Sermon on the Week of the Paralyzed Man by St. John of Kronstadt

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Hear, my brethren, the word on today’s reading from the Acts of Apostles. This reading tells us about a healing of a paralyzed man, named Æneas, in the city of Lydda, performed by Apostle Peter in the name of Jesus Christ, and of a resurrection from the dead, by the same Apostle Peter, of a certain righteous Christian woman, named Tabitha, by means of prayer and commandment to arise. What is worthy of note here? It’s the strong faith of the Apostle Peter in Christ the Savior and the divine, life-giving power of Christ. Peter sees before himself a paralyzed man, incapacitated for eight long years, and right away heals him with the name of Jesus Christ. Æneas! says he to the sick, Jesus Christ heals you. Arise, and make your bed. And he arose immediately. The deed immediately followed the word. What a strong faith in Christ God! What a strength there is in Christ’s name! In an instant, it rejuvenated the moribund members, gave them the strength of youth! But what a close union of Peter with Christ!

Whatever Peter wants, Christ wants the same! Whatever Peter ordains, to the same the Lord gives his permission and – fulfills it immediately. That’s how closely, through repentance and faith, has Peter united himself to Christ, he, who had denied Him before! That’s the kind of unshakable faith in Him he has acquired! That’s the ardent love! Glory be to the mercy of Christ, accepting the repentant sinners! Glory be to the divine power of Christ, acting miraculously in those who are faithful to Him! But look, how Peter works further miracles through the power of Christ. Here are the two men coming to Peter and asking him to come to a certain house, where there was a dead woman. Peter arose, and went with them; they took him to the upper room, where lay the deceased Tabitha, asking him with tears to act in God’s name. Peter puts all the people out and, kneeling down, prays to the Life-giver Christ God to give life to the deceased and, addressing the body, says: Tabitha! arise. And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Symon Peter, she sat up. He gave her his hand and lifted her up; then he called saints and widows and presented her to them alive. Do you see what kind of miracles the strength of Peter’s faith performs! Do you see, what kind of miracles the Life-giver Christ God performs, risen from the dead and living unto the ages of ages, – performs them through his faithful disciple! What will we say to this some of modern people, calling themselves Christians, who are ashamed of Christ’s name and His salvific sign (of the Cross) and dare to liken Him to nothing more than an extraordinary man, not believing in Him as God ?

Didn’t all his words and deeds reveal and still continue to reveal in Him, even to this day, the living and all-powerful God, and will not cease to reveal that until the end of the ages? – For as the sun doesn't stop shining to give life to all the nature, so likewise Christ the Savior, doesn't stop working miracles in His Church and giving life to His faithful. And, even to this day, He works uncountable miracles to those who believe in Him, both in their souls and in their bodies, – cleansing all kind of sins, driving the evil despair away from their hearts, giving them peace, joy and spiritual courage, helping in any affliction, healing multifarious maladies. This is known by experience by all those, who live by faith; and for this reason their faith is strong and cannot be shaken. Stand before us you of little faith and the unfaithful ones, and tell us what have you seen unfaithful in Christ, that you deny Him and His Church in word and in deed and cast to the wind your meaningless words ? – But you, the faithful ones, strengthen yourselves in faith day in and day out; instruct yourselves in it each day; strive to fulfill the commandments of the faith so that your faith does not grow cold, but burns and warms, cleanse, sanctify and illuminate your hearts constantly; for the spirit of unbelief spares no effort to shake the faith in all hearts; the temptations for the faith from foolish and dissolute men are presented everywhere. Live by faith, fulfill the Church rules; pray unceasingly in mind and in the heart; call the sweetest name of our Christ the Savior more often; attend the divine services in the set times: and you will be with God, and God will be with you, – and He will help you in everything, and especially in the most important thing – to live piously, in the fear of God, and to save your soul.
Amen.