Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity AD 2025

A song that recently turned 55 years old has the following line: “From the moment I could talk I was ordered to listen.” This may seem unfair, and since the song is titled “Father and Son,” one might think that it is a criticism from a young person towards the older generation who want to impose their opinions on the others.

We all feel that way sometimes. But in fact, it's an extremely important reminder - similar to when it is sometimes said that God has purposely given us two ears but only one mouth. Being able to speak does not always mean being able to say what is right and necessary. Just like being able to walk doesn’t always mean we are going in the right direction.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells the paralyzed man to get up and walk – not just anywhere, but home. In today’s Epistle, Saint Paul exhorts us to walk, not as Gentiles who are on the path to destruction, but as children of God who are on the way to their heavenly home. To do this, we must put away lying and speak the truth. We must listen more than talk, and go not just anywhere, but where God’s Holy Spirit leads us.