Who of us is prepared to step aside...

Who of us is prepared to step aside, to become inconspicuous, or rather to help another to step
forward instead of us when we know that we will be the loosers in a
way, - in a way only because if we do this, we will have lost what is
thought we coveted but we will have become disciples of Christ who
gave His life that others may live.

Let us reflect on the story. ...
Let us become what Christ was - the One that
sets free in the name of truth and of life. Amen.



Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh
Sunday of Paralytic
7 May 1989
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In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost.

We have heard today in the Gospel of a man who for thirty eight years
had laid paralysed. The only thing that separated him from healing was
the possibility to reach the waters, which the angel brought into
motion once a year. Thirty eight years had he attempted to move
towards healing but someone else has been quicker than he and stolen
healing from him. How many are there now in the world, how many have
been and will be in this world of ours who need healing, who are
paralysed by fear, paralysed by all that prevents us from moving with
boldness and purpose towards fullness of life? How many? And who are
those who will take them and help them to receive healing instead of
seeking it for themselves? Let us look at ourselves, not at each other
but ourselves. What have we learnt from the Gospel?

Christ says that no-one has true love who is not prepared to give his
life for his neighbour, and the neighbour, as it is quite clear also
from the Gospel, is not the one whom we like, whom we love, who is
close to us, it is whoever needs us. Ask yourself this question. There
are number of people around you who would believe, who would gladly
start a new life, who would bless you and God for giving them courage
to move not physical but spiritual limbs that are tied. And let us ask
ourselves, what do we do, what have we done, what are we capable of
doing to help them? The waters of Siloam are an image of God, of His
healing power. When God comes close, when we become aware that He is
there, near, do we look around to see who needs Him more than we do?
No. We rush forward, we want to be those who will sit at His feet, we
are those who wish to touch the hem of His garment and be healed, we
are those - and this is even worse, - we are those who wish to be seen
as His disciples and companions so that people may look at us and
wonder, admire us, at times almost worship us, the companions of
Jesus, the friends of God become man. Who of us is prepared to step
aside, to become inconspicuous, or rather to help another to step
forward instead of us when we know that we will be the loosers in a
way, - in a way only because if we do this, we will have lost what is
thought we coveted but we will have become disciples of Christ who
gave His life that others may live.

Let us reflect on the story. It is not simply an old story about
things that happened about two thousand years ago, it is something
that is happening every day and we are those who rush forward and
prevent others from merging themselves into the healing waters of
Siloam. Let us listen to St. John the Divine, the teacher of true
love, let us be ready to sacrifice all we long for, all we desire for
someone else to have it, to be given it by God, let us be prepared to
pay the price of other people’s finding freedom, life on all levels,
even on the simplest level of food and shelter and the warmth of an
attentive gaze or a loving, sober word. Let us become free of selves,
and then how many will be saved, saved from hunger, from homelessness,
saved from the dominion of others, saved from all that is fetters and
imprisonment of life. Let us become what Christ was - the One that
sets free in the name of truth and of life. Amen.

----
CHRIST IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN INDEED!

* All texts are copyright: Estate of Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh