WEBVTT 00:00:00.170 --> 00:00:53.560 Thank you. Let the mercy of the Lord be upon 00:00:53.560 --> 00:01:30.670 us. That he also came down to the saints who 00:01:30.670 --> 00:01:35.129 dwelt in Lydda. There he found a certain man 00:01:35.129 --> 00:01:38.329 named Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight 00:01:38.329 --> 00:01:42.390 years and was paralyzed. And Peter said unto 00:01:42.390 --> 00:01:47.590 him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ makes thee whole, arise 00:01:47.590 --> 00:01:51.790 and make thy bed. Then immediately he arose, 00:01:52.230 --> 00:01:57.739 so all who dwelt at Lydda and Sharon. saw him 00:01:57.739 --> 00:02:02.760 and turned to the Lord. Now there was at Jaffa 00:02:02.760 --> 00:02:06.920 a certain disciple named Tamaka, which by translation 00:02:06.920 --> 00:02:11.120 is called Dorcas. This woman was full of good 00:02:11.120 --> 00:02:15.460 works and charitable deeds, which she did. But 00:02:15.460 --> 00:02:19.000 it happened in those days that she became sick 00:02:19.000 --> 00:02:22.759 and died, and when they had washed her, they 00:02:22.759 --> 00:02:27.430 laid her in an upper room. And since Lydda was 00:02:27.430 --> 00:02:30.849 near Jaffa, and the disciples had heard that 00:02:30.849 --> 00:02:35.030 Peter was there, they sent two men to him, imploring 00:02:35.030 --> 00:02:40.110 him not to delay in coming to them. Then Peter 00:02:40.110 --> 00:02:43.469 arose and went with them, and when he had come, 00:02:43.469 --> 00:02:47.569 they brought him to the upper room. And all the 00:02:47.569 --> 00:02:51.340 widows stood by him, weeping. showing the clothes 00:02:51.340 --> 00:02:54.860 and garments which Dorcas had made while she 00:02:54.860 --> 00:02:59.539 was with them. But Peter put them all out and 00:02:59.539 --> 00:03:03.219 knelt down and prayed. And turning to the body, 00:03:03.280 --> 00:03:08.419 he said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes, 00:03:08.659 --> 00:03:13.300 and when she saw Peter, she sat up. Then he gave 00:03:13.300 --> 00:03:17.319 her his hand and lifted her up, and when he had 00:03:17.319 --> 00:03:20.960 called, The saints and widows he presented her 00:03:20.960 --> 00:03:25.860 alive. And it was known the world called Jaffa. 00:03:25.879 --> 00:03:33.539 And many believed in the Lord. And thy spirit 00:03:33.539 --> 00:03:38.240 was not broken on his head at all. Hallelujah, 00:03:38.319 --> 00:06:32.800 hallelujah, hallelujah. Hallelujah. He had, and 00:06:32.800 --> 00:06:35.560 a certain man was there which had an infirmity 00:06:35.560 --> 00:06:39.360 thirty and eight years. When Jesus saw him lie, 00:06:39.660 --> 00:06:42.720 and knew that he had been now a long time in 00:06:42.720 --> 00:06:46.920 that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made 00:06:46.920 --> 00:06:51.480 whole? The infinite man answered him, Sir, I 00:06:51.480 --> 00:06:53.680 have no man, but the water, his troubles would 00:06:53.680 --> 00:07:04.050 be in the pool. But what? him, Rise, take up 00:07:04.050 --> 00:07:08.250 thy bed, and walk. And immediately the man was 00:07:08.250 --> 00:07:10.709 made whole, and took up his bed, and walked. 00:07:10.870 --> 00:07:15.870 And on the same day was the Sabbath. The Jews 00:07:15.870 --> 00:07:19.529 therefore said unto him that was cured, It is 00:07:19.529 --> 00:07:23.269 the Sabbath day, it is not lawful for thee to 00:07:23.269 --> 00:07:27.930 carry thy bed. He answered them, He that made 00:07:27.930 --> 00:07:32.269 me whole, the same said unto me, take up thy 00:07:32.269 --> 00:07:37.550 bed, and walk. Then asked they him, What man 00:07:37.550 --> 00:07:40.350 is that which said unto me, Take up thy bed, 00:07:40.470 --> 00:07:44.589 and walk? And he that was healed was not who 