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07th in Luke, November 6, 2005 Ocala From today's Gospel reading we heard of the two miracles, which our Lord performed before the multitudes. Firstly, he cured a woman, who for 12 years had suffered from hemophilia, and subsequently he raised the daughter of Jairus from the dead. Both these people, who were direct recipients of God's mercy, strength and glory, teach us all a most powerful lesson regarding unshakeable faith and perseverance supported by that noble virtue, patience. The Lord had taught in another instance the value of patience, which the hemophiliac woman had. The Lord said: "In patience we shall win over our soul." There is no question, that Jesus' presence anywhere, and at anytime, brought together the multitudes, who always sought to get close to Him. So it was, that on one of those mass gatherings, the Lord in the midst of the huddling crowds, stopped and asked: "who touched me?" Having heard that question, His Disciples looked at one another in amazement, and said: "Lord, You are literally being crushed by so many around you, and you ask who touched you?" To which, the Lord responded by saying: "I definitely know that someone purposely touched me, because I perceived, that power had flowed from me!" It was then, that the ailing woman, with fear and great humility stepped forth and made her confession of faith. "Lord," she said, "I didn't consider myself worthy to approach you directly, but I firmly believed, that if I could get close enough, and touch only the hem of Your garment, I would be cured!" There is so much to be learned from the faith and the perseverance of the ailing woman, who was cured. Firstly, and most importantly she believed without reservations. and that her unshakeable faith in the power of the Great Healer, she would positively be cured. After 12 whole years, and having spent all that she had to pay her doctors, without any alleviation from her hemophilia, she brought her impossibility to Jesus. The result? She is instantaneously cured, and with a heart filled with gratitude, she gave glory to God. As mentioned, she brought her impossibility to God, and the miracle happened. What can we say about our impossibility? So many Christians may be too general in their contact with Jesus. And this brings us to a point. I wonder how many of us ever took that impossible thing; --- that is, the sin, which subjugates us --- that violent temper, which will not be controlled --- that incapacity, which we cannot surmount, and seek to make it the point, and the occasion for a direct and personal contact with Jesus? As we heard from today's Gospel reading, the ailing woman broke through the crown, to come close to Jesus. But, in the case of a person today, I think it is more like breaking, --- not through--- but from the crowd. It seems as if the people of today have lost the strength, or rather the art, to stand apart from the crowd as individuals, and to be their true selves! People seek to mimic, --- to imitate --- and to put it plainly, be one of the crowd. There is almost a phobia, if by chance, we do not conform, and follow the trend, or the crowd. How very sad, but true. Experience proves, that for anything that is creative in life,and this includes religion, one must pay an individual price. For instance, the secret of great writing, is not simply in reading literature. The secret of great living, is not in mingling with the crowd. The secret of the great artist, is not in listening to artists and looking at art. The secret of a great musician, is not by listening to musicians of renown. All these secrets, and so many more, are indeed necessary. They have their value, but to a certain degree. By the examples mentioned, one merely becomes imitative. But, the creative touch can be given only by the individual alone. And regarding this individuality, some Christians never get the individualizing, the empowering, and the creative touch of Christ, because, they never choose to break away from the crowd, or through the crowd, to touch the hem of the Lord's garment, as did the ailing woman, who was cured. The hemophiliac woman became the object of a miracle. Did these miracles happen only in the Biblical times? Definitely not. Miracles are an every day occurrence; but to see them, one has to remove the cataracts of one's spiritual eyes! So many of us think of miracles strictly applied to our bodies; a blind person to see again; a paralytic to get up and walk; a person cured from a serious malady, etc. How many times though, have we heard or read of seriously ailing people, that their days were numbered on this earth. And yet, they lived on for many years, completely cured from their illness. When we see a person, completely transformed from his or her wicked ways, being freed from the Devil's clutches and embracing Christ to live on as a model Christian, would you not classify this as a miracle? I remember the Spring in 1960, when I was the Priest at St. Paul's Cathedral in Hempstead, and so many hundreds of thousands came to view the three tearing Icons of our Holy Mother. To me, it was not only the Ever-Virgin Mary weeping for the condition of society and the world, but the Holy Mother speaking to each one of us, to mend our ways, and follow the teachings of her Son, our Lord and Saviour. Hundreds of thousands from all Faiths witnessed the profusely tearing Icons. The greater New York Press and Television Studios could not refute what they personally witnessed, and wrote glowing reports of this great happening. Yet, we had the atheists and disbelievers voicing their sour notes in the great symphony of believers. I'll never forget, the President of the Atheists in the United States, a person named Lewis wrote me a letter, which he circulated to all the New York Newspapers and TV Studios. He wrote: "When are you clerics going to stop manufacturing ways to have the public believe and then take advantage of them economically?" He finished his letter by saying: "If you deny the tearing Icons as a hoax, I will gladly donate $1000 to the Red Cross." The following day I was deluged by calls from the Greater New York newspaper Editors, asking me if I received Lewis' letter, and what my answer was to him? I simply stated: "Mr. Lewis, at best is about one hour away from Hempstead. I would strongly advise him to come and view the Icons, and then, I would like to speak to him. Further, if he came and saw something, which he could not explain as natural, I would ask him, instead of offering the $1000 donation to the Red Cross, to accept and become a Christian,-- that is, if he is not totally spiritually blind." This of course, made further news in the media, which heavily covered this Heaven-sent Event, continuously for three months. It is unfortunate, that there are legions of people like this Lewis, who offer opinions from afar, without seeking to investigate for themselves. Thus, so many go through life, arguing about miracles, or doubting them, or ignoring them, because they personally have not experienced one. A person is a poor soul indeed, if he or she has never touched the hem of the Lord's garment, so as to have felt the power, that comes from Him! Without question, this is a most powerful lesson, which is taught by the faith and perseverance of the ailing woman, who was cured, after 12 years of horrible suffering. She really and truly believed, and strongly. She did not have to make a public issue of her intention. Rather, she believed, that even if she could get close enough to touch the hem of the Lord's garment, that she would be healed. Having been healed, she hears those saving and comforting words from the Lord: "Your faith has made you whole. Now, go forth in peace." So often, I have heard, "I am praying for a miracle," when instead these people should say: "I firmly believe, that I can get close to the Lord, and touch Him, and that His saving power, and His Grace will surely bring the miracle into my heart!" We tend to pray most often for miracles, which have to do merely with the physical;--- rarely though, are prayers said for the miracle of spiritual transformation and healing, which I think, is one of the greatest needs of our day! This is what we mean, when we talk about a spiritual re-birth or regeneration. When this does happen, there is no doubt, that this is by no means less, than a miracle in one's life. My beloved. I pray that our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ truly blesses us, and if need be to guide us, to sharply re-focus our emphasis, and outlook in life, as we make the choice of walking down life's road, which the Lord always keeps open up for us. Amen. + Fr. George Papadeas
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