Sermon for the Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity, 2025

This Gospel, of Jesus’ healing of the paralytic, is for and about every Christian; it is for you and about you. This Gospel is not only a recounting of an actual event; more importantly, it was recorded for you, that you might recognize that you are one and the same as this poor man. 

You are him: you are the sick man, paralyzed and lying on a bed. For just as he could not raise himself from his sickness and come to Jesus on his own, by his own reason or strength, neither could you; neither can you. As the Catechism teaches you to confess, “I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith. In the same way He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith.” You did not decide to follow Jesus. Were it up to you to make the choice, whether to believe or not, you would not, could not, have chosen to do so. 

Readings:

• Old Testament: Genesis 28:10-17

• Epistle: Ephesians 4:22-28

• Holy Gospel: Matthew 9:1-8

Sermon: