October 13, 2013

Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 144
Reading 1 2 KGS 5:14-17

Naaman went down and plunged into the Jordan seven times
at the word of Elisha, the man of God.
His flesh became again like the flesh of a little child,
and he was clean of his leprosy.

Naaman returned with his whole retinue to the man of God.
On his arrival he stood before Elisha and said,
"Now I know that there is no God in all the earth,
except in Israel.
Please accept a gift from your servant."

Elisha replied, "As the LORD lives whom I serve, I will not take it;"
and despite Naaman's urging, he still refused.
Naaman said: "If you will not accept,
please let me, your servant, have two mule-loads of earth,
for I will no longer offer holocaust or sacrifice
to any other god except to the LORD."

Naaman was a Syrian military man with a reputation for being honest and fair.  But he contracted leprosy.   One of his servants, a young girl from Israel, recommended he go to visit Elisha, the prophet of God who resided in Israel.  Naaman did so and cured of leprosy when he followed the Prophet's instructions to wash in the river.  At that point, Naaman knew that there is only one God.  And he turned to Him and worshipped him from then on.

We also, are washed of the leprosy of sin, when we wash in the waters of Baptism. 

Responsorial Psalm PS 98:1, 2-3, 3-4

R. (cf. 2b) The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
his right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.

R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
The LORD has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.

R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands:
break into song; sing praise.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.

Jesus Christ, our salvation, has been revealed to the world.  Therefore, turn to Him and live.

Reading 2 2 TM 2:8-13

Beloved:
Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David:
such is my gospel, for which I am suffering,
even to the point of chains, like a criminal.

St. Paul has been imprisoned for preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

But the word of God is not chained.
Therefore, I bear with everything for the sake of those who are 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.
But if we deny him
he will deny us.
If we are unfaithful
he remains faithful,
for he cannot deny himself.

And he urges us to persevere with Christ to the end.  

Gospel LK 17:11-19

As Jesus continued his journey 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!"

Everytime we approach the Sacraments, we are like these lepers, crying out to our Lord begging Him to wash our sins away:

Acts 22:16 And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.

 And when he saw them, he said,
"Go show yourselves to the priests."
As they were going they were cleansed.

And Jesus cleansed them of their illness.

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.

It is unfortunate, that so many of us, after Christ washes us of our spiritual leprosy, will not return to Him to thank Him by receiving the Sacrament of Thanksgiving, the body and blood of our Lord in the Holy Eucharist.

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."

And the one who returned to thank Him was the foreigner and not the son of Israel.    Therefore, also, the Catholics, the sons of God and brethren of Christ, are they who frequently take Him most for granted.  Unfortunately for them, they will also be the ones who receive the harsher punishment:

Luke 12:46-48

King James Version (KJV)

46 The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.  47 And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.  48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.