By St. John of Kronstadt
Listen, my brethren, to the sermon for today’s reading from the Acts of the Apostles. This reading speaks of the healing by the Apostle Peter in the name of Jesus Christ of the paralytic Aeneas, a certain man in the city of Lydda, and of the resurrection from the dead by the same Apostle Peter in the city of Joppa (Jaffa) of one virtuous Christian woman named Tabitha, through prayer and the command to stand up (Acts 9:32–42). What is noteworthy about this reading? – The strong faith of the Apostle Peter in Christ the Savior and the divine, life-giving power of Christ are worthy of note.
Peter sees before him a paralytic man who has not moved for eight years, and immediately heals him in the name of Jesus Christ. "Aeneas!" he says to the sick man, "Jesus Christ heals you; get up from your bed." And he immediately stood up. The word was followed by deed. What a power of faith in Christ God! What power is in the name of Christ! It instantly revived dead limbs and gave them the strength of youth! But what a close union of Peter with Christ! What Peter wants, the Lord also wants! What Peter commands, the Lord also deigns, and the Lord immediately fulfills it. This is how closely Peter, who denied Christ, was united with Christ through repentance and faith! This is what unshakable faith he had in Him! What fiery love! Glory to the mercy of Christ, which accepts repentant sinners! Glory to the divine power of Christ, working miraculously in those who believe in Him!
But look further at how Peter works miracles by the power of Christ. Two people come to Peter to ask him to come to the same house where the deceased was. Peter got up and went with them; he is led into the upper room where the deceased Tabitha lay, asking him with tears to perform power in the name of God. Peter sends everyone out and, bending his knees, prays to the Life-Giver Christ God for the granting of life to the deceased and, turning to the body, says: "Tabitha! get up." And she opened her eyes and, seeing Peter, sat up. He gave her his hand and raised her; and calling the saints and widows, he brought her before them alive. See what miracles Peter’s strong faith works! See what miracles the Life-Giver Christ God, risen from the dead and living forever and ever, performs through His faithful disciple! What will some of today’s people, called Christians, who are ashamed of the name of Christ and His saving sign and dare to equate Him only with an extraordinary person, not believing in Him as God, say to this? Didn’t all His words and deeds manifest and still manifest in Him the living and omnipotent God, as they will not cease to manifest until the end of the age?
For just as it is impossible for the sun not to shine and not to give life to nature, so it is impossible for Christ the Savior not to work miracles in His Church - not to give life to those who believe in Him. And, until now He performs an innumerable number of miracles with those who believe in Him, both in their souls and in their bodies, cleansing all sins of those who repent, driving away fierce sorrows from their hearts, giving peace, joy and boldness to hearts, help in all kinds of needs, healing various diseases. All who live by faith know this from experience; and for this reason their faith is firm, and no one and nothing can shake it.
Stand before us, you of little faith and unfaithful, and say that you are an unfaithful person in Christ, that you renounce Him and His Church in words and deeds and speak your absurd words into the wind? But you believers, be established in your faith from day to day; study it every day; try to follow the rules of faith, so that your faith does not grow cold, but burns and warms, cleanses, sanctifies and enlightens your hearts constantly; for the spirit of unbelief strives to shake faith in all hearts. Temptations against faith appear everywhere from people who are foolish and corrupt in mind and heart. Live by faith, fulfill church statutes; pray unceasingly with your mind and heart; call often on the sweetest name of Christ our Savior; attend divine services at the appointed times: and you will be with God, and God will be with you, and He will help you in everything, and especially in the most important thing - to live piously, in the fear of God, and save your soul. Amen.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.