Better late than never...
2 Kgs 5:14-17
2 Tm 2:8-13
Lk 17:11-19
Don’t pay any attention to him, he’s one of them. Don’t listen to her, she’s not one of us. How can you possibly be a Christian, you don’t believe correctly. They can’t be Catholic, they’re not orthodox enough. We don’t like to admit this about ourselves, or the communities we belong to, but we can, and do, have a tendency to become insular. We categorize and shut people out because they are the other. They are not us, not one of us, not part if us, and by definition not as good as us. We allow them no breaks and do them no favors. Yet today we rear in 2 Kings that Naaman, a foreigner, a leper, went to Elisha for help. He did as Elisha instructed and was made clean. In the Gospel ten lepers approach Jesus and ask to be made clean. Jesus sent them to se the priest and on the way they realized they were healed. One returns to Jesus, glorifying God. He was a Samaritan, a foreigner. Why? Why would God grant favors to them, foreigners? They are not us, not like us, yet they were healed. After the miracle Naaman returns to Elisha, pronouncing he will no longer offer sacrifice to any other God. The Samaritan returns to Jesus praising God, thankful for God’s favor. God shows favor to these strangers, while we, who claim to follow the Risen One, see them as the other, as a stranger, not one of us. We turn them away, using a variety of subtle and sometimes not so subtle ways to set them apart. They don’t look like us, they don’t sound like us, they don’t think like us. We set them apart. God, on the other hand, makes no such distinction, and those foreigners, granted favor by God, return praising and thanking God. How often do we, we who should know better, we who should live lives of gratitude, take God’s favor for granted? When Jesus had cured the ten lepers, one a Samaritan, a foreigner returned praising God. Jesus, on seeing this man asks, were there not ten, where are the other nine?
Deacon John
28th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Oct. 14, 2007
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1 comment:
Hi John, It's been awhile!
I honestly believe that Jesus knew where the other nine were and where they are now. I also believe that He often said to Himself in so many words and on so many occasions, Forgive them Father for they know not what they do!
What Love Jesus Christ had and still has for US, usual sinners, useful souls and or used spirits.
I believe that when "ONE" of The Trinity gives US something in other word Forgives our sins, He never does take it back. I also believe that when a forgiven sin of the pass, future and/or present is forgiven by Him, it becomes stronger than any human could ever imagine and I certainly wouldn't want to be a slave to any sins especially forgiven sins who return to their old ways and so that's just one reason why I Thank You, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
I better stop now Deacon before I start preaching.
Keep UP the good work and don't ever stop praying for me also.
God Bless All His Children where ever they may be.
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