Dear Brethren and Sisters in Christ

“We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus to life, will also raise us up with Jesus”
(2 Corinthians 4:14)

The Good News of Jesus’ Resurrection proclaimed by the angels filled the women with awe who run out of the tomb distressed and terrified (Mark 16:8). The spiritual, inner and gradual transformation of the Apostles individually and collectively continued until the Ascension of the Lord and peaked on the Pentecost.

The uneducated, timid and weak fishermen of Galilee who after the crucifixion were disenchanted, demoralised and in disarray, the truth and the mystery of the Resurrection penetrated their hearts, souls and bodies and gradually they became fishermen of souls preaching the life giving and eternal message of the Lord to the four corners of the world through their words, deeds and blood.

Christianity as a faith is founded upon the unshaken belief of the Resurrection of the Lord. This same faith passed from one generation to the other has reached us.

Let the message of Good news and peace trumpeted by the angels be heard and shared throughout the world. We pray for the peace in the Middle East where our Christian brothers and sisters suffer persecution, hardship and even martyrdom. We pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit for those in Australia who have the authority to make decisions on moral issues and uphold the values of the family as practised with the historical religions for thousands of years.

Let the breath of the Resurrection transform, regenerate and strengthen us, turning us into a new creation and with this spirit to go forth to preach life’s victory against death, light’s against darkness.

“Wake up, sleeper, and rise from the death, and Christ will shine on you”

(Ephesians 5:14b).

Prayerfully,

Bishop Haigazoun Najarian, Primate
Diocese of the Armenian Church of Australia and New Zealand