Sunday Liturgy: October 12, 2025

Texts taken from the lectionary “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 Kgs 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 was restored 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.” He said: “As surely 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, please allow your servant 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, general of the Aramean army and a pagan, went to Elisha, “the man of God.” Through this encounter and obedience to his words - although they were initially rejected - Naaman was cured 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 was restored 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 the pagan Naaman to entrust himself to a man of God; the critical nature of the situation convinces him to obey; healing becomes gratitude and conversion. From being “dead” - for that is how leprosy was regarded - Naaman “returns to life,” recognizing - 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 thanks to him for what he does in us and for us?

Second Reading

From the Second Letter of Saint Paul the Apostle to Timothy (2 Tm 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, with him we shall also live; if we persevere, with him we shall also reign; if we deny him, he too will deny us; if we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, because 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 give up, but to remain steadfast in what he himself has received: “My son, remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead… as I proclaim in my gospel, for which I suffer to the point of being chained 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 obtain salvation.” Paul adds that we must persevere, confident 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 rekindle and firmly hold on to our faith, 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 to Jerusalem, he passed 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 he fell facedown at Jesus’ feet to thank him. He was a Samaritan. But Jesus said, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has none but this foreigner returned to give glory to God?” And he said to him, “Get up 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 that leads him to Jerusalem, Jesus meets “ten lepers, who stood at a distance and said loudly: ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!’” Respecting the law and keeping their distance, they cry out to Jesus 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 into social life. Jesus, however, sends them while they are still ill 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: ‘Get up 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 know.