In All Circumstances, Give Thanks ~ A Reflection on the Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

2 Kings 5:14-17

Ps 98:1, 2-3, 3-4

2 Tm 2:8-13

Lk 17:11-19

Luke's Gospel, as well as the First Reading from the second Book of Kings, present us with two lepers who have been cleansed of their leprosy.  Both of these men were outside of the mainstream of the Jewish community of their time.  Naaman was a foreign general who had heard of the miracles that the prophet Elisha had performed in God's name and came to him for healing.

The leper in the Gospel story was another outsider, a Samaritan, who was already ostracized by the Jewish community because he belonged to a group of peoples who practiced a form of Judaism that was not considered authentic.

These two men realized that their healing had come through the power of God and so they wished to give thanks.  Naaman offered Elisha a gift but the prophet refused, so Naaman asked that he be given two mule-loads of earth to take back to his own country so that he could offer sacrifice to the Lord on this little bit of earth after returning home.

The ten cured lepers in the Gospel story hurried to the temple to show themselves to the priests as the law required, but only one remembered who it was who had healed them.  This leper believed that the power of God was in Jesus and knew he needed to return and give thanks.

Where are the other nine lepers?  After showing themselves to the priests, they would be declared clean and then could return to their families and their community.  There would be joy in their return home.  Were they so caught up in daily life and routine that they forgot to thank God for their healing?

How do we stand among these ten lepers?  Think of all that the Lord has done for us.  Every day... every breath we take...  every move we make...  How often do we forget to say, "Thank you, Lord."

Don't you think we are all guilty of this forgetfulness?  But this very moment, we can stop what we are doing and remember how grateful we are that God never forgets us.  That His Spirit guides us along the right paths.  That His love and care overshadows us no matter what our circumstances.

The Gospel Acclamation says it all:  "In all circumstances, give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus."

1 Thess 5:18  



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