Homily on the 6th Sunday after Pentecost.
So, He got into a boat, crossed over, and came to His own city. Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.” Mt 9:1-2
Has something ever happened in our lives to make us say - “Thank the Lord! Perhaps we were nearly struck by a passing vehicle or tripped over; narrowly missing a large rock where we would have stricken our head?
Thus, when we say “Thank God do we truly believe that God has divinely intervened; or is it just something we say because the phrase is part of our day to day vocabulary? Are we truly thankful to God for entrusting us an angel at our birth – who is our faithful guide and gradian, ever appealing to God’s grace for us? (Litany of Supplication)
When we think of divine intervention/miracles, the majority of us have visions in our heads of the Lord’s hand stretching out of the sky; surrounded by lightning bolts and the beam of light penetrating from the clouds upon were the miracle has taken place. This is a very overdramatized explanation but non the less. It is along the lines of what we as humans fabricate in our minds about the living God (Jesus).
Hence, when the Lord had come to His people, they rejected Him! They tortured Him! They ridiculed Him! They crucified and put Him to death in the flesh! Or so they thought! Why was this so? The people had fabricated false pretenses and ideologies about who the Messiah was and how He was to come to His people. According to the Jewish people, the Messiah had been depicted as a war-lord, who would eliminate all their enemies; making them to be the ultimate and most supreme bread of human in the world.
Thus, when they saw the rather poor and humble carpenter who spoke with such pure love, for He is love, the Jews (fundamentalist’s) could not except Him because He was nothing like what they had made Him out to be in their own minds. He was an imposter that was versed in the Torah (The Law) and knew how to manipulate the people; using demons to cast out demons and perform other miracles. But some of them said, "By Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he is driving out demons." Lk 11;15
Therefore, why is it not good enough for God to manifest Himself in our day to day lives; using the most “small” and “insignificant” things to show us His unwavering love for us? Why do we continue to search for Him where He is not? Who did He spend most of His time on earth with, the wealthy who were highly regarded in society or with the poor and outcast; the people who were considered to be filth and worthless?
In addition, this Exarchate dedicated to the Holy Apostles has received countless miracles, ranging from the conception of children, to icons exceeding myrrh, to glass icons falling from the walls and remaining intact and a high school dropout becoming a cleric; writing a homily weekly (Myself)! Never once has the faithful and clergy overlooked such occurrences and classed it as other! Thanksgiving and praise has always been the response to the miracles and graces bestowed us! Just as Jesus said - “signs and wonders will follow those who truly believe” Mk 16:17
Thus, let us begin to open our spiritual eye to the wonders, graces and miracles God is bestowing upon us daily! He is the loving Father who wants nothing but the best for us just as Jesus taught us with the story of the prodigal son Luke 15:11-32. God is always waiting for us to come to our senses and return into His loving embrace; where there are no forms of darkness but pure soul-penetrating light! The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. Jn 1:5
Then He said to the paralytic, “Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” And he arose and departed to his house. Now when the multitudes saw it, they marveled and glorified God, who had given such power to men. Mt 9:6-8
Through the prayers of the All Holy Theotokos, Lord Jesus Christ Have Mercy on us and save us!
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