Sunday Liturgy, October 12, 2025

Texts taken from the missal “Sulla Tua Parola,” September-October 2025

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)  – 4th week of the Psalter

First Reading

From the Second Book of Kings (2 Kings 5:14-17)

In those days, Naaman [, the commander of the army of the king of Aram,] went down and immersed himself in the Jordan seven times, according to the word of Elisha, the man of God, and his flesh became again like the flesh of a little child; he was cleansed [of his leprosy]. He returned with his whole retinue to [Elisha,] the man of God; he entered and stood before him, saying: “Now I know that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel. Now accept a gift from your servant.” But he said: “As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will not accept it.” The other urged him to accept it, but he refused. Then Naaman said: “If not, at least let your servant be permitted to take as much earth as a pair of mules can carry, because your servant intends no longer to offer a burnt offering or sacrifice to other gods, but only to the Lord.”

The word of God.

Commentary on the First Reading

The text is taken from the Second Book of Kings and describes the episode of the visit that
Naaman, the general of the Aramean army, a pagan, had Elisha, “the man of God,” to thank. Through this encounter and obedience to his words - although they were initially rejected - Naaman was healed of leprosy and converted to faith in God: “Naaman went down and immersed himself in the Jordan seven times, according to the word of Elisha, the man of God, and his flesh became again like the flesh of a little child... He returned with his whole retinue to the man of God; he entered and stood before him, saying: ‘Now I know that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel...’” We can distinguish the scene described in three stages: illness leads Naaman the pagan to place his trust in a man of God; the critical nature of the situation convinces him to obey; healing is transformed into gratitude and conversion. From being “dead” - for that is how leprosy was regarded - Naaman “returns to life,” acknowledging - as we will sing in the psalm - that “The Lord has revealed his justice to the nations.” Do we know how to obey the word of God and give him thanks for what he does in us and for us?

Second Reading

From the Second Letter of Saint Paul the Apostle to Timothy (2 Tim 2:8-13)

My son, remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descended from David, as I proclaim in my gospel, for which I suffer even to the point of wearing chains like a criminal. But the word of God is not chained! Therefore I endure everything for the sake of those whom God has chosen, so that they too may attain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, together with eternal glory. This saying is trustworthy: If we have died with him, we shall also live with him; if we persevere, we shall also reign with him; if we deny him, he too will deny us; if we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself.

The word of God.

Commentary on the Second Reading

Faced with the difficulty of believing in Jesus, Paul urges his friend and disciple Timothy not to resign himself, but to remain steadfast in what he himself has received: “My son, remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead… as I proclaim in my gospel, for which I suffer to the point of wearing chains like a criminal. But the word of God is not chained!” Paul suffers because of the Gospel, but he is also fully aware that this will lead him to salvation: “I endure everything for the sake of those whom God has chosen, so that they too may attain salvation.” Paul adds that we must persevere, certain that even if we are unfaithful, Jesus remains faithful. Just as these words once reached Timothy, so today they reach each one of us: believing and bearing witness to the faith is a “serious matter,” a commitment that can lead us to encounter tensions, difficulties, and indifference. It is up to us to revive and firmly maintain our faith by nourishing it through assiduous listening to Sacred Scripture, the Magisterium, and constant prayer. Problems and difficulties are and always will be there, and so will the Lord Jesus!

Gospel

From the Gospel according to Luke (Lk 17:11-19)

As Jesus made his way toward Jerusalem, he traveled through Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, ten lepers came toward him. They stood at a distance and called out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” When he saw them, Jesus said to them, “Go and present yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, seeing that he was healed, turned back, praising God in a loud voice, and fell at Jesus’ feet, face to the ground, to thank him. He was a Samaritan. But Jesus observed: “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has none but this foreigner been found to return and give glory to God?” And he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has saved you!” 

The Word of the Lord.

Commentary on the Gospel

The Gospel text echoes the episode described in the first reading, which, as we have now come to understand, always introduces and sheds light on the Gospel text. Along the road leading to Jerusalem, Jesus encounters “ten lepers, who stood at a distance and said in a loud voice: ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!’” In obedience to the law, keeping their distance, they cry out to Jesus with their despair of loneliness and death. In response to that cry, Jesus says: “Go and present yourselves to the priests.” Usually, one goes when healed, so that the priests can certify the healing and readmit the person to social life. Jesus instead sends them while they are still sick and, “as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, seeing that he was healed, turned back, praising God… He was a Samaritan. But Jesus observed: ‘Were not ten cleansed?…’ And he said to him: ‘Rise and go; your faith has saved you!’” Nine are cleansed, but only one - a Samaritan/foreigner - is saved. Prayer is not only “asking,” but also “giving thanks.” And only those who know how to give thanks truly understand.