St. George Cathedral of Stockholm
Sunday, March 8, 2026
Dearly Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Today, on the Second Sunday of Great Lent, the Orthodox Church commemorates St. Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of Thessaloniki, Greece. The Church places his memory during the sacred period of Great Lent to remind us of the true purpose of the spiritual struggle in which we are engaged.
St. Gregory Palamas teaches us that the ultimate goal of the Christian life is union with God, what the Fathers call “theosis”; participation in the divine life through grace.
St. Gregory defended the teaching of the Church that God truly reveals Himself to humanity. Although God’s essence remains beyond comprehension, His divine energies are truly experienced by those who purify their hearts. Through prayer, repentance, fasting, and humility, the faithful can experience the uncreated grace of God.
The Gospel reading today (Mark 2:1–12) tells us about the paralytic who was brought to Christ by his friends. Because of their faith and determination, they lowered him through the roof so that he could be healed. Seeing their faith, Christ first said something remarkable: “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Only afterward did He heal the man physically.
The Fathers explain that Christ first heals the soul, because the healing of the soul is greater than the healing of the body.
St. John Chrysostom reminds us that sin is the deepest paralysis of the human person. When the soul is healed through repentance and forgiveness, the whole person is restored.
The friends of the paralytic also teach us an important lesson. Their faith, perseverance, and love brought their friend to Christ. In the same way, we are called to help one another on the path of salvation. Through prayer for one another, through encouragement, and through acts of love, we carry our brothers and sisters before Christ.
Let us therefore continue our Lenten journey, asking the prayers of St. Gregory Palamas that we may be granted purity of heart and the illumination of divine grace. Amen!
