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PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Karine Abalyan
Tel: (212) 686-0710; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.armenianchurch-ed.net
April 14, 2014
___________________
THE EASTER MESSAGE OF ARCHBISHOP KHAJAG BARSAMIAN
Primate of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of America
LIVING THE RESURRECTION
"As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe
sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. 'Don't be alarmed!' he
said. 'You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has
risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell
his disciples and Peter, He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you
will see him, just as he told you.'" (Mark 16:5-7)
"In those days Peter stood up among the believers.and said, 'Brothers and
sisters.it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the
whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, beginning from John's baptism
to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a
witness with us of his resurrection.'" (Acts 1:15-22)
As we approach the great celebration of our Lord's resurrection, there is no
better guide for our thoughts and hearts than the liturgy of the Armenian
Church. The readings for Easter Sunday are especially instructive.
>From St. Mark we hear the story of the empty tomb: the women arriving to
perform the ritual anointing, stunned to see that the stone had been rolled
away, amazed to hear an angel declare their Lord's resurrection. This
episode is retold in each of the gospels, confirming the miracle that
changed the world forever: Christ had risen from the dead, healing the wound
that had severed earth from heaven so long ago.
The Book of Acts chronicles the story of the Church-the Body born out of
Christ's sacrifice-and in this Easter lection we learn the criteria of
discipleship. For in replacing Judas, the disciples were searching for
someone who fulfilled two requirements: First, they felt the new disciple
should have accompanied Christ throughout his ministry; and second, he
should be prepared to witness to Christ's resurrection.
The disciples were seeking someone who would not just believe and follow,
but who would actually live the Resurrection. What would such a life look
like?
Mary Magdalene's story from the Gospel of St. John, read to us twice on
Easter Sunday-at the opening and closing of the day-provides a powerful
answer. Healed by Jesus, Mary is mentioned in all four gospels, and
generally listed first whenever the women are mentioned (except when she
stands with Mary, Jesus' mother, at the cross). She was clearly a
formidable presence among Jesus' followers. Most importantly for us, she
sets the example for a life transformed by the Lord, having accompanied him
throughout his travels and in his darkest hours-even to Jerusalem, where she
saw Christ crucified, and laid to rest in the tomb. Finally, she was the
first, according to John, to see the risen Lord and proclaim his
resurrection. "Go!" Jesus told her. And go she did, with the joyful words:
"I have seen the Lord!"
What does it mean, 2,000 years later, to walk with Christ and live the
Resurrection?
Living the Resurrection means to follow Christ daily by opening our hearts
to him through the Bible, and through the fellowship of his people, the
Church.
Living the Resurrection means putting off one's old self with its old
habits, and putting on a new self-which God is continually renewing in his
own image, to bring us to a full knowledge of himself (Colossians 3:9-10).
Living the Resurrection means loving one another as God loved us, for by
this and this primarily will we be known as disciples of Jesus (John 13:35).
Living the Resurrection means not just hearing the good news, but putting it
into practice-walking with the Holy Spirit and bearing the fruits of that
relationship: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).
Living the Resurrection means that we not only believe and trust in that
miraculous event, but are ready to witness to it-as the disciple chosen to
replace Judas was ready. Do we, as witnesses, truly believe in all the ways
Christ is with us, today and always? Can we, in company with the joyful
Mary Magdalene, boldly declare to the world: "I have seen the risen Lord!"
Our Armenian ancestors were the first people, as a nation, to join in that
declaration. With boldness and joy, and at great cost, they declared that
Jesus Christ was the Lord of their lives. Over the subsequent centuries,
millions of Armenians have endured sacrifice-from the plains of Avarayr to
the sands of Der Zor-for the love of their Lord and the integrity of their
faith. Preserving the heritage we share with these martyrs is the precious
responsibility of our generation, and of all future generations of the
Armenian people.
But as we rightfully honor these martyrdoms, let us also commit ourselves-as
they did-to taking up the Lord's cross every day. Let us dedicate ourselves
to our own transformation to glorify God, as He works through all of
creation, "groaning with the pangs of labor" (Romans 8:22) to restore the
world: an endeavor of divine love that burst forth with renewed vigor from
the Cross of Jesus Christ.
For under its protective and empowering shadow, the Lord's faithful continue
to gather in hope and joy. In this spirit let us live Christ's resurrection
this Easter, as we proclaim:
Krisdos haryav ee merelotz! Orhnyal eh harootiunun Krisdosee!
Christ is risen from the dead! Blessed is the resurrection of Christ!
Easter 2014
# # #
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Karine Abalyan
Tel: (212) 686-0710; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.armenianchurch-ed.net
April 14, 2014
___________________
THE EASTER MESSAGE OF ARCHBISHOP KHAJAG BARSAMIAN
Primate of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of America
LIVING THE RESURRECTION
"As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe
sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. 'Don't be alarmed!' he
said. 'You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has
risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell
his disciples and Peter, He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you
will see him, just as he told you.'" (Mark 16:5-7)
"In those days Peter stood up among the believers.and said, 'Brothers and
sisters.it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the
whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, beginning from John's baptism
to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a
witness with us of his resurrection.'" (Acts 1:15-22)
As we approach the great celebration of our Lord's resurrection, there is no
better guide for our thoughts and hearts than the liturgy of the Armenian
Church. The readings for Easter Sunday are especially instructive.
>From St. Mark we hear the story of the empty tomb: the women arriving to
perform the ritual anointing, stunned to see that the stone had been rolled
away, amazed to hear an angel declare their Lord's resurrection. This
episode is retold in each of the gospels, confirming the miracle that
changed the world forever: Christ had risen from the dead, healing the wound
that had severed earth from heaven so long ago.
The Book of Acts chronicles the story of the Church-the Body born out of
Christ's sacrifice-and in this Easter lection we learn the criteria of
discipleship. For in replacing Judas, the disciples were searching for
someone who fulfilled two requirements: First, they felt the new disciple
should have accompanied Christ throughout his ministry; and second, he
should be prepared to witness to Christ's resurrection.
The disciples were seeking someone who would not just believe and follow,
but who would actually live the Resurrection. What would such a life look
like?
Mary Magdalene's story from the Gospel of St. John, read to us twice on
Easter Sunday-at the opening and closing of the day-provides a powerful
answer. Healed by Jesus, Mary is mentioned in all four gospels, and
generally listed first whenever the women are mentioned (except when she
stands with Mary, Jesus' mother, at the cross). She was clearly a
formidable presence among Jesus' followers. Most importantly for us, she
sets the example for a life transformed by the Lord, having accompanied him
throughout his travels and in his darkest hours-even to Jerusalem, where she
saw Christ crucified, and laid to rest in the tomb. Finally, she was the
first, according to John, to see the risen Lord and proclaim his
resurrection. "Go!" Jesus told her. And go she did, with the joyful words:
"I have seen the Lord!"
What does it mean, 2,000 years later, to walk with Christ and live the
Resurrection?
Living the Resurrection means to follow Christ daily by opening our hearts
to him through the Bible, and through the fellowship of his people, the
Church.
Living the Resurrection means putting off one's old self with its old
habits, and putting on a new self-which God is continually renewing in his
own image, to bring us to a full knowledge of himself (Colossians 3:9-10).
Living the Resurrection means loving one another as God loved us, for by
this and this primarily will we be known as disciples of Jesus (John 13:35).
Living the Resurrection means not just hearing the good news, but putting it
into practice-walking with the Holy Spirit and bearing the fruits of that
relationship: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).
Living the Resurrection means that we not only believe and trust in that
miraculous event, but are ready to witness to it-as the disciple chosen to
replace Judas was ready. Do we, as witnesses, truly believe in all the ways
Christ is with us, today and always? Can we, in company with the joyful
Mary Magdalene, boldly declare to the world: "I have seen the risen Lord!"
Our Armenian ancestors were the first people, as a nation, to join in that
declaration. With boldness and joy, and at great cost, they declared that
Jesus Christ was the Lord of their lives. Over the subsequent centuries,
millions of Armenians have endured sacrifice-from the plains of Avarayr to
the sands of Der Zor-for the love of their Lord and the integrity of their
faith. Preserving the heritage we share with these martyrs is the precious
responsibility of our generation, and of all future generations of the
Armenian people.
But as we rightfully honor these martyrdoms, let us also commit ourselves-as
they did-to taking up the Lord's cross every day. Let us dedicate ourselves
to our own transformation to glorify God, as He works through all of
creation, "groaning with the pangs of labor" (Romans 8:22) to restore the
world: an endeavor of divine love that burst forth with renewed vigor from
the Cross of Jesus Christ.
For under its protective and empowering shadow, the Lord's faithful continue
to gather in hope and joy. In this spirit let us live Christ's resurrection
this Easter, as we proclaim:
Krisdos haryav ee merelotz! Orhnyal eh harootiunun Krisdosee!
Christ is risen from the dead! Blessed is the resurrection of Christ!
Easter 2014
# # #