Message of His Holiness Karekin II on the Feast of Resurrection

armradio.am
04.04.2010 12:30

Our dear and pious faithful,

The feast of Christ’s holy and glorious resurrection has once again
brought joy and happiness to our hearts, and exultation to all
Christians, who have been called to eternal life by the Lord’s
salvation. Today our souls are alight in hope as we praise and glorify
the Risen Lord and accept the good news of the victory of life and the
salvation of man.

The triumph of life over death became possible through the love that
God has for humanity; through the passion, crucifixion and
resurrection of the Son of God – the Savior of mankind. During
Pilate’s unjust trial, the mob preferred the outlaw Barabbas over
Christ, condemning the Son of God to be crucified. The sinful was
chosen over the sinless; the evildoer over the righteous, "because
their deeds were evil, for everyone practicing evil hates the light."
John 3:19-20. Near the cross, the believers and followers of Christ
were wailing, while many were mocking Him, saying "if you are the Son
of God, come down from the cross… and we will believe." Matthew
27:40-42. Our benevolent Lord, Who came from the bosom of the heavenly
Father into the world, became man and mortal, did not come down from
the cross. Instead, he rose from the grave to renew the nature of man
and bestow the grace of eternal life. Thus the doors to eternity are
open and we are called to be the inheritors of the kingdom of heaven,
to enjoy the blessings and joy of God’s constant presence. Let us
fearlessly approach Him Who is the Lord of life, merciful and full of
love. He can renew the world heavy laden with sins with a single word;
by seeing remorse and the desire and effort to change in the souls of
men. He knows the hearts of men and their thoughts; He knows the aims
of all deeds and will grant each according to his faith and hope in
God. It is with this confidence that the apostle who has seen the
Risen Savior exhorts us to lay hold with Jesus Christ on the hope for
eternal life, and to steadfastly and unyieldingly fight the good fight
of faith.

Dearly pious faithful, in accordance with the words of the Gospel,
life in this world is a spiritual war for us faithful, and at every
turn, in every thought or word, it is necessary to choose the true and
the good, to be found righteous before one another and before God, so
that divinely-given love always shines throughout life. There is no
alternative in the good fight of faith, there is no compromise, since
it is a war against satan – the one who desires the downfall and death
of men. It appeared that satan was victorious, when Christ was
crucified and placed in the tomb. However, through the Lord’s glorious
and ineffable resurrection, evil and its power were destroyed, since
it is God’s will that man be saved.

The Risen Christ is the way of life. With Christ, we have the power to
be renewed and to improve life. As Christ’s earthly life brought
goodness to humanity, so too shall the life of those who believe in
Him, since the way of faith is that special heroism with which men are
called to be the fearless implementers of God’s saving will on earth,
to be the `fragrance of Christ before God’ [II Corinthians 2:15].

Dearly beloved faithful, for nearly 2,000 years since Christ’s
resurrection, mankind has passed through diverse societal, economic,
scientific and technological periods of development. However, in spite
of all of his accomplishments, man has faltered many times in fighting
the good fight of faith. Often as well today, the temporary (material)
goods of this life, are given priority over the eternal ones. Today
too the world is not free of war, poverty and irreconcilables in
society, within families and personal relationships. And truly, there
will never be peace, unfaltering prosperity and happiness wherever the
good fight of faith is not being waged; wherever Barabbas is chosen
over Christ.

Our people chose Christ as Lord and Savior. And with Him as our refuge
throughout the centuries, we have overcome countless ordeals and have
emerged with faith from the graves prepared for us. Today, the sacred
mystery of Christ’s resurrection gloriously ascends and illuminates
Armenian life, since we commemorate the 95th anniversary of the
Genocide of the Armenians in the reality of independent Armenian
statehood and a Diaspora in renaissance. Yes, the 20th century was an
era of tragedy, but also one of rebirth for our people. Passing
through the Golgotha of genocide, our people in dispersion and in the
homeland, who overcame infinite deprivations and sacrifices, sprouted
a new life, continued to create, and walk today with lasting
accomplishments in harmony with the times. Relying on Christ, our
people were committed to the hope of a peaceful and prosperous world,
and believed in the triumph of liberty and justice. With this vision
and confidence, we shall continue to defend our righteous cause, that
resonates today in the hearts of many people throughout the world,
even though the Armenian Genocide as of yet has not been universally
recognized and condemned. We shall also continue our efforts in the
recognition of the independence of the Republic of Nagorno Karabagh
and to eliminate the illegal blockade of our country.

Dear pious faithful,

It is necessary today as well to fight the good fight of faith, so
that the worship of God, love and harmony be steadfast in our lives;
so that goodness is lasting; and our deeds are productive for the sake
of our present and our future. Today we live that important period of
our history when our national life and statehood are advancing and
being rebuilt in Armenia and the Diaspora; when we have been presented
with the opportunities to make our aspirations manifest; to lead to
victory the strengthening of our homeland, the implementation of our
national goals and the efforts aimed at the progress of our people.
Each individual in his sphere of service and his work, shall make
progress with the saving Will of God and the divinely pleasing path of
love for homeland, which results in bountiful goodness to our life and
makes us pleasing to God. As the apostle recognized the Risen Christ
by the signs of the tortures He bore for all mankind, thus does Christ
recognize us – his followers – through the witness of faith, by
renouncing all which is opposed to the Will of God and opposed to
goodness, justice and truth.

Dear ones, the words of the apostle resonate for each one of us:
"Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you
were also called." Let us remain faithful to the holy and righteous
life of Christianity chosen by our pious forebears. In our families,
in our personal relationships, and in the participation of our
national life, let us keep bright the luminous lamp of faith, and as
the apostles exhort us, "keep yourselves in the love of God, looking
for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life," Jude 1:21;
and resembling "those who through faith and patience inherit the
promises." Hebrews 6:12.

With the joy of Christ’s Holy Resurrection, we extend our best wishes
to the incumbents of the hierarchal sees of our Holy Apostolic Church:
His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia; His
Beatitude Archbishop Torkom Manoogian, Armenian Patriarch of
Jerusalem; His Beatitude Archbishop Mesrob Mutafian, Armenian
Patriarch of Constantinople; and to the oath-bound ranks of clergy of
our Church.

With the love of Christ, we greet the heads of our sister Churches,
asking for the Lord to grant His most bountiful graces to their
faithful flock.

With the glad tiding of the Lord’s Holy Resurrection, we greet the
President of the Republic of Armenia, Serzh Sargsian; President of the
Republic of Nagorno Karabagh, Bako Sahakian; and all high ranking
state officials of the Armenians, asking for the Almighty’s blessings
for their lives and efforts made in the cause of the welfare of our
native country and our people dispersed throughout the world.

We convey our greetings and best wishes also to the heads and
representatives of diplomatic missions accredited in Armenia. May
their deeds on behalf of a world at peace, friendship and cooperation
among peoples be fruitful through the blessings of our Lord.

On this wonderful Easter Sunday, we offer our prayers before the Holy
Altar of Descent of our Risen Savior, asking God to grant prosperity
and vibrancy to the land of Armenia with generous goodness. May he
keep our small flock – the Armenian nation – in peace and welfare. We
appeal to our Lord to keep our people unified with our holy faith,
grant new strength and might to the realization of our righteous
aspirations.

May the graces of the Risen Christ be dispersed throughout the world,
so that all nations can build the life of which humanity dreams, with
hope and faith, in friendship and brotherhood, filled with love,
harmony and serene peace, today and forever. Amen.

Christ is Risen from the dead.
Blessed is the Resurrection of Christ.