Sunday of the Paralytic            Ocala, 5/22/05

We heard in today's Gospel reading of the healing of the Paralytic. He had waited patiently for 38 years, lying beside the Pool of Bethesda hoping to be cured. On occasion, an Angel of the Lord came down and troubled the waters of the pool. The first one who was able to jump into the pool was healed totally.

One day, the Lord came near the pool and saw the paralytic lying there. Jesus as the Godman knew well that he had lain there for 38 years. Approaching him He says: "Do you want to be made whole?" The paralytic answered: "Sir, when the water is troubled, others jump in before me. I really have no one to help me get into the pool." The Lord promptly said to him: "pick up your cot and walk." Immediately, the paralytic got up, picked up his cot and walked away completely healed.

This narrative on the surface may appear simple in content; but in depth, it is profound, because of its teachings, the parallel it has to so many humans.

The paralytic's life can be paralleled with so many people, as for instance, when he expressed himself with great passion to the Lord, that he was alone; --- he had no one to help him jump into the miraculous pool to be cured. He watched as so many others were healed, but with exemplary patience he had to wait, being alone. People like the paralytic, who have been isolated, or let's say isolate themselves, can identify with the paralytic, who waited in hope, that someone would help him to become first in the pool of Bethesda. The lesson we all could learn, especially those feeling lonely, and often desperate of hope, is the patience, the perseverance, the anticipation, and no less the paralytic's hope, which all of us should seek to emulate.

It is precisely on the great virtues of patience, perseverance and anticipation, which are crowned with hope, that I would like to share a few thoughts with you today. There is no doubt, that if we make the virtues just mentioned, an active part of our heart and mind, we would truly become strong, and I may say invincible.

Hope is on of the three cardinal virtues. The other two as we know are Faith and Charity; or better known as Agape or love. Our Lord, as in all cases, gives us the prime examples of patience and hope. He stated very emphatically: "through your patience, you shall win, or gain your soul."

The Apostle to the Nations, St. Paul, in the 12th Chapter of his Epistle to the Romans, verse 12 stated: "Be fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation, and praying in anticipation." How powerful this verse is and what it holds for every believer! In this didactic phrase, once again we see patience being allied with hope. Throughout St. Paul's 14 Epistles, we readily see how strongly he emphasized the virtue of hope.

In our modern age of unbelievable technological and scientific progress, we often witness the lack of hope. To be sure, --- people have suffered and suffer many discouragements. Two major World Wars, --- lesser wars --- internal strife --- pseudo-ideologies, --­tyrannical dictatorships --- satanic catastrophes like 9/11 and other comparable tragic events and incidents, are the causes that have brought millions to despair throughout the world.

When we casually read in our daily newspapers, or watch on T.V. the endless descriptions of catastrophes, murders, crimes, suicides and family tragedies, do we truly ever stop to think, and to analyze the motives, which generally speaking result in human despair?

Who can deny, that every soul thirsts for hope? People cannot live normally without hope. We were created thus by God. But, what happens? So many people cruise along life's highway, without sensing the need for hope. However, when a crucial moment comes in the midst, it is then, that people realize that we have hope on our side. Hope is as necessary in life, as is food, our breathing and our rest. We may recall the tale of Pandora's Box from the ancient Greek Mythology. Through this myth, the ancient Greeks gave supreme importance to hope. When Pandora was forbidden by the mythological gods to open the Box, which they gave to her, it was her curiosity that got the best of her, and she opened it to see the contents. Immediately, there sprang forth the many evils that plague humankind. Pandora seeing this, quickly closed the Box. She was successful in retaining only one remaining object in the Box. This object was hope. And it is this hope, to which the ancient Greeks gave supreme importance, even though they faced similar tragic events as we face today

Hope has the power to inspire people, and apropos to this, I bring to mind a proverb, which states: "Give me the hope of a good tomorrow, and I can suffer all things today!"

Hope elevates. Hope inspires. Hope exalts humankind! It focuses people on the truly sublime! It is much like the mountain climber. The mountain climber feels a great magnetism, and senses real hope that he or she will be able to climb to the summit of he mountain. But, until the climber reaches the set goal, there is agonizing, and there are laborious tasks that successively follow.

These the mountain climber expects, but they are quickly offset by perseverance, patience and the undying hope, that the goal will be attained. And when the goal is achieved, the mountain climber senses overwhelming triumph.

Hope also gives a person a feeling of success. It lifts the person above the mundane, the trivial, and if I may say, the sinful. Hope opens up new and broad horizons, and all that is worthy of historical note.

One may ask; "what is it, that we should hope for?" I would say, that a person should have basic hopes, creative hopes, and yes, even small hopes.

A person should have basic hopes, which cultivate the soul, our immortal counterpart. That is: hope for the possession of truth; the appreciation of beauty and the application of goodness, as expounded by the great thinkers and philosophers of Ancient Greece.

But these basic hopes must be refined and complemented by Christian perfection., The hope of salvation --- the hope of sainthood -­- the hope of glory --- the hope of the Heavenly Kingdom --- the hope of Eternal life. These supreme hopes bring true and lasting hopes, regardless of the tribulations one faces in life. These are the basic hopes.

Creative hope is the hope of helping build a better Community, and consequently a better world, through cooperation amongst ourselves for the common good. That is, to become as our Lord commanded: "a bright light, that will shine about us, so that other can see our good works and glory our Father, Who is in Heaven."

Lastly, there are the little hopes, which grow naturally, and give us some happiness. They are small, but they are important. Without question, a person increases with hope. We grow --­we mature, and achieve a wholeness, with a positive and purpose in life. With hope we are saved.

With hope we are glorified.            With hope, we win over life's tribulations. With hope in the immortality of our soul, our faith is magnified, and our life pursues its course to our eternal destiny.

For this reason, no true Christian should ever be overcome with despair. There may be threatening dark clouds promising rain, hamging over us ready to release the torrential rain, but there is always the assurance that the rays of the sun will surely follow.

Hence the philosophy of the proverb mentioned earlier: "Give me the hope of a good tomorrow and I can suffer all things today." This is the great and saving power of hope, to which we must consciously respond.

Supporting this thought in closing, let us not forget St. Paul's words from his Epistle to the Romans: "Rejoicing in hope; in patience; in suffering; in tribulations, and always praying in anticipation."

+ Fr. George Papadeas