Remember What?

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(Armenian Genocide Memorial Day)

Psalm 42

Ninety-five years passed since the crimes that the Turkish government committed towards our nation. For 95 years we Armenians have been crying out to all nations to recognize our Genocide. So far more than 20 countries have recognized it and others ignore or deny it for various unjustifiable reasons.

We commemorate the Genocide every year. The question I ask myself is: “What do we remember? What do we commemorate?”

First, we remember the pain of our forefathers and foremothers.

As many of you did, I grew up with the horrible stories of the Genocide. Each of you has his/her own family story. Some people including my grandfather wrote down some of his memories that we later published. When he was five years old, he was attacked with a sword and was left alone because he pretended to be dead. I hear from my wife about her grandparents who lost many family members. Her grandmother one of thousands of women who were obliged to put their newborns under a tree hoping someone would rescue them. She had to cover her face with mud so that no one would find her attractive and rape her. She tried to throw herself in the river and die, but somehow God rescued her.

We read about the assassination of the intellectuals of the society, starting from the teachers, writers, priests and pastors. Last year I was introduced to the book “Armenian Golgotha” by Peter Balakian. One can imagine how vicious crimes were committed against humanity, and the world is silent about it.

When we look at the Bible, we read about the suffering of another nation who lost their land. They were exiled and could not worship God at the Temple in Jerusalem. In Psalm 42, the songwriter, the psalmist is in Jordan, on the heights of Mount Hermon and not in Jerusalem. He is remembering the days when he could worship God in the Temple with his fellow worshipers.

The psalmist is in tears (vs. 3). His tears have become his food day and night.

Like a deer that is so thirsty searching for water, his soul is thirsty for the living God. (vs. 1)

The imagery is so vivid; it reminded me of the days when our ancestors had a similar experience in the deserts of Deir Zor. Yes, like thirsty deer, they too searched for water, searched for food, searched for security and shelter. Yes, similar to the psalmist’s experience, their eyes were full of tears that became their food, and they were also mocked by the Turkish authorities saying, “Where is your God?” (vs. 3)

When we are in pain or suffering injustice even today some of us ask, “Where is God, where was God”.

Where was God in our Genocide? Did God forget our cry? How can the God of justice allow such a horrible tragedy to occur?

Similar statements and questions are asked by the psalmist. “My soul is downcast within me” (vs.6); “I say to God my rock, ‘Why have you forgotten me?’ Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy? My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long, ‘Where is your God?’”(vs.9,10)

The answer is in the same psalm, which we will continue in English.