00:07:44.589 --> 00:07:48.110 it was, for Jesus had conveyed himself away, 00:07:48.490 --> 00:07:53.230 a multitude being in that place. Afterward Jesus 00:07:53.230 --> 00:07:56.509 findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, 00:07:56.829 --> 00:08:00.959 Behold, thou art made whole, sin no more. lest 00:08:00.959 --> 00:08:05.480 a worse thing come unto thee. The man departed 00:08:05.480 --> 00:08:11.160 and told the Jews that it was Jesus which had 00:08:11.160 --> 00:09:13.820 made him whole. And meaning of the Bible can 00:09:13.820 --> 00:09:20.399 be found in these few words. The Word was made 00:09:20.399 --> 00:09:28.919 flesh. The Word was made flesh, meaning that 00:09:28.919 --> 00:09:37.210 God Himself In the person of Jesus Christ. Revealed 00:09:37.210 --> 00:09:44.529 himself. In an ultimate sense. And as Saint Paul 00:09:44.529 --> 00:09:51.169 writes. Jesus is the invisible God. The image. 00:09:51.730 --> 00:09:59.440 The image of the invisible God. I can never get 00:09:59.440 --> 00:10:08.500 over these wonderful incredible joys and uplifting 00:10:08.500 --> 00:10:17.220 words that God has become one of us taking on 00:10:17.220 --> 00:10:29.570 all our suffering all our sins so that we Can 00:10:29.570 --> 00:10:38.289 become like him. We continually sing. Throughout 00:10:38.289 --> 00:10:48.909 the liturgical year. God is with us. And it is 00:10:48.909 --> 00:10:53.649 in the church. Which is the prolongation of Christ 00:10:53.649 --> 00:10:59.759 in this world. So the church is. But the image 00:10:59.759 --> 00:11:07.000 of Christ, the very essence of Christ. Now it's 00:11:07.000 --> 00:11:12.519 interesting to note that all of the Sunday Gospel 00:11:12.519 --> 00:11:20.419 readings from Paschal to Pentecost are taken 00:11:20.419 --> 00:11:28.139 from St. John's Gospel. Last week, however, was 00:11:28.139 --> 00:11:35.899 an exception. But in all of these readings, Jesus 00:11:35.899 --> 00:11:41.980 is variously described and referred to as the 00:11:41.980 --> 00:11:52.340 light of the world. Or as Thomas said, my Lord 00:11:52.340 --> 00:12:00.580 and my God. And in this morning's gospel, taken 00:12:00.580 --> 00:12:06.779 from the fifth chapter of St. John, the evangelist 00:12:06.779 --> 00:12:11.600 tells us that Jesus was in Jerusalem. And on 00:12:11.600 --> 00:12:16.820 this particular occasion, Jesus passed by the 00:12:16.820 --> 00:12:22.960 pool of Bethesda, where he noticed a paralytic. 00:12:24.919 --> 00:12:29.379 And Jesus said to him, Do you want to be healed? 00:12:32.200 --> 00:12:35.720 That seems like a strange question, doesn't it? 00:12:36.299 --> 00:12:42.539 For a man who has been paralyzed for 38 years, 00:12:42.720 --> 00:12:50.559 lying on a mat in a hopeless condition, looking 00:12:50.559 --> 00:12:55.100 for someone to put him into the pool when the 00:12:55.100 --> 00:13:00.889 pool bubbled. But there is a profound reason 00:13:00.889 --> 00:13:07.330 Jesus asked that question. Because there can 00:13:07.330 --> 00:13:13.409 be no healing if a person does not want to be 00:13:13.409 --> 00:13:22.929 healed. Part of the healing process is the burning 00:13:22.929 --> 00:13:31.360 desire to be made well. Over the years, I have 00:13:31.360 --> 00:13:38.299 heard in confession where an individual acknowledges, 00:13:38.360 --> 00:13:50.120 I can't forgive myself. If he can't forgive himself, 00:13:50.299 --> 00:13:57.120 there's no healing. Because God was already in 00:13:57.120 --> 00:14:03.740 his mysterious way. has healed us, has given 00:14:03.740 --> 00:14:10.059 us the opportunity to be made well. When we, 00:14:10.179 --> 00:14:15.159 as the Church, pray for the sick and suffering, 00:14:15.460 --> 00:14:26.419 we are not asking God to change His mind and 00:14:26.419 --> 00:14:31.149 to do something