Metropolitan Epifaniy of Kyiv and all Ukraine shared a profound message on social media, reflecting on the nature of humanity, sin, and divine healing. He began by stating, “Man was created by God for good, to live in goodness and grow in it. But when man used his freedom not for good, but for evil, as a result, he received a damage to his nature, called sin.”
He described sin as a distortion of our nature that leads us to harm ourselves: “Sin distorts our nature, making us act not just wrongly, but damaging ourselves. It is like the forbidden fruit that seemed pleasant and tasty but led our forefathers into slavery to evil and death.”
Metropolitan Epifaniy emphasized the pervasive power of sin: “We all live under the dominion of sin. It tempts and often overcomes a person. Due to its prevalence, many think sin is natural, that to sin is normal and part of life — something impossible to change.”
However, he strongly rejected this notion: “But this is not so. The example of the healing of the paralytic proves that sin must be healed and cleansed.”
Referring to the Gospel story of the paralytic brought to Christ, he said: “Was his state normal? Any rational person would say no, he was sick. Even though he had been paralyzed for a long time and many only knew him as such, this does not make his illness normal.”
He continued, “Sin in people may last long and deeply take hold, but this does not make it natural or normal. On the contrary, the longer sin persists and penetrates human nature, the more necessary it is to fight it and eradicate it.”
Metropolitan Epifaniy reminded his followers of the faith and hope of the paralytic and his friends: “Those who brought the paralytic to the Savior believed that Christ could work this miracle. The Lord did not shame their faith and healed the sick man and forgave his sins.”
His message concluded with a call to trust in God’s mercy and power: “No person can use the severity, antiquity, or deep rootedness of their sins as a reason why it is impossible to fight or overcome them. Human effort alone cannot defeat sin, but ‘what is impossible with men is possible with God’ (Luke 18:27). Therefore, we turn to the Lord asking for healing from sins and forgiveness.”
He encouraged believers, “Knowing our sins, we must not lose heart but fight the evil within us, placing hope in God’s mercy and grace. And He, as a loving Father, will not shame our faith, just as He did not shame the faith of those who came to Him desiring healing for the paralytic.”
