Metropolitan Cleopas of Sweden reflected on Christ’s boundless mercy and His power to restore those suffering from spiritual and emotional bondage during his homily on the Fifth Sunday of Matthew, delivered at St. George Cathedral in Stockholm on July 5.
Drawing from the Gospel account of the healing of the two demoniacs in the country of the Gergesenes, the Metropolitan emphasized that Christ does not wait for wounded and broken people to seek Him but instead goes out to meet them in their suffering.
“Christ does not wait for the wounded person to become strong enough to find Him,” Metropolitan Cleopas said. “He goes Himself into the place of fear, confusion, and death. He enters the land of the tombs. He approaches those from whom everyone else has withdrawn.”
Referring to the interpretation of St. John Chrysostom, he noted that no one dared to bring the afflicted men to Christ, and therefore Christ Himself came to them, revealing the immeasurable compassion of God for humanity.
The Metropolitan also drew parallels between the Gospel narrative and contemporary life, observing that many people today may not live among physical tombs but are imprisoned by “inward tombs” such as loneliness, addiction, hopelessness, anxiety, bitterness, pride, and the relentless pursuit of material possessions.
“Outwardly we may appear successful,” he said, “while inwardly we are bound by passions that diminish our freedom and obscure the image of God within us.”
Metropolitan Cleopas further reflected on the reaction of the local inhabitants who, despite witnessing the miraculous healing of the two men, asked Christ to leave their region. He suggested that their concern over the loss of the swine outweighed their joy for the restoration of two human lives.
“This Gospel examines our own hearts,” he said. “Do we truly want Christ to enter our lives, or only on the condition that He does not disturb our comforts? Do we welcome Him as Saviour, but ask Him not to touch our habits, our attachments, our pride, our greed, our resentments, or our indifference toward those in need?”
Concluding his homily, the Metropolitan called on the faithful to open their hearts to Christ’s healing presence and to seek freedom from whatever enslaves them spiritually.
“Today the Lord comes again to the places in us that are wounded, divided, and afraid,” he said. “He comes to free us, to restore us to communion with God and with one another.”
Metropolitan Cleopas ended with a prayer that God would deliver His people from every passion, heal their wounds, and make them instruments of mercy and peace.
