WRITTEN GOD SERMON OF SUNDAY G’ MATTHEW (11-08-2024) by Elder Fr.Paul Kallika
«Have mercy on us, Son of David...» (Mt 9,27)
Christ went to a little town. Thousands of people gathered. They went out of curiosity, to see who it was that did the miracles. They wanted to see Christ. Some climbed on rooftops, some climbed trees and wherever else they could. Suddenly, in the midst of the people, voices were heard saying: «Lord, have mercy», «Have mercy on us, Son of David» (Matt. 9:27).
Who's yelling? Two poor, unhappy and blind people. They couldn't see at all. And when they heard that Christ was entering the town, because they couldn't see where he was, they started shouting «Have mercy on us, O son of David.». And they kept shouting it, insistently and annoyingly.
Christ was walking and pretended not to hear. He arrives and enters a house. The blind men continued to shout from outside: «Lord, have mercy.».
Christ was testing their faith. When he saw their great patience, he said to them: «Do you think I can make you well?». - «Yes, Lord». Then Christ stretched out His holy hands on their blinking eyes, and immediately, as He had lit the sun and the stars, so at that moment two pairs of eyes were opened, the two men saw their light. From that day on, everywhere they went they proclaimed that Christ had made them well.
What wonders does the «Lord, have mercy»; The blind cried out, Christ heard it, had compassion on them, and healed them. -But where was Christ? You will ask, dear Christians. Here is Christ, in the Church!
At the time when the Holy Gospel is heard, at the time when the Saints come out, at the time when the priest holds the chalice, at the time of communion, there is Christ. Yes, that's our faith. Every crumb and every drop of the Holy Grail is our Christ. Do you believe it? Come to church and shout it. «Lord, have mercy». In the Divine Liturgy we say it many times. From «Blessed is the kingdom...» to «Blessed is the kingdom...» we say «Lord, have mercy» more than fifty times. But how do we say it? The late Bishop Augustine Kantiotis he was saying in his sermon commenting on the same passage, and in particular this phrase «Lord have mercy». «There is no prostration and caution today. They said it two hundred years ago, but when they said it, they were crying. «Lord, have mercy,» said the widow. «Lord have mercy,» said the orphan, «Lord have mercy,» said the poor man. «Lord, have mercy,» said the shepherd. «Lord have mercy,» said the peasant. «Lord, have mercy,» they all said. But when they said it, they believed it to the utmost. In the old days, «Lord have mercy» could work miracles. For example, a grasshopper would fall on the plain of Thessaly and nothing would be left. And they would go to Meteora, pray for the Holy Relics in their hands in Kalambaka and Trikala (they had love and harmony among themselves, they fasted for three days, the men's defences did not speak), they would make a procession and the little children would shout «Lord, have mercy». Not a day went by, and a wind would praise the locusts, blowing them into the river, into the Peneus, and not a single one would remain. That's what «Lord have mercy» does when you really believe. On the other hand, cholera came back and reaped the people. A hundred, two hundred dead! They didn't have time to open graves. And again they fasted, they made a procession with the Holy Relics of Saint Nicanoros and other saints, they went out to the plains and mountains, begging God, and the cholera was cut with a knife. And in other places, when there was drought and there was no drizzle and the earth was like a tile, they went out again with the icons and relics and prayed. «Lord, have mercy,» they said with their hearts, and the sky rained and the earth was soaked. And elsewhere, when there was an earthquake, they knelt down and prayed. «Lord, have mercy» they would say, and the earthquake would stop. These are not fairy tales. The older ones remember them. »Our religion is alive, if only we have a strong faith.
Such is the power of prayer, of the «Lord, have mercy». Here is our Christ. And as he asked the two blind men, so he asks me, he asks you, he asks everyone today, and he says: «Do you think I can do that?». Let our people answer, let us answer and let us answer. If we say with our hearts «Yes, sir», then we will see great miracles. Envy.
Fr. Pavlos Kalliikas