that God Does not want to do. 00:14:34.490 --> 00:14:42.610 In prayer. What we are. Seeking to do. Is what. 00:14:44.450 --> 00:14:49.149 The great heroes of our faith. The saints. The 00:14:49.149 --> 00:14:51.750 fathers of the church. Have been doing for 2 00:14:51.750 --> 00:15:00.129 ,000 years. Drawing closer to God. who can do 00:15:00.129 --> 00:15:07.909 what only God can do for us, to make us whole 00:15:07.909 --> 00:15:11.409 persons. And that's what salvation is all about, 00:15:11.490 --> 00:15:19.929 making us whole persons. And in prayer, we open 00:15:19.929 --> 00:15:29.220 ourselves to his healing presence and say, In 00:15:29.220 --> 00:15:40.000 a prayerful way. Come. And abide in us. One father 00:15:40.000 --> 00:15:45.700 said. That it is blasphemous to think. That God 00:15:45.700 --> 00:15:52.460 does not want us to be well. The scriptures tell 00:15:52.460 --> 00:16:01.350 us in various ways. God's will for us is wholeness 00:16:01.350 --> 00:16:11.529 and salvation. Unfortunately, for one reason 00:16:11.529 --> 00:16:24.730 or other, we hesitate to fulfill God's will. 00:16:30.600 --> 00:16:33.440 And that is why it's so important to remember 00:16:33.440 --> 00:16:41.820 when saying the Lord's Prayer. Thy kingdom come. 00:16:44.360 --> 00:16:51.159 Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 00:16:53.039 --> 00:16:57.799 Thy will be done. Now we don't always understand 00:16:57.799 --> 00:17:02.450 the will of God. And no one can ever. Penetrate. 00:17:03.289 --> 00:17:11.690 The divine. Mystery of God. But God does seek. 00:17:12.990 --> 00:17:23.869 As we know. To heal us. Not in the ways we want 00:17:23.869 --> 00:17:28.750 us to be healed. But in the ways that God. Wants 00:17:28.750 --> 00:17:36.509 us to be healed. Do you recall the story of Zacchaeus? 00:17:39.910 --> 00:17:46.029 He took the first step. Toward health and salvation. 00:17:47.109 --> 00:17:55.809 By making a determined. Effort. To seek Christ. 00:17:56.319 --> 00:18:00.220 And what did this gentleman do? This so -called 00:18:00.220 --> 00:18:09.220 man of Jericho, he climbed up a tree because 00:18:09.220 --> 00:18:12.920 he was a short stature and could not see Jesus 00:18:12.920 --> 00:18:18.240 because of the crowd. But isn't it absolutely 00:18:18.240 --> 00:18:22.779 incredible that of all the people in Jerusalem 00:18:22.779 --> 00:18:30.690 who saw Jesus, that day, the Lord focused on 00:18:30.690 --> 00:18:35.230 this man up the tree. And he said, come down. 00:18:37.569 --> 00:18:41.569 Come down, Zacchaeus. I want to spend the evening 00:18:41.569 --> 00:18:56.450 with you. I sincerely and this is based on the 00:18:56.450 --> 00:19:01.569 scriptures, that there is more to suffering than 00:19:01.569 --> 00:19:08.390 simply suffering. For if we permit the spirit 00:19:08.390 --> 00:19:15.369 of despair and anger to darken the purity of 00:19:15.369 --> 00:19:19.930 our soul and heart, then the redemptive value 00:19:21.160 --> 00:19:30.960 Of suffering. Is lost. How many times. During 00:19:30.960 --> 00:19:35.460 the. Year do we hear these words. Through the 00:19:35.460 --> 00:19:48.259 cross. Joy. Has come into the world. Behind every 00:19:48.259 --> 00:19:55.220 cross. or the cross that we have been given is 00:19:55.220 --> 00:20:00.299 the assurance of a resurrection. I don't know 00:20:00.299 --> 00:20:03.680 whether I related this story to you on another 00:20:03.680 --> 00:20:11.700 occasion, but one Solzhenitsyn was in the gulag 00:20:11.700 --> 00:20:16.460 and he began to have negative thoughts about 00:20:16.460 --> 00:20:26.890 living. dreadful thoughts. And on occasion they 00:20:26.890 --> 00:20:30.470 permitted him to go out into the yard to spend 00:20:30.470 --> 00:20:38.789 a few moments. There's a gentleman who happened 00:20:38.789 --> 00:20:49.369 to pass by. He had a cane in his hands. Solzhenitsyn 00:20:49.369 --> 00:20:54.250 looked at him. And this man, whom Solzhenitsyn 00:20:54.250 --> 00:21:01.390 later considered him to be a monk, he drew a 00:21:01.390 --> 00:21:09.410 cross, a plate cross on the ground. Solzhenitsyn 00:21:09.410 --> 00:21:18.009 returned to his cell with joy. Nothing can happen, 00:21:18.109 --> 00:21:21.029 my dear people, nothing, absolutely nothing could 00:21:21.029 --> 00:21:25.710 happen without faith in Christ, the divine healer. 