His Grace Bishop Ioan Casian: faith is what

brings us closer to God and to the healing that comes from Him

On Sunday, December 1, His Grae Bishop Ioan Casian was present among the faithful of St. Apostle Andrew Parish in Mississauga, Ontario. The hierarch was greeted with bread and salt and the Gospel according to the tradition by Fr. Lucian Azoiței and the parishioners.

At the end of the Holy Liturgy, the Tedeum service was celebrated on Romania’s National Day.

In the homily delivered later, the Romanian hierarch commented on the day’s evangelical pericope. The hierarch emphasized the importance of faith keeping one close to God:

“Today’s Gospel speaks to us about the example of faith and perseverance in seeking God. The blind man of Jericho was suffering, and no one could help him in his situation. He tried to earn his living from the mercy of the city's inhabitants or pilgrims who were going to or coming from Jerusalem. Hearing the crowd making noise, he learned in answer to his question that the One passing by was Jesus of Nazareth. Full of faith and hope, he cried out: Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me! At his insistence a second time, because the first request had not been heard, Christ commanded him to come closer and asked him: What do you want me to do for you? And he answered: Lord, that I may see! And the Savior answered him: See! Your faith has saved you.

From this dialogue we understand the importance of faith. The blind man of Jericho, thanks to faith, finds himself near the Savior Christ. It is the faith that gives him hope for the possibility of healing and the opportunity for this to happen. Thanks to his faith, the blind man draw near God and receive the gift of seeing. Faith is what brings us closer to God and to the healing that comes from Him. Faith is not just a hope and or a comfort without the hope of a concrete result. We see this in the case of the blind man. He receives, because of his perseverance in faith and his request, healing. He also makes a confession of faith in Christ as the Son of David, that is, in the line of the great prophets of God guiding the people and healing them, but also as Lord, that is, God.

Through the work of God's grace, the blind man is healed spiritually and physically at the same time. He becomes an example for all those around him. He regains his health and his spiritual and physical beauty, thus reflecting the image and likeness of God in him.”

His Grace Bishop Ioan Casian then spoke about the power of the blind man's example and what he becomes through healing: “After healing, the blind man becomes an apostle of the Savior Christ. He shares the joy of healing and faith, giving glory to God. He becomes for those around him proof of the wonderful work of God and His healing power. He brings hope to all. The people, like the blind man, worship and give glory to God. The connection of man with God through faith is restored. A new life begins for the blind man. A renewed and changed life therefore begins with the one who receives the gift of healing from God.”

The hierarch also spoke of the examples of the two saints – St. Andrew the Apostle, the first called and St. Andrei Şaguna, Metropolitan of Transylvania: “Each of them offers us a specific example of how we can live our faith. Both are men of faith – first, St. Andrew the Apostle, herald of the Gospel and salvation, being himself an apostle of the Romanians, the other St. Andrei Şaguna, organizer and fighter for the religious rights and dignity of the Romanians in Transylvania.

Let us follow their example. Let us fulfill, as they fulfilled in their time and in their generation, the due things so that the following generations may receive the faith for redemption and salvation.”

His GraceBishop Ioan Casian then awarded to Fr. Lucian Azoiței the rank of econom stavrophor in recognition of his pastoral activities within the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Canada and presented him and his wife prezbytera Ana – Maria with the Anniversary Diploma and Medal for their example as a family for the entire community and for society.

Fr. Lucian Azoiței thanked the hierarch for the pastoral visit and the faithful for their help in the Church work he carries out.

The event ended with a fraternal agape prepared by the ladies of the parish.