አምላኩሰ ለአዳም

5 መጋቢት 2019 · 2027-03-14

Saint Paul declares: “Now is a very acceptable time; now is the day of salvation.” The Great Fast is not merely preparation for a future change. God calls us to conversion today. We should not postpone repentance, reconciliation, confession, forgiveness, or the good works we know we must perform. Paul describes the hardships endured by the servants of God: affliction, imprisonment, labour, sleeplessness, and difficulty. Nevertheless, they continue serving through patience, purity, knowledge, kindness, sincere love, and the power of God. Christian faithfulness is proved not only in peaceful times but also when obedience becomes costly. Saint James explains that conflicts often begin with uncontrolled desires within the heart. Envy, pride, attachment to the world, and the desire to possess what belongs to others destroy communion. His remedy is clear: submit to God, resist evil, draw near to the Lord, purify the heart, and humble yourself before Him. In Acts, Saint Paul stands before Governor Felix and responds to false accusations. He refuses to abandon either truth or hope. He confesses his faith in the resurrection and seeks to maintain a clear conscience before God and other people. The Gospel presents people carrying a paralysed man to Jesus. Christ first says: “Courage, child, your sins are forgiven.” Jesus then heals his body to demonstrate that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins. The healing reveals that Christ cares for the whole person—soul, body, conscience, relationships, and future. Jesus also calls Matthew from the customs post. Matthew rises immediately and follows Him. When religious leaders criticise Jesus for eating with sinners, He answers that the healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. Christ came not to congratulate those who believe they are already perfect, but to call sinners into conversion. We approach Him like the paralytic—unable to heal ourselves but trusting His mercy. He forgives us, raises us, and commands us to leave our former condition behind. Those whom Christ has raised must also help carry others to Him. The Church is called to become a community that does not abandon the spiritually wounded but brings them to the Lord through prayer, mercy, truth, and compassionate service.