On the sixth Sunday after Pentecost, also called Sunday The healing of the emaciated man in Capernaum, His Eminence Archbishop Calinic, Archbishop of Suceava and Rădăuților, was at the Monastery of St. John the New - Archbishop's Cathedral in Suceava.
The Hierarch celebrated the Holy and Divine Divine Liturgy on a special podium set up in the precincts of the place of worship, together with a group of priests and deacons and in the presence of many faithful who came to enjoy the blessing of the Archbishop and to raise prayers to the reliquary with the relics of St. John the New, the swift helper and great miracle-worker.
The liturgical responses were given by the mixed choir „St. John the New” of the Archiepiscopal Cathedral.
At the end of the Holy Mass, His Eminence Archbishop Calinic delivered a teaching in which he emphasized important aspects of the text of the Holy Scriptures concerning The miracle of the healing of the weak man in Capernaum. His Eminence spoke to those present about the power of friends and their love, demonstrating that it was this that was at the root of the marvelous healing. „The miracle brought to our attention has as its protagonist a man who was weak in Capernaum, a fellow countryman of the Savior. Undoubtedly, the weakling was known to the Savior; a paralytic, but different from the one at the pool of Vitezda, of whom only St. John the Evangelist speaks (5:5). In contrast to the paralytic at Vitezda, who had been sick for 38 years and had no help of any kind, the one in Capernaum is presented to us as surrounded by the love and affection of four fellow-countrymen. He was not alone in his struggle with suffering; four served him, carrying him on their shoulders. The paralytic of Vitezda was healed by Christ according to his will: «Wilt thou be made whole?» (John 5, 6); but Christ healed the man of Capernaum because of the faith of the four who carried him. It was their faith that was the remedy, the cure, that healed the weak.”
The hierarch went on to explain the cause of the weakling's helplessness, emphasizing the importance of the love with which Jesus Christ surrounded the despairing one, words of encouragement bearing fruit in his soul. „The cause of the weakness was sin: „Have courage, my son! Your sins are forgiven!”" (Matthew 9, 2) the Savior said to him, briefly interrupting his word. Christ, forgiving his sins, healed him first of his soul, and only then of his body. Feeling fear, the Savior addressed him as a father: «Son, be bold.» By this manner of address, Christ assured the paralytic that neither his presence nor the insistence of the four who carried his bed was annoying. The Savior's manner of address - «Dare, my son!» - was a balm to his soul. Although it was not a Saturday, what caught the attention was the fact that the Savior said to the paralytic, «Your sins are forgiven.» It is well known that there is a causal link between sickness and sin - from cause to effect.”
Referring to the mischievous thoughts of those present regarding the performance of the miracle by Jesus Christ, His Eminence Archbishop Calinic emphasized that this event also contributed, in fact, to the revelation of His divinity. „Given this inability of theirs to understand, it is easy to understand why it was easy for the scribes and Pharisees to seek, in the name of the Law, the opportunity to condemn Jesus. This was, in fact, the reason for monitoring him. The Savior Jesus Christ again showed the scribes and Pharisees that just as He has the power to forgive sins, so He also has the power to heal in a marvelous way «every disease and every infirmity among the people». The fact that He intervened in the life of the paralytic, healing him in soul and body - the weakling, once carried by the four benefactors, after his encounter with Christ returned home healthy, on his own feet, testifying together with those present to the divine power of the Benefactor - proves, contrary to the will of His declared enemies of all times, that He is not only a man with miraculous powers, but He is the incarnate Son of God. He is God! This is also the message of the Gospel.”
At the end, Father Archdeacon Vasile Demciuc, counselor in the Monuments, Patrimony and Church Architecture Sector, presented the latest publications of the Crimca Publishing House of the Archdiocese of Suceava and Rădăuților: Words at the vigil vigil, the latter signed by His Eminence Calinic, and Our Lady's Chaplet - A letter of repentance of the soul - now in its second edition.
On the recommendation of His Most Eminence Archbishop Calinic, Paraklesis to the Mother of God will be read throughout the diocese, every evening throughout the Lent of the Dormition of the Assumption.
At the end of the Mass, the Hierarch will read the prayer of Disentailment and prayers for health.
