Texts taken from the Missalette “On Your Word” September-October 2022

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 clean [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. Please accept a gift from your servant.” But Elisha said: “As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will not accept it.” He urged him to accept it, but he refused. Then Naaman said: “If not, please let your servant be given as much earth as a pair of mules can carry, because your servant will no longer offer a burnt offering or sacrifice to other gods, but only to the Lord.” - The word of the Lord.

Commentary on the first reading

Naaman, an influential man, is afflicted with leprosy. To be healed of his illness, he must bathe seven times in the waters of the Jordan River, as the prophet Elisha asks him through a servant. Naaman’s healing is not due to the outward journey (going to bathe in the waters of the Jordan), but to the inner journey he undertakes to encounter the God of Israel, who promises him healing through Elisha. Faced with the prophet’s words, Naaman struggles to abandon his own patterns, his own idea of God and of healing. The same happens to us: the true barriers that prevent the word of God from reaching our hearts are self-sufficiency, the pursuit of power and success, attachment to traditions, and unwillingness to change. Despite his pride, Naaman immerses himself seven times and emerges from the water healed and converted. We are all a little like Naaman: we seek difficult things, but the Lord asks us for small gestures that we consider useless, yet which in reality express love and trust in him. But are we capable of trusting him?

SECOND READING

From the Second Letter of Saint Paul the Apostle to Timothy (2 Tim 2:8-13)
My child, remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David, 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! Therefore I endure everything for the sake of those whom God has chosen, so that they too may obtain 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 will also deny us; if we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself. - The word of the Lord.

Commentary on the second reading

While writing to Timothy, Paul is in prison because of the testimony he gave in preaching the Gospel. It is precisely in this context that he writes: “Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead.” This sentence encourages us to be witnesses of Christ despite resistance or external pressure, even amid difficulties, trials, and suffering. The world wants to make us believe that suffering is not worthwhile, that it is better to seek satisfaction in vain things, and that idols bring us happiness. But if we live our lives with the Risen One and for him, we know that we will not be disappointed. The effectiveness of proclamation and witness derives, in fact, from adherence to a person, Jesus Christ, begun with Baptism and founded on the faithfulness of God, who has revealed his love to us in him. When our faith is put to the test, we do not flee, but endure our share of suffering in order to cooperate in spreading the Gospel and reach salvation. Let us think of Jesus Christ and remember that if he has risen from the dead, we too will rise with him.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY

From the Gospel according to Luke (Lk 17:11-19)
As Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, he traveled through Samaria and Galilee. As he was entering a village, ten lepers met him. They stood at a distance from him and raised their voices, saying: “Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!” And when he saw them, he said: “Go show yourselves to the priests.” As they were going, they were cleansed. And one of them, realizing he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice; and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. He was a Samaritan. Jesus said in reply: “Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine? Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?” Then he said to him: “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.” - The word of the Lord.

Commentary on the Gospel of the day

We must not forget that we have a duty to thank God for the salvation he freely gives us in Jesus. Luke reminds us of this through this episode. Ten lepers are healed, but only one is saved. Ten lepers re-enter the society from which they had been excluded because of their illness, but only one is welcomed into the family of God. Nine lepers concern themselves with their own interests and with being “legally” clean; only one sets the Law aside and turns back to show his gratitude to the one who healed him. This man is a Samaritan. Once again, Luke presents as an example a person who was despised and considered contemptible and heretical. The evangelist clearly distinguishes between “healing” and “salvation.” The healings performed by Jesus, however extraordinary they may seem, are nothing other than the outward sign of what truly matters: “salvation.” By healing the sick, Jesus teaches that he alone can save, because he is the physician of bodies and souls. For this reason, he draws our attention to gratitude, an attitude we should all have because everything is given to us by grace. The salvation God offers us in Jesus is a pure gift and does not depend on our merits or qualities.