Ukrainian Orthodoxy		Orthodoxie ukrainienne

GOD'S FORGIVENESS: THE WAY TO ETERNAL LIFE!

Very Reverend Ihor Kutash kutash@unicorne.org

(Sixth Sunday after Pentecost)

In today's Gospel (Matthew 9:1-8) we read of Jesus' pardoning the sins of the man who was paralysed just prior to healing him of his infirmity - granting him the gift of mobility once again.

Note that this gift of forgiveness is linked to faith. In this case we read that Jesus saw the faith held by those who brought the paralysed man to Him. The Bible does not say that the man himself had faith - although he might have had it without this being recorded. Yet it seems that the faith of the man's friends was enough to open the doors of heaven so that he might receive that most precious gift of forgiveness! And this forgiveness brought with it physical healing as well!

We can be greatly encouraged to know that, when we pray for our loved ones - or those we ought to love even though it may be difficult to do so - if we have faith, this faith can have wonderful results even though the people for whom we pray may be lacking in such faith. Yes! We can always pray for people. We Orthodox, along with many other Christians, believe that even death is no barrier for praying that the wonderful grace of God which gives eternal life may touch our loved ones - and everyone in the world! In the Divine Liturgy, as in many other services, we pray for both the living and the dead, i. e. those who no longer walk this planet.

What is eternal life? It is not simply the indefinite prolongation of our earthly sojourn. That would most certainly not be a blessing, for our bodies age and grow feeble and physical death is often welcome relief from the travails of life upon this planet. No. Eternal life is something quite other than an indefinite sojourn upon the earth. What is it, then?

Eternal life is to know God! Eternal life is to be in close connection with the Source of all being - with God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Eternal life is not life beyond the grave although that is certainly part of it. Eternal life can begin here and now. In fact, it has already begun for us by virtue of our Baptism in which we have already died with Christ and been raised to life together with Him.

Eternal life for us who have been baptised consists in the conscious and willing reception of that which we already HAVE. This wonderful and marvelous grace of God is all-encompassing. It touches not only the invisible areas of our life - it also impacts upon the life we live in the body. It means health and wholeness of spirit, mind and body.

We can not be touched by evil, nor disease nor death! We have eternal life. This does not mean that we shall never know suffering or sorrow, for these are part of human existence upon planet Earth in its present state. But in our trials and sufferings we shall always be supported and sustained by the Almighty Power of God. And finally all these things shall pass and only the peace, the joy and the blessing will remain. Thanks be to God!

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