00:21:27.769 --> 00:21:31.569 It's important to underscore the fact that the 00:21:31.569 --> 00:21:36.309 door of our heart can only be opened from within. 00:21:38.289 --> 00:21:45.839 Even the infinite and omniscient God Cannot come 00:21:45.839 --> 00:21:57.900 into our life if we do not invite him. Now there's 00:21:57.900 --> 00:22:02.420 so much more in this story of the miraculous 00:22:02.420 --> 00:22:08.799 healing of the paralytic. But I want to, and 00:22:08.799 --> 00:22:13.480 I deliberately limit myself to this one passage. 00:22:17.130 --> 00:22:21.670 If you want to be well, then put away your doubts. 00:22:22.990 --> 00:22:30.029 Rise. Get rid of those worldly and crippled ideas 00:22:30.029 --> 00:22:35.910 that this world is promoting. Rise. And this 00:22:35.910 --> 00:22:39.250 word rise also appeared in the book of Acts in 00:22:39.250 --> 00:22:43.750 today's reading. Rise. Symbolizing the power 00:22:43.750 --> 00:22:50.009 of resurrection. You know, when Jesus said to 00:22:50.009 --> 00:22:55.069 the paralytic Christ, it was something he could 00:22:55.069 --> 00:22:59.329 not do for 38 years. And yet, he heard these 00:22:59.329 --> 00:23:04.730 words, picked up his mat, and walked. Glory be 00:23:04.730 --> 00:23:13.730 to Jesus Christ. When he heard these words, which 00:23:13.730 --> 00:23:18.700 words, incidentally, we hear every Sunday. When 00:23:18.700 --> 00:23:22.859 our deacon. Proclaims the gospel. Or whether 00:23:22.859 --> 00:23:28.059 the clergy. Offer. A meditation. But somehow. 00:23:28.440 --> 00:23:34.759 And for some reason. We don't always hear. These 00:23:34.759 --> 00:23:41.339 words. Rise. I have come. That you may have life. 00:23:42.319 --> 00:23:46.599 Not death. Because death was destroyed. As sin 00:23:46.599 --> 00:23:54.349 was destroyed. You and I are blessed indeed every 00:23:54.349 --> 00:24:01.849 Sunday. So be careful. Be alert. Be vigilant. 00:24:03.470 --> 00:24:07.109 I know Father Theodore came out two or three 00:24:07.109 --> 00:24:11.569 times when the songs were being written because 00:24:11.569 --> 00:24:18.529 it was talking. We can't hear the voice of Christ 00:24:18.529 --> 00:24:29.380 if we're busy chatting. During the course of 00:24:29.380 --> 00:24:44.400 Holy Week. We heard. And some of us were deeply 00:24:44.400 --> 00:24:51.160 moved. How Christ himself. The perfect God. The 00:24:51.160 --> 00:24:56.680 Theantropos. Walked each other in. Willingly. 00:25:03.079 --> 00:25:09.859 Accepted suffering, death, but also resurrection. 00:25:11.220 --> 00:25:16.740 So never separate the two. There is physical 00:25:16.740 --> 00:25:23.400 healing. But my dear people, there is such a 00:25:23.400 --> 00:25:30.170 thing as spiritual healing. Which means... And 00:25:30.170 --> 00:25:37.069 we don't always understand it. The Holy Spirit. 00:25:38.289 --> 00:25:45.450 Helps us. In our weakness. In the words of Saint 00:25:45.450 --> 00:25:49.930 Paul. We know that all things work together for 00:25:49.930 --> 00:25:59.480 good to those who love God. Jesus. Is with us. 00:25:59.579 --> 00:26:10.220 As a co -sufferer. Now. And he'll be there. When 00:26:10.220 --> 00:26:16.559 he welcomes us. Into his kingdom. Glory be. To 00:26:16.559 --> 00:26:17.819 our resurrected Christ.