On the 6th Sunday after Pentecost, with the blessing of the First hierarch of the Orthodox Church of Moldova, His Eminence Metropolitan Vladimir, His Grace Siluan, Bishop of Orhei, Metropolitan Vicar, celebrated the Holy and Divine Liturgy at the Metropolitan Cathedral “Nativity of the Lord” in Chisinau. The arch-pastor was assisted by an assembly of the Cathedral clergy.
The text of Christ’s healing of the weak man in Capernaum, read out during the Liturgy, brings out more than a miracle. It shows us the One who gives the grace of forgiveness of sins to those who approach Him in faith. Forgiveness can only be given by the Saviour Christ through the Church which He founded and whose Head He is. If a man has erred once or more than once, but makes a good start, the Church offers him forgiveness by the grace of the Most Holy Spirit and by the work of her servants, since the Savior, immediately after His Resurrection, gave this gift to the disciples: “Take the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven, and whose sins you keep, they are kept” (John 20: 22-23).
The sick man in the Gospel could not have come to the Savior alone; he was brought by four men. Who they were we know not! Were they brothers, relatives, friends, neighbours, or people who were sensitive to his suffering, who left their daily business, their daily cares, and brought the paralytic before the Saviour with the desire to heal him and relieve his suffering?
Someone said that each of us must be happy if we have four true friends in life, after the number of those who brought the helpless man of Capernaum before the Saviour.
Although we consider that we have many friends whom we have met in certain circumstances, true friends are rare and for this they are very precious. It has also been said that friends are more than blood relatives who, inherited, sometimes honor you, sometimes not, but friends are truly God’s gift.
The Holy Fathers advise us to have friends who pray more than we do, and who are more virtuous, in order to learn from them. Friends must be better so that they don’t drag you down, but help you up. The true friend is very rare. God works through chosen people who can perform deeds like the four devoted friends in the Gospel. The prayer we lift up with all our heart can bring us the forgiveness and gift that the weakling received from the Saviour: “Your sins are forgiven”. Our attitude of gratitude, of following the Saviour, brings His unfailing mercy and love to the suffering and sinful.
Every gesture or miracle performed by the Saviour Christ on this earth tries to teach us something.
“Trying” because there are many of us today who doubt His teaching. And this healing is meant “that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins” and sin is the cause of suffering.
Source: https://manastireacurchi.md/