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Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.” (John 5:5)
Here again is another difficulty. Was it not possible that the glory of God be shown without this man’s punishment [of blindness]. Certainly, it was possible for God’s glory to be shown without the man being blind. Yet we read, “that God’s glory should be revealed in this man.” One might ask, however, “Did he actually suffer wrong for the glory of God?” Tell me what wrong did he suffer from? For what if God had never willed to make him at all? But I assert that he even received benefit from his blindness! Because from it he recovered the sight of the eyes within. What were the Jews profited by their [physical] eyes? They incurred the heavier punishment, being blinded even while they saw. And what injury did this man have by his blindness? For through his blindness, he recovered his sight. Similarly, the evils of this present life are not actually evils, so neither are the good things actually good. Sin alone is an evil, but blindness is not an evil. And He who had brought this man from non-existence into existence also had the power to leave him as he was…Similar to how some excellent architect may build part of a house, and leave the rest unfinished in order that he may prove to those who do not believe by means of finishing the remnant that he is author of the whole; so also God joins together and completes our body, as if it were a house decayed, healing the withered hand, bracing the palsied limbs, straightening the lame, cleansing the lepers, raising up the sick, making sound the crippled, recalling the dead from death, opening the eyes that were closed, or adding them where before they were not in existence; all which things, being blemishes arising from the infirmity of our nature, He by correcting showed His power. But when He said, “That the glory of God might be manifested,” Christ spoke this about Himself, not of the Father; His [Father’s] glory was already manifest. For since they had heard that God made man, taking the dust of the earth, so also Christ made clay. To have said, “I am He who took the dust of the earth and made man,” would have seemed a hard thing to His hearers; but this, when shown by actual working, no longer stood in their way. So that He by taking earth and mixing it with spittle, showed His hidden glory; for no small glory was it that He should be deemed the Architect of the creation. – St. John Chrysostom
Church Announcements:
- We are fundraising for the purchase of the neighboring church. To donate, click here.
- Sermon:
- Defending the Week at UCI
- Midweek Lent Schedule:
- See the schedule below for Midweek Lent Liturgy Schedule
- Journey to Holy Week for Elementary Kids
- Saturday, April 8th, from 11-2pm
- Please register using the QR Code below
- Lent Schedule:
- Saturday
- Lazarus Saturday Liturgy: 8:00-10:30am
- Palm Weaving: 11:00-4:00pm
- Palm Sunday Vespers: 6:00-8:00pm
- Sunday:
- Liturgy: 7:00-11:30am
- See below
- Saturday
This Week’s Schedule:
- Monday:
- Arabic Liturgy: 9:00-12:00pm
- Midnight Praises: 8:00-9:30pm
- Tuesday:
- Bible Pleasure: 7:30-8:30 (In-Person and on Facebook)
- Wednesday:
- No Liturgy (Due to the Funeral of Mr. Fayek Abdelmalak at St Mary and St Verena)
- Thursday:
- Unction of the Sick: 10:30am-12:00
- Liturgy: 12:00-3:00pm
- Annunication Vespers: 6:30pm
- GYP Meeting: 7:00-9:00pm
- Friday:
- Liturgy: 8:00-10:30am
- Youth Meeting: 8:00-9:00pm
- Saturday:
- Liturgy: 8:00-10:30am
- Vespers: 6:00-8:00pm
- Midnight Praises: 8:00-9:30pm
- Sunday:
- Liturgy: 7:00-11:30am
- General Funeral: 11:30-1:00pm
- Eve of Monday: 5:30-9:00pm