of need or the mentorship in bringing people closer to God. Our priests do this with thousands of people at various points in their lives. There is no greater gift we can receive than God’s love.
Our priests are human. They are affected by small crowds on Sundays or disrespect rooted in ego-driven behavior, yet they endure because there is no shelf life for their service of love. Service to the Lord is the noblest of all vocations. It is unfortunate that, sometimes, we don’t realize this until we look back. With a life driven by love and respect, we can enjoy these gifts in the present. Most of us have a filter that cleanses the past of negative experiences. Who goes to a funeral with grudges or negative feelings? With time, we realize that behaviors based on selfish conflicts or self promotion are shallow and not sustainable. We prefer to remember the happy thoughts. This is a blessing.
Although Der Hayr’s comment was shared in the context of his priestly ordination, it can certainly be offered from a broader perspective. The Armenian diaspora spans communities in a variety of geographic regions. Our viability and sustainability depend completely on the concept of service. It is an act of giving versus receiving. Service is at the core of what Our Lord asked us to do when He said, “Love one another as I have loved you” and “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
Der Hayr’s declaration conveys many messages. First, he is asking each one of us to engage in one of the most noble acts: service. It is also important to internalize that each of us has something to give. Our lives are a process of discovery, development and the sharing of our unique gifts. The sharing process is the foundation of service.
The last important segment of his message is that service while service has transitions and adjustments, it has no end. During youth, our service is driven by boundless energy and idealism. As we age, our value increases through wisdom and mentoring. As our bodies slow us down in our senior years, there is still an important service role in teaching and supporting. Der Arnak and other retired “spare tire” priests would visit St. Vartan Camp during the summer months to be with their youthful flock. I watched many older clergy inspire our youth with their grandfatherly wisdom, stories and guidance.
The role of grandparents in our families is a classic example of service—one that is especially vital in three-generation households. Many of us grew up adoring the presence of our grandparents and absorbing their knowledge. This, too, is a form of service within the family context.
Too often, as we age, we “retire” from community life. But if we listen to Der Antranig’s words, we can comprehend that while our roles may change, retirement is simply a new chapter.
We should respect these transitions and remain grateful that we can still benefit from the service of others. Transitions can be very emotional. The retirement of a priest after nearly 50 years of service causes self-reflection. We recognize that those wonderful times are memories, but we should also acknowledge that new memories are being created. Der Antranig succeeded the iconic and beloved Der Torkom Hagopian of blessed memory at St. Stephen’s, and now he is being followed by the most capable Hayr Soorp Hrant Tahanian.
This is the joy of life. We are thankful that we have experienced this in the loving sanctuary of Our Lord. It was such an honor to be at Der Hayr’s “retirement” celebration. It was a room full of love, appreciation and personal impact. What made the evening especially moving was that Der Antranig remained his natural humble self, using his time to thank others and reflect on the privilege of a life in service. He is now the “emeritus pastor” with more time to enjoy with his incredible family.
This is a time for us to be happy for Der Antranig and Cheryl. They have given much to us and the church over the past 50 years, always with joy in their hearts and love for our Lord. Der Hayr graced us with one more message for each of us to internalize: find your talents and share them with others, just as the Lord has asked us to do.
The transition of a priest from parish ministry to “spare tire” reminds us that our evolving roles do not mean the end of our service. Service to Our Lord and one another in our communities is, in itself, a life-giving experience.
Enjoy this next chapter, Der Hayr and Yeretzgin. God bless you both.
Stepan Piligian
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