On the 35th Sunday after the Pentecost and the commemoration of the New Martyrs and Confessors, February 4, 2024, with the blessing of His Eminence Vladimir, Metropolitan of Chisinau and all of Moldova, Vicar Bishop Ioan of Soroca celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the Nativity of the Lord Metropolitan Cathedral in Chisinau.
This Sunday’s Holy Gospel speaks about the healing of a blind man by the Saviour Jesus Christ near the city of Jericho.
In his message to the faithful, the hierarch said:
“This episode of the healing of the blind man shows us, in brief phrases, a great work of God that springs from His boundless mercy towards the suffering man. When the blind man hears a crowd of people passing by, he asks “what is this?” (Luke 18:36) They told him that “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by” (Luke 18:37). As soon as he found out who was passing on the road, the blind man felt in his heart that the only chance of his life, that is, of his healing, was Jesus of Nazareth. He understood that it was Jesus who had healed many sick people, helping them to change their miserable lives. So the blind man stopped asking who Jesus was and immediately began to cry out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Luke 18:38).
After this blind or sightless man approached Jesus, He asked him, “What do you want me to do to you?” (Luke 18:41), and the blind man replied, “Lord, that I see!” (Luke 18:41) In the hearing of all, the blind man asks, in fact, for what no other human being can give him but Jesus of Nazareth, namely, the health of his eyes or sight. Then Jesus said to the blind man, “Receive your sight! your faith has made you well” (Luke 18:42).”
Source: https://ioanmosnegutu.info