Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Christ is Risen!

Today we read the very familiar Gospel account of how our Lord Jesus Christ healed a paralyzed man who had laid by the sheep pools in Jerusalem for thirty-eight years. All these years, this unfortunate person waited to be miraculously healed from the water in the pools that was blessed by an angel. This, however, never happened, since he had no one to help him be the first one in the water after the angel’s blessing.

Although there is much to examine and explain in today’s reading, at present it is enough to take note of and to be amazed by the patience and meekness of this suffering person. For thirty-eight years he lay in patience and waited, not losing hope in a miracle from God! We can surmise that perhaps, earlier on, this man had relatives and friends that would come and sit with him, but throughout the almost forty years of this illness they all disappeared. His parents died, his wife herself became ill, his children started their own families, his friends could no longer afford him so much time and thus he was left alone without any support or help. Still, he continued to wait patiently and hope.

It would seem natural that, after so many years of lonely suffering, a person would become ill- tempered and angry at the surrounding world and God, both of whom, it seemed, had completely forgotten him, but this didn’t happen in the slightest. On the contrary, this man became meek and calm. We can clearly see this from the answer that he gives to Christ’s question: "Would you like to be healthy?" "Yes," he calmly answers, "but there is no one to help me quickly get in the water." In these words we hear no hint of anger towards the world, his family, or Christ, who asked such a strange question (Of course he wishes to be healthy. Everyone suffering from some ailment wants this.), but instead a simple, passionless explanation of the situation. Seeing this meekness and patience, Christ healed the paralytic, who immediately stood up in perfect health.

Seven weeks have passed since our church has been closed to you – our parishioners. For seven weeks services have been performed without you. How much longer do we have to wait to once again pray together? Only God knows. Therefore, let’s be patient and meek, emulating the paralytic from the Gospel. Let’s hope in God’s Mercy and have faith that He will visit us and free us from our present situation.

priest Alexis