“Strong faith, persistent prayer, and complete fasting drive out demons,” Patriarch Daniel emphasized on Sunday at the Chapel of Saint George the Great Martyr in the Patriarchal Residence.
The Patriarch of Romania explained that the disciples were unable to heal the afflicted boy because their faith was still weak.
“They were unable to heal the child because they had little faith. Certainly, the disciples possessed a degree of faith, but it was not strong enough or fervent enough.”
Patriarch Daniel stressed the importance of a faith that “must be cultivated, strengthened, and deepened through prayer and fasting, so that it does not remain merely an intellectual conviction but becomes a living bond between the human person and the unseen yet merciful God.”
Love that calls to responsibility
Referring to the father of the child healed by the Savior, His Beatitude highlighted the power of prayer offered for those who are suffering.
“We therefore understand how beneficial the prayers of parents are for their children when the latter are no longer able to pray or do not know how to pray for themselves.”
Patriarch Daniel explained that Christ’s rebuke of those lacking faith was not a condemnation but a call to change.
“His rebuke is a form of love that calls people to responsibility; in other words, it spiritually awakens those of little faith.”
The Church prays for and cares for the sick
The Primate of the Romanian Orthodox Church emphasized that prayer for those who suffer must be accompanied by practical care for one’s neighbor.
“Very often, people also need others to pray for them. That is why the Church prays for the sick, for those in captivity, and for every afflicted and sorrowful soul.”
His Beatitude recalled that, alongside liturgical prayer and the Mystery of Holy Unction, the Church has developed extensive social and charitable work over time, establishing “pharmacies, medical practices, healthcare centers, and hospitals of its own, so that the healing power of the Lord Jesus Christ may be revealed as the work of His merciful love in the Church and society.”
“Let us increasingly become the hands of Christ’s merciful love, alleviating the suffering of the sick, the poor, and the lonely, and thereby showing that health is a gift from God,” Patriarch Daniel urged in conclusion.
Photo credit: Lumina Newspaper
Source: basilica.ro
