Monday, January 05, 2009
New Years reception
LET US RENEW OUR LIFE IN COMMUNITY IN 2009
HIS HOLINESS ARAM I
ANTELIAS, Lebanon - On New Years Day, after the Holy Liturgy, His Holiness Aram I received the members of the congregation in the Main Hall of his residence in Antelias.
On behalf of the brotherhood and the laity, Bishop Nareg Alemezian wished His Holiness long life and thanked him for his spiritual leadership, his efforts for the renewal of the church, his concern for the youth and his decision to declare 2009 the Year for Youth.
In his New Years message His Holiness Aram I emphasized the importance of building community. Building community, he said, is in the essence of our church, and our vision of community is based on mutual accountability. Mutual accountability, he continued, implies building life on shared values and not on vested interests. If we still exist as a nation, it is because of our commitment as a people to our shared values. We should reaffirm this legacy and build our community with integrity and objectivity. A community that is founded on shared values, acts with integrity and is guided by objectivity, will more readily renew itself and its institutions.
Catholicos Aram I then stressed the vital importance of the renewal of the Armenian Church: When I speak of institutions, I also mean the church. The church is not building where we pray. The church is a mission. The mission is to become a praying and life-giving community. As 2009 will be the year of Youth, I invite you to help the youth build our new community of mission.
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