Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time: Leprosy of Sin

Reading 1

2 KGS 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,
for I will no longer offer holocaust or sacrifice
to any other god except to the LORD."

Responsorial Psalm

PS 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 TM 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

LK 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 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."

Theme for reflection: Leprosy of Sin 

Leprosy is a deadly disease because it separates the victim from the community.

In that sense it is no different than death itself which separates us from the living.

Unlike in death there are a few exceptions, the first one is that of some people accommodating a leprous. Prominent among them is the leprous community itself, which welcomes another leprous and even understands the state of his leprous brother or sister belonging to the community.

The other category could be the parents or the near or loved ones who will accept their own leprous and will do anything to reach out to them.

While the parents would reach out to them they would take the help of the medical fraternity wherever possible.

                                                                                                                                                          

Why So? Leprosy is a contagious disease which eats into us and renders our nerves and limbs lifeless, numb and deformed.

If one were to explain the consequences of sin, then it has the same effect on the individual. Hence, just as leprosy is to the body so too is the effect of sin on the soul.

Just as leprosy separates us from others so too sin separates us from the life of God.

Such is the separation of the lepers that even God in Christ Jesus does not go out of his way to reach out to them on his own volition. 

Rather they in their misery cry out to Jesus first; "Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!"

God though may not reach out to us without our consent or desire but he does reach out to us promptly if only we cry out to him who is able to save us, our savior God.

We need to take that first step and God will even take a thousand steps forward in order to reach out to us with his saving grace. 

And what is more, he even restores to us to the community from which we have been estranged, through the office of the priest.

Just as in the Old Testament a priest would separate the victim of leprosy from the commonwealth of Israel and then also becomes an instrument to restore the leper, who is cleansed, back to the community similarly Jesus through his death on the cross and through the ministry of reconciliation exercised by the priest restores us back to the community of Christian faith. 

Similarly, the priest by proclaiming the moral gospel of Jesus may bring about an estrangement of the sinners in the midst of the church as in the Old Testament.likewise by the proclamation of the word and by calling people to repentance and faith he reconciles and restores them to God and to one another.

Some additional scripture verses for reflection and use:    

The Lord said to Moses, 2 "This shall be the law of the leper for the day of his cleansing. He shall be brought to the priest; 3 and the priest shall go out of the camp, and the priest shall make an examination. Lev 14:1-3

Read Lev. Chps. 13 & 14

    

Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called the uncircumcision by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands -  12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near in the blood of Christ. 14 For he is our peace, who has made us both one, and has broken down the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by abolishing in his flesh the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby bringing the hostility to an end. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; 18 for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone. Eph 2:11-20

   

For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, blameless, unstained, separated from sinners, exalted above the heavens. 27 He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people; he did this once for all when he offered up himself. Heb 7:26-27

   

Once you were no people but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy but now you have received mercy. 1 Peter 2:10

I have already charged that all men, both Jews and Greeks, are under the power of sin, 10 as it is written: "None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands, no one seeks for God.  12 All have turned aside, together they have gone wrong; no one does good, not even one."  13 "Their throat is an open grave, they use their tongues to deceive." "The venom of asps is under their lips." 14 "Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness."  15 "Their feet are swift to shed blood, 16 in their paths are ruin and misery, 17 and the way of peace they do not know." 18 "There is no fear of God before their eyes." 19 Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 For no human being will be justified in his sight by works of the law, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. 21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from law, although the law and the prophets bear witness to it, 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction; 23 since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 they are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as an expiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins; 26 it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies him who has faith in Jesus. Rom 3:9-26

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What a Tragedy

Today’s Gospel Text:  "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. 28 So you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but within you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

29 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, 30 saying, 'If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.' 31 Thus you witness against yourselves, that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers. Matt 23:27-32

Reflection: What a tragedy! How shall we look at these scribes and the Pharisees, in their pitiable state, as they stand exposed by a one man army; Jesus Christ the righteous one?

What was the sin of the scribes and the Pharisees that they had to face such an onslaught from Jesus?

Was it a curse that Jesus utters against them when he proclaims these woes or shall we look at them as opportunities, maybe, it could be a last one for them, lest they die in this misery of blindness?

Such blind men have no room in the kingdom, because it belongs to the restored and the healthy and Jesus came to set these oppressed free in order that they may enter his kingdom.

On the other hand, the action of the scribes and the Pharisees which Jesus was attacking was the one in which they build the tombs of the prophets which their fathers had murdered.

What is more they apparently seemed truly repentant when they would say: “'If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.' (vs. 30)

Jesus exposes them in their statement; by making such a noble statement they were actually being a witness to a grave fact that their forefathers were murderers and thus they were sons of murderers.

It seemed like a noble intention on their part to protect the prophet in their day, as if they had learnt from the folly of their fathers.

If that was so; then anyone’s noble desire would remain a noble desire to the end, that too perfectly so, then surely they would not face the wrath of God.

But that is not so, even in our day there are the countless who begin well and carry such a desire in their hearts, of serving God, of protecting his prophets, and bringing glory to his name with a noble desire. 

Some have even achieved great heights of power and position and yet many ultimately end up like these scribes and Pharisees, as murderers who go on to crucify the Lord; if not in deeds then in at least words

Prayer:  Lord, purify those noble intentions and may your spirit constantly make us alive to walk in your ways.

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Favor of Men

Today’s Gospel Text: "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you shut the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither enter yourselves, nor allow those who would enter to go in. 15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you traverse sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.

16 "Woe to you, blind guides, who say, 'If any one swears by the temple, it is nothing; but if any one swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.' 17 You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold sacred? 18 And you say, 'If any one swears by the altar, it is nothing; but if any one swears by the gift that is on the altar, he is bound by his oath.' 19 You blind men! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 So he who swears by the altar, swears by it and by everything on it; 21 and he who swears by the temple, swears by it and by him who dwells in it; 22 and he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by him who sits upon it. Matt 23:13-22

Reflection: If you thought that people don’t allow the other to prosper or progress or achieve the essential things of life purely out of jealousy then it is not true.

One could even be doing so out of ignorance and this ignorance has no excuse because it is steeped in sin and to remain in the state of sin is not essentially steