Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Because our nation is at war, perhaps, it will be easier for us to understand today’s readings better. Here then, is a hypothetical situation. Suppose one of the Taliban commanders came to the United States to seek treatment for cancer, how would you react as ordinary citizens? Would you support the offer of health care and nursing to him? Now, let me ask you these same questions as a people of faith in Jesus Christ? Are you now at least compelled to pause and rethink your reaction? Do you now have a different answer than our initial reaction? If you are struggling for an answer, then perhaps, you will understand today’s reading really well.
Unfortunately, today’s first reading includes a woefully inadequate section of this otherwise marvelous story of Naaman the Syrian. Israel and Syria were arch enemies. I would not be exaggerating if I said that the enmity between these two nations paralleled that of the Unites States and the Taliban. Naaman was the military commander of Syria but his wife was an Israelite woman who was captured in a rather bloody raid. Yet, Naaman dared to come to the enemy territory, to the prophet Elisha to seek healing for his leprosy. Elisha merely commanded Naaman to dip himself in the Jordan seven times. Elisha’s casual approach to this otherwise high profile visit is rather disconcerting for Naaman. Although miffed at the suggestion, Naaman did as he was commanded and he was healed. We do not get many details about how Naaman was heale d. The focus in on his ability to do what was commanded him to do. This must have been hard for a military commander. But the real focus of this episode is on Naaman who returns to Elisha in gratitude. Not only that, he acknowledges the God of Elisha as the true God. (2 Kgs 5:15).
This Sunday’s gospel is a continuation of last weekend’s readings and homily about faith. Last week, the disciples had come to Jesus asking him to increase their faith. Jesus had said to them, “If you had faith the size of the mustard seed…’ (Lk 17:2) He also said that when disciples have done all that they have been commanded to do, they should say, “We have done all we were obliged to do.” (Lk 17:10). As if Jesus was giving his disciples a live demonstration of his teaching, in today’s reading he very easily yielded to the request of the lepers and healed them. Notice that Luke does not give us details about the healing. In fact, the focus is not on the healing. Rather, the focus is on the lepers who did what Jesus commanded them to do. The greater focus is on the lone Samaritan leper who returns to give thanks. This interpreted as an act of faith. Jesus says to him, “Your faith has saved you.” (Lk 17:19). Jesus offers him more than just healing. He offers him salvation.
Let me offer three practical implications:
1. One way of looking at faith is to see it as an unconditional acceptance of God’s offer. If we read the scriptures, there are many teachings that require some strong resolve to put into practice. For example, it is not easy to believe that doing good to those who do harm to us, or praying for our enemies or blessing those who curse us will bear fruit. In today’s readings, both Naaman and the lepers surrender to God’s command to them no matter how disconcerting it seemed to them. One way to be a people of faith is to take God’s words at face value. If God asks us to pray for our enemies, let us do that; If God asks us to take care of the hungry, thirsty, unclothed, and those in prison because when we do so we take care of God, then let us do so; If God tells us to focus more on accumulating treasures is heaven than on earth, then, let us do so. In the final analysis, our salvation depends on our unconditional acceptance of God’s offer. In the final analysis, we must leave the consequences of our faith upon God.
2. In today’s readings, faith also includes faith in humanity. One the one hand, faith is about our relationship with God. On the other hand, faith involves our hope in humanity. Both the first reading and the gospel readings explain this for us. Even though Naaman was a Syrian he dared to come to a prophet in an enemy nation to seek healing. Naaman himself does not hold back healing from the military commander of an enemy nation. In the gospel reading, Samaritan lepers came to Jesus to seek healing. Jesus, a Jew does not hold back healing because the lepers were Samaritans. Instead, he sends them to the priests. By doing so, Jesus brings the outcaste lepers into mainstream society. His action reconciles the estranged Jews and Samaritans. Sometimes, we realize that primitive societies teach us modern human being important lessons. Faith-filled people have faith not only in God but also in humanity. If Elisha and Jesus did not look beyond the cultural and political prejudice of the times, Naaman and the leper would never have come to salvation. May be we should ask ourselves today, if there are people we have written off. For example, because of a few Islamic terrorists, people seem to dismiss all Moslems as a violent people. Today’s readings question our racial, cultural, national and personal prejudices as an obstacle to faith.
3. In last week’s homily, I said many things about faith. One of the things I said was, “faith is the gratitude we feel in our hearts for the simple fact that we know God. Faith from this perspective is not related to our needs. Faith from this perspective is not related to obtaining favors from God. Faith from this perspective is not a response to a healing or a means to enter eternal life. Faith from this perspective is not something we deserve. Faith from this perspective is a pure gift. Faith, I said, is its own reward. Today’s reading is a good example of this. The readings clearly separate healing from salvation. Healing came to Naaman and the lepers by obedience to God’s command; but salvation came to them as a pure gift. Because of their healing they come to have faith. Many of us confuse the two and sometimes our relationship with God stops as the level of our needs. I hope we now understand what I said last week even better. Faith is the gratitude we feel in our heart for the simple fact that we know God.
If this mass was an encounter between Jesus and us, what would the conversation look like? Would we be at the level of the ten lepers who ask Jesus to heal them or would we be like Naaman and the grateful leper to came to acknowledge and worship God for who God is. Would Christ say to us today, “You faith has saved you?” Let our faith be our salvation. Amen.
- Fr. Satish Joseph