Upon first encounter with the paralytic in today’s Gospel, instead of healing him of his paralysis, Christ first heals him of the ‘paralysis’ of his soul by forgiving his sins. Nothing is too great for God, but we also remember that His grace is sufficient for you and me. Not everyone receives miraculous healing of […]

We’re reminded in today’s Gospel of the reality of spiritual warfare and the devastating effects of a soul given over to the evil one and his demons, as well as Christ God’s power over the evil one. St. Paul relays this truth to us, saying, “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against […]

Sin is one of those oft misunderstood concepts in Christianity. Many people don’t understand sin, its consequences, and its remedy. St. Paul assures us in today’s Epistle that “sin leads to death” (Rom. 6:23). Why? The Orthodox Faith teaches us that sin is “missing the mark,” departing from the divine calling that God gives each […]

TWO MASTERS. Christ God warns us in today’s Gospel that we cannot serve two masters… we cannot serve God and mammon. The world tells us to put our trust in our material possessions with which we hope to gain a sense of ‘security,’ to trust in and improve ourselves. In contrast, Christ draws our attention […]

St. Paul describes the faith of the Saints of old and what they endured for the sake of the truth of God, saying, they: “subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong… Others were tortured, […]

All Saints: Today we remember all those faithful Saints who have come before us: “forefathers, fathers, patriarchs, prophets, apostles, preachers, evangelists, martyrs, confessors, ascetics and every righteous spirit made perfect in faith” (Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom). They come from every race, class, region, and time. What they share in common is that through their […]

The blind man sat begging at the Temple every day, known to all. Christ God restores his sight, revealing Himself as God. The miracle is even more remarkable than it seems: Not only has no one ever opened the eyes of one born blind before, but, as the Holy Fathers tell us, this man was […]

Jesus says, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life” (John 8:12). The woman at the well in today’s Gospel comes from a very dark place: She’s living in sin, in confusion, she’s a follower of a man-made religion that cannot fulfill, but she thirsts for […]

We see today two beautiful examples of love and compassion manifested by God as the Lord of Life, the Physician of our souls and bodies. We learn today that healing is always a grace, a mercy of God interjected into an otherwise sin-sick world. Christ God says to us, “I have come that they may […]

This Sunday in the Orthodox Church around the world we focus on the healing of the Paralytic and what our Faith teaches us about healing, which is always miraculous by whatever means God brings it. Healing is, in a very great sense, a sign-post, a manifestation, of the Kingdom of God, toward us. Sickness and […]