† Sunday, 10 October 2010
In England and Wales – For the Spread of the Gospel
Keynote: Jesus’ disciples learn that faith brings freedom
Second Book of Kings 5: 14-17
The Syrian army commander, Naaman, great and important in his own country, in a last desperate attempt to be healed of his leprosy, travels to meet the prophet Elisha in Israel. Maybe expecting a great sign from heaven or some difficult task to perform, when instructed by the prophet to wash in the river Jordan, Naaman thinks to himself are there not good rivers in Syria to wash in? Despite his doubts he is persuaded to go and wash. ‘Naaman the leper went down and immersed himself seven times in the Jordan, as Elisha had told him to do and his flesh became clean once more like the flesh of a little child.’ This foreigner, the powerful figure of Naaman, having been healed, understands the even greater power than his own that has been at work through God’s prophet, and he tells Elisha, ‘Now I know that there is no God in all the earth except the God of Israel.’
Responsorial Psalm 97 (98) – A song of praise to God – Lord of all Creation
Second Letter of Paul to Timothy 2: 8-13
‘Remember the Good News that I carry, “Jesus Christ risen from the dead” …that they may have the salvation that is in Christ Jesus and the eternal glory that comes with it,’ writes Paul. Reminding his fellow labourer, Timothy, of the many hardships endured in his journeys as an apostle of Christ, and his own example of perseverance and fidelity to Christ Paul says ‘Here is a saying you can rely on: “If we have died with Christ, then we shall live with him. If we hold firm, then we shall reign with him. If we disown him, then he will disown us. We may be unfaithful, but he is always faithful.” There seems to be no half–measures about Paul’s commitment of faith, and like him, we too carry the good news not just for ourselves but also for others.
Gospel according to Luke 17: 11-19
The healing of the ten lepers is not especially significant but the teaching is important. Meeting the lepers – the real outcasts in the Jewish society of his day – Jesus reveals his power in this act of healing: ‘Go and show yourselves to the priests,’ says Jesus, ‘now as they were going away they were cleansed.’ Just one of them realising he was cured, immediately returns to thank Jesus and to praise God. With some relish the evangelist Luke drives the point of the teaching home, ‘the man was a Samaritan.’ The Jews treated Samaritans with contempt and would not even pass the time of day with such folk such was their prejudice and hatred of these people who lived in their midst. Jesus himself asks, ‘Were not all ten made clean? The other nine, where are they? It seems that no one has come back to give praise to God, except this foreigner.’ To the Samaritan Jesus then says, ‘Stand up and go on your way. Your faith has saved you.’ The believer can stand up proud and free in the presence of God. The teaching-word here, is that anyone, whether an outsider like the great Syrian army commander Naaman, or the outcast Samaritan leper, or even ‘insiders’, can have a personal relationship with God that brings them freedom of spirit and health of mind and body.
© 2010 Peter J Harrison