We are now entering the fourth week of the Great and Holy Lent and the Healing Gospel that is ascribed to us is taken from Matthew 15: 21-28. Here, we see that Jesus, the first healing-evangelist, is ministering in the area of Tyre and Sidon. There, a woman from the region of Canaan pleads with Jesus to have mercy on her daughter who is severely-demon possessed. At this point, we would expect the narrative to move in the direction where Jesus immediately heals the daughter by seeing the faith that the mother had, like that of the four friends of the paralytic (Mark 2:1-12). But the narrative takes a turn for the worst, or so it seems.

Read more: https://stlukemission.org/sermons/the-little-crumbs

The Gospel Reading this week, which is the third Sunday of the Great and Holy Lent, we encounter a paralytic (a person unable to walk). In this narrative, the paralytic is carried by four friends, by way of the rooftop, in the house were Jesus’ is preaching and lowered down into his presence. Jesus, witnessing the faith of the four friends, (and that of the paralytic) forgives the paralytic’s sins. The Pharisees and Jewish elite that were present questioned Jesus on how He could forgive his sins, for only God can forgive sins. Jesus perceiving in their heart their evil intent, not only forgave him of his sins but healed him. The crowd in astonishment could not believe what they were seeing.

Leprosy was a disease that no one wanted to contract. Indeed, the disease was contagious, so in the time of Christ, if someone contracted leprosy, they would be quarantined far away from civilization. The disease itself was in a way, disgusting. The smell of rotting flesh was a distinct feature of a leper. No one would want to be near a leper for the shear fact that he or she smelled badly. Further, contact with such people would mean contracting the disease. This was in some way a preventive method for the public at large; however, despite society’s good intentions to protect the health of the public, the lepers we outcasts, uncared for, rejected, unwanted and treated worse than animals. Imagine how a leper felt. Although, they had rotting flesh, sores and warts consuming their body, they were still human beings, born in the Image and Likeness of God. It is likely that despair and depression were an integral part of a leper’s psychological makeup. Today, Fr. Gheevarghese offers reflections on this.

We have all heard the phrase, “Put your best foot forward.” The meaning of this phrase is: when you begin a task, or start a new endeavor in life, we should give it our best, that is, exert all our efforts to the success and completion of what we started. Often, we begin with our best effort, but over time we start to become apathetic. Time takes its toll and we become weary. In other words, we lost the “passion” and “fire” that we started with. We came with “guns-blazing” but now we only have a “single flame.” What happened to what we started? Today, Fr. Gheevarghese offers reflections on this.

The Gospel Reading today, taken from Luke 12:32-48, Jesus teaches us that “to whom much is given, much is required, and to whom much is committed, much will be asked of that person.” (Vr. 48) Jesus says this within the context of the faithful and evil servant. The faithful servant fulfills the responsibilities that his Master has handed over to him. On the contrary, the evil servant does not faithfully execute the responsibilities handed over to him. Today, Fr. Gheevarghese offers reflections on this.

There are three terms used to describe the character of God, namely, omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent. Omnipresent means God is present everywhere. There is no place that He is not. Omniscient means that He is all-knowing. In other words, God knows all things. Omnipotent means He is all-powerful. That is, God has power over all things. Today, Fr. Gheevarghese offers reflections on Jesus the omnipresent.

Read more: https://stlukemission.org/sermons/the-omnipresence-of-christ

When we think of Jesus Christ, we imagine a man, who within human history was born miraculously to a Virgin. But have we ever thought about the time before the Incarnation? How was Christ before his birth (with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit)? Fr. Gheevarghese offers reflections on these.

Read more: https://stlukemission.org/sermons/second-birth

Weekly homily delivered by Fr. Gheevarghese John

https://stlukemission.org/sermons/integrity-and-honesty

Weekly homily delivered by Fr. Gheevarghese John

https://stlukemission.org/sermons/baptism-of-christ

Weekly homily delivered by Fr. Gheevarghese John

https://stlukemission.org/sermons/we-have-a-god-that-understands