In this sermon, Fr. Stephen reflects on the Gospel of the paralytic and what it teaches about sin, repentance, and healing in Orthodox Christianity. Many people hear that sin means “missing the mark,” but the sermon explains that sin is often deeper than a bad shot. It is the condition of having our back turned toward God while still thinking we can reach the goal of the Christian life. The healing of the paralytic shows how Christ calls the wounded person to rise, take up his bed, and walk.

The sermon focuses on the man who had been sick for thirty-eight years and waited beside the pool for someone to help him. His words sound familiar to anyone who has ever felt spiritually stuck, trapped by weakness, or tired of the same struggle. Orthodox teaching does not deny that our wounds are real, but it also does not let us hide behind excuses. R ...