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2008 EASTER MESSAGE OF ARCHBISHOP KHAJAG BARSAMIAN
Primate of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of America
“’How slow of heart you are to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter His glory?’ And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, Jesus explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself…They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem… ‘It is true,’ they said, ‘the Lord has risen!’ Then the two told the Eleven and those assembled with them what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when He broke the bread.” From Luke 24:25-35
In this thrilling account of Jesus’ appearance to two of His followers on the road to Emmaus, as well as in many other post-resurrection reports, we are once more reminded of the importance of seeing Christ together.
While the church was to be founded only a short time later in the vivifying flames of Pentecost, even in His final earthly moments Christ established a pattern for all time by telling again the whole story of salvation, sharing Himself among others, and in the breaking of bread. Indeed, it was when He broke bread that he was fully recognized by his disciples as the risen Christ.
And so do we in the Armenian Church and all churches throughout the world tell and retell the story of Jesus - Son of God, born to Mary in the fullness of time, suffered and died for our sins and rose again on the third day. So, too, do we gather at the Holy Table, as well as in our homes, to share the symbol of life with others. In these sacramental moments, how fully alive Christ is to us!
Acknowledging the sacredness of these two places consecrated to living in Christ, the Diocese continues to explore the theme “Church and Home: One in Spirit” with: special parish workshops probing the ways and means to reach out to households beyond the church doors, cultivation of the ancient and beautiful tradition of home blessing and resources for our families to help make the nourishing connection between church and home ever more relevant.
Yet even as these are all offered with love and hope, our greatest hope remains always and forever Christ Himself. It is His love and wisdom we pray for as we follow the post-election tumultuous events in Armenia. It is His guidance we seek as we consider the historic ramifications of our own upcoming presidential election. There is no end to where we might implore His presence - as it is the only guarantee, in this uncertain world, of true life and true joy. And it is with that same joy that we pause to recall every year at this time the extraordinary event of Jesus Christ dying and coming to life again, to which news we continue to exult:
Christ is risen! Krisdos haryav ee merelotz!
Blessed is the Resurrection of Christ! Orhnyal eh harotyoonun Krisdosee!
With prayers,
Archbishop Khajag Barsamian
Primate