God is accessible to/will bless all people of all backgrounds, He can overcome anything, but we must seek Him out & do what He says. (readings for Oct. 13, 2019, Lectionary 144)

Key:

What these scriptures tell us about God

What these scriptures tell us to do

What these scriptures tell us not to do

Hyperlinks to additional resources

Commentary

Reading 1 2 Kings 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, forI will no longer offer holocaust or sacrifice to any other god except to the LORD."

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 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.

Reading 2 2 Timothy 2:8-13 

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 criminal. 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 perseverewe 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.

Alleluia 1 Thessalonians 5:18 

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
In all circumstances, give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Luke 17:11-19  

As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem, he traveled through Samariaand 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."

What these scriptures tell us about God:

there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel. 

The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
he has done wondrous deeds

his right hand has won victory for him, his holy arm.
The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power

in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
his kindness and his faithfulness

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

The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.

the word of God is not chained. 

If we have died with him we shall also live with him

if we persevere we shall also reign with him

As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem, he traveled through SamariaAs they were going they were cleansed

He was a Samaritan.

your faith has saved you

What these scriptures tell us to do:

Naaman went down and plunged into the Jordan seven times at the word of Elisha, the man of God

I will no longer offer holocaust or sacrifice to any other god except to the LORD
Sing to the LORD 
Sing joyfully to the LORD

break into song; sing praise

bear with everything for the sake of those who are chosen

died with him 

persevere

raised their voices, saying, "Jesus, Master!  Have pity on us!”

Go show yourselves to the priests

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

What these scriptures tell us not to do:

offer holocaust or sacrifice to any other god except to the LORD

deny him 

are unfaithful 

Commentary:

1.   Jesus/God can 0vercome all things, even the most severe and seemingly irremediable things. We see that in His curing leprosery, and doing so without regard to hardened cultural differences.

2.   Jesus is accessible to all, He blesses all, without regard to cultural/ethnic/national differences. That dynamic is also illustrated in the incident the first reading is drawn from, 2 Kings 5:1-19, and is expressly referenced in today’s psalm.

3.  God blesses without regard to social status. That is illustrated by comparing the first reading to the Gospel. In the first reading He cures a very high-status person. In the gospel He cures the lowest of the low in the social structure He was operating in.

4.   We must come to Him for His blessing, seek him out.

5.    We must affirmatively act upon Jesus’ directions to receive His blessings. 

6.   We usually have to take that action in faith that the blessing will occur before it occurs. That dynamic is also illustrated in the incident the first reading is drawn from. See 2 Kings 5:1-19. 

7.    Today’s second reading illustrates the dynamic that the blessings that come from acting on God’s direction may take a while to manifest itself and may flow to third parties.

8.   Today’s gospel illustrates how God sometimes uses ordinary liturgical practices/spiritual disciplines to bring about extraordinary results. See Luke 2:22-29, 51-51. 

9.  We should thank God for His blessings. That is reinforced in today’s first reading, psalm, and gospel.