28th Sunday of Ordinary Time
First Reading: 2 Kings 5:14-17
Naaman went down and plunged into the Jordan seven times at the word of the man of God. His flesh became again like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. He returned with his whole retinue to the man of God. On his arrival he stood before him and said, "Now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel. Please accept a gift from your servant." "As the LORD lives whom I serve, I will not take it," Elisha replied; 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.
Second Reading: 2 Timothy 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. 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.
Gospel Reading: Luke 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 voice, 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."
Reflection: Fr. Sahaya G Selvam
Jesus is on his final journey towards Jerusalem. In his journey from Galilee towards the south he has to pass through the Samaritan territory. It is at the borders that lepers were forced to live (Lev 13:45-46; Num 5:2). Jesus is about to enter a village, when this group of lepers – Jews and Samaritans – take courage to meet him. The lepers call Jesus by name. They were really requesting a cure: ‘Take pity on us.” Jesus wants to reinstate them in the society (Lev 14:2-3): “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” The lepers have ‘faith’ in the power of Jesus. So they obey Him. And they are cleansed.
While the nine men really obey Jesus to the letter and continue their journey, just one man thinks it better to re-establish his relationship with God first. He wants to have a personal encounter with Jesus. This would not have been natural for a leper, if he had been constantly reminded by his society that he was cursed by God. Yet this man does so. Perhaps because he was a Samaritan, he thinks outside the box. He does two things that facilitate his salvation. He is grateful to God: he “turned back praising God at the top of his voice” (Lk 17:15). Secondly, he worships Jesus in an act of self-surrender: he “threw himself at the feet of Jesus and thanked him” (Lk 17:16).
While the nine men really obey Jesus to the letter and continue their journey, just one man thinks it better to re-establish his relationship with God first. He wants to have a personal encounter with Jesus. This would not have been natural for a leper, if he had been constantly reminded by his society that he was cursed by God. Yet this man does so. Perhaps because he was a Samaritan, he thinks outside the box. He does two things that facilitate his salvation. He is grateful to God: he “turned back praising God at the top of his voice” (Lk 17:15). Secondly, he worships Jesus in an act of self-surrender: he “threw himself at the feet of Jesus and thanked him” (Lk 17:16).
