On the 27th Sunday after Pentecost, His Grace Patriarchal Auxiliary Bishop Paisie of Sinaia celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the National Cathedral Chapel, emphasizing the importance of living faith authentically while warning against religious formalism.
Healing the crippled woman: A symbol of spiritual liberation
Reflecting on the Gospel passage about the healing of the crippled woman, the Patriarchal Auxiliary Bishop highlighted both the spiritual and practical meaning of the miracle.
The woman’s suffering, symbolized by her inability to look toward the sky, represented spiritual disorder: “Suffering reflects a departure from the perfection of God’s creation, a form of existential disorder, yet our God is a God of order.”
Christ’s healings, the bishop noted, permanently extended beyond the physical to offer spiritual renewal through forgiveness: “Christ the Lord never encountered a suffering person without healing them.”
He explained that physical suffering often originates in spiritual affliction: “Almost all physical suffering described in the Gospels has its roots in the soul, in some personal sin or even an inherited one. This is why today’s Gospel says she had a ‘spirit of infirmity.’”
The Pharisees’ Reaction and Religious Legalism
His Grace also reflected on the reaction of the synagogue leader, who opposed Jesus’ healing of the woman on the Sabbath: “The synagogue leader viewed Christ’s act of healing as labor because it had a tangible result—a sick woman became well. This was a twisted interpretation of Moses’ Law.”
He urged the faithful not to think such legalism was confined to biblical times: “Formalism was rampant back then, but we should not believe it exists only in the past. Even today, we are often formalistic and lack genuine spiritual depth.”
Religious Formalism Today
The bishop warned against modern expressions of religious superficiality, including performative piety: “Today, some people pray only to be seen by others, even filming themselves praying in private to impress the weak-minded.”
He cautioned that religious acts performed without true inner devotion are empty:
“Fasting as a diet, avoiding work on holy days, attending church out of habit, seeking the front seats, making excessive signs of the cross, or kissing all the icons will not bring salvation without humility and heartfelt spiritual life.”
A Call for Authenticity and Humility
In closing, His Grace Bishop Paisie of Sinaia encouraged the congregation to cultivate deep, sincere faith and avoid superficial religious gestures:
“Let us strive not to miss our encounter with Christ. He can heal us, straighten us like the bent woman burdened by her sins—even when these sins weigh us down and keep us from lifting our eyes toward His face.”
Photo: National Cathedral Chapel / Marius Costin
