On Tuesday evening, July 6, the Eastern Diocese launched the new learning season of its digital ministries platform, VEMKAR, with an online talk by Diocesan Primate Bishop Daniel Findikyan. Some 130 viewers tuned in to the inaugural Live Session, to interact with Bishop Daniel as he addressed the topic of “Christ as Hope”: the title of the latest VEMKAR module.
Starting from his deep meditation on Psalm 90/91 (“The one who dwells in the aid of the Most High / rests in the shadow of God in heaven”), the Primate considered the meaning of Christian Hope: what it is, and what it is not.
“Hope is not an emotion,” he said. “Hope is an attitude—but it’s more than an attitude. Hope is a person: Hope is Christ.”
“You are my hope,” the Bishop added, echoing the prayerful words that the Psalmist addressed to God.
He went on to wonder: “I don’t know if that’s a way we’re accustomed to praying. Could we speak to Jesus that way, and say, ‘You are my hope, Jesus’? Do we take the initiative like that—instead of praying in a passive way, waiting for something to come to us?”
He continued: “We have to step into our relationship with God; step into His presence. We need to be able to say: ‘Jesus, come and let me feel your hope. Come lift me up. Do that today, Lord.’ Sometimes we’re not used to speaking so forcefully with Jesus. But that’s exactly what he wants.”
Click the following link to learn more, by watching Bishop Daniel’s Live Session on “Christ as Hope.”
Through the coming months, VEMKAR’s “Christ as Hope” learning season will explore the Armenian Church’s teachings about the precious spiritual gift of Hope—and how the source of trueHope lies in Jesus Christ.The module offers faithful of all ages across the Eastern Diocese—and the world—access to inspirational multimedia resources, drawn from the sacred tradition of the Armenian Church.
VEMKAR’s next Live Session is scheduled for the evening of July 13. Click the link for details, registration information, and the full schedule of Live Sessions in the “Christ as Hope” learning season.