Homily on the Paralytic

Homily on the paralytic lying by the pool.

Wherever Jesus appears, there is also salvation. For even if he sees a tax collector sitting at the tax office, he makes this man an apostle and an evangelist; even if he is with the burial of the dead, he raises the dead. To the blind indeed he grants the ability to see, and to the deaf the ability to hear. And he goes around the pools, not seeking buildings, but healing those who are sick.

For in Jerusalem there was a sheep-like pool having five porticoes, four indeed surrounding it, and the fifth in the middle, in which a multitude of the weak lay. And there was much unbelief among the Jews. But the physician and healer of souls and bodies granted healing in measure, first healing the long-suffering, so that he might quickly be delivered from pains. For it was not one day to him to lie down, nor even a second, nor even a first year, but thirty-eight years. Lying down with a long-standing disease, he was known to those seeing, and showing the energy of the one healing. For the paralytic was known by all because of the time. And the chief physician showed the power, but was rejected by those poorly receiving him.

Going around the pool, he saw, not learning by questioning, but by divine energy he filled up what was lacking. Seeing, not asking how long he has been lying down, but seeing he knew, he who knew even before seeing. For if concerning the things of the heart he had no need that someone should ask him about the man (for he himself knew what was in the man), but much more concerning the diseases, of which there is external induction. He saw someone lying down and heavily burdened by a great disease. For he had a great burden of sins and a long-standing, painful disease.

Regarding this question, the one desired says: 'Do you want to be made well?' and he said nothing else, but left it to the moderation of the question. For the question was twofold. Since he infected not only the body, but also the soul (according to what he later said to him, 'See, you have become well, sin no more, so that nothing worse may happen to you' John 9:25), he asked him: 'Do you want to be made well?' O great Physician of power, placing the will upon the help. Since salvation is from faith, for this reason he heard the 'you want,' so that he might lead the energy into the 'wanting.' This alone is the word of Jesus. For there is no chief physician of the perceptible things. For those healing the perceptible diseases are not able to say to all: 'Do you want to be made well?' But Jesus both grants the 'wanting' and receives the 'believing,' and the gift is granted without pay.

The Savior once passed by the way, and two blind men were sitting, blind in body, but enlightened in mind. For what the scribes did not know, these blind men were showing by shouting. For the Pharisees, having learned the law and having studied it from childhood to old age and having grown old in ignorance, were saying: 'That we do not know from where this is' John 9:29. For he came to his own, and his own did not receive him John 1:11. But the blind men were shouting, 'Son of David, have mercy on us' Matt 20:30. And what those who learned the law did not know, these, having eyes that did not serve for reading, did know.

Having come to these, the Savior was saying: 'Do you believe that I am able to do this?' and 'What do you want that I may do for you?' He did not say, 'What do you want that I may say to you,' but, 'What do you want that I may do for you.' For he was a maker and a life-giver, not having begun to do so only now. For his Father is always working, and he himself cooperates with the Father, and he was the maker of all things by the word of the Father.

He himself, having been born of the Only-Begotten without mediation, asks the blind men, saying: 'What do you want that I may do for you?' Not being ignorant of what they want (for the matter was manifest), but from the...