The healing of diseases is not the last goal of the Lord’s coming to earth, but the healing of sin and death

Patriarch Daniel emphasizes in the Easter Pastoral that healing from a temporary illness is not the main purpose of Jesus Christ’s coming to earth. His fundamental mission was healing from sin and death, offering mankind eternal life through the Resurrection.

Patriarch Daniel emphasizes in the Easter Pastoral an important message: healing from a temporary illness is not the main purpose of Jesus Christ’s coming to earth. His fundamental mission was healing from sin and death, offering mankind eternal life through the Resurrection.

Although the miraculous healings performed by Jesus demonstrate His love and mercy for people, they also have a deeper prophetic meaning. They represent the inauguration of the Kingdom of God and foreshadow the definitive healing that will take place in the new heaven and the new earth, where there will be no more suffering (Revelation 21, 1-4).

“The healings that the Lord Jesus Christ performs show His humble and merciful love for people, but these healings also have a prophetic meaning, namely they are the inauguration or the beginning of the Kingdom of God in the world or the beginning of a final healing that will be realized in a new heaven and a new earth, where there will be no more tears and death (cf. Revelation 21, 1-4), because the public Resurrection will be the definitive healing of all people from death and corruption. The healing of diseases is not the last goal of the Lord’s coming to earth, but the healing of sin and death,” the Patriarch conveys.

Patriarch Daniel highlights the Sacrament of Repentance and the Holy Olive as permanent sources of healing from sins, diseases and sufferings (Mark 6, 13; James 5, 14-15). All the Holy Mysteries of the Church convey divine grace, demonstrating the merciful love of Christ as the Doctor of our souls and bodies.

“In all the Holy Mysteries of the Church, the grace of the Most Holy Trinity works, which shows us the merciful love of Christ, the Doctor of our souls and bodies (the service of the Holy Olive Oil) and the Source of healings (the service of the Sanctification of the water). But for the healing and salvation of our soul and body, we need a lot of faith and a lot of perseverance in prayer, as well as a merciful love towards our fellow men. That’s why Saint John Chrysostom called the Church of Christ a ‘spiritual pharmacy, where new medicines are prepared, so that we can heal from the wounds that the world inflicts on us’. The same Holy Father calls for soul healing and salvation, saying: ‘Enter the church and confess your sins, repenting for them; for there you will find the doctor who heals you, and not a judge who condemns you; there the sinner is not asked to be punished, but sins are forgiven'”, says PF Daniel.

However, healing and salvation of soul and body requires strong faith, perseverance in prayer and merciful love for one’s fellow man. Saint John Chrysostom calls the Church a “spiritual pharmacy”, where medicines are prepared to heal the wounds caused by the world.

The year 2024 was declared by the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church “Homage year of pastoral care and care of the sick” and “Commemorative year of all the Saints who heal without money”. In this context, the Patriarch reconfirms the role of the Church in combating suffering through liturgical, spiritual, pastoral, social and medical activities.

“Including through a medical culture of the population, through which people are advised to value more the gift of health, avoiding diseases, and to be grateful to the people who help them heal, especially when they alone, due to poverty, cannot – and I can pay for consultations or medicines”, explains the Patriarch.

The medical culture of the population is essential, by promoting disease prevention, health appreciation and gratitude towards those who provide medical care.

Patriarch Daniel urges to do good deeds, to spread the light of faith and good deeds, to share the joy of the Resurrection and to pray for peace in the world.

“In these days of celebration, of light and joy for our Christian life, we urge you all, with fatherly and brotherly love in Christ, to show the light of true faith and good deeds everywhere you are, to share with others the joy of the Lord’s Resurrection our Jesus Christ, our Healer and Savior Let us pray for peace throughout the world. Let’s show signs of brotherly love to all Romanians among foreigners”, is the message of the Patriarch.

Patriarch Daniel’s Easter message conveys wishes for “health and happiness, peace and joy”, ending with the Easter greeting: “Christ is Risen!”.