On the second Sunday of Great Lent, overviews the battle between St. Gregory Palamas and Barlaam which centered around knowing and experiencing God via His uncreated energy ("grace") versus knowing about God through rationalistic study. Fr. Matthew then goes on to discuss prayer and our problems in how we approach it, and tries to change the paradigm by which we think about prayer and engage in it. He claims that prayer should be a relationship of love, and he quotes St. Silouan the Athonite (chapter "On Prayer," pages 292-296 from his biography by St. Sophrony) to back up his assertion. He encourages people to bask in the presence of God rather than dragging themselves to a prayer corner to carry out some obligation or duty. He then offers suggestions about how to do that and some helpful reminders about how to pray. Along the way, he publicly calls out the apocryphal "Fr. Matthew Sermon Bingo" cards that his family and friends have been threatening for years; he drops another familiar catchphrase from former NBA coach Monty Williams; and finishes with a reference to today's gospel reading by making an exhortation for intercessory prayer for our fellow Christians.
Previous homilies from the 2nd Sunday of Great Lent:
Epistle: Hebrews 1:10-14; 2:1-3
IN THE BEGINNING, Thou, Lord, didst found the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of thy hands; they will perish, but thou remainest; they will all grow old like a garment, like a mantle thou wilt roll them up, and they will be changed. But thou art the same, and thy years will never end." But to what angel has he ever said, "Sit at my right hand, till I make thy enemies a stool for thy feet?" Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to serve, for the sake of those who are to obtain salvation? Therefore we must pay closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For if the message declared by angels was valid and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard him.
Gospel: Mark 2:1-12
At that time, Jesus entered Capernaum and it was reported that he was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room for them, not even about the door; and he was preaching the word to them. And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and when they had made an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic lay. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "My son, your sins are forgiven." Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, "Why does this man speak thus? It is a blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, "Why do you question thus in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven, ' or to say, 'Rise, take up your pallet and walk? But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins"-he said to the paralytic-"I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home." And he rose, and immediately took up the pallet and went out before them all; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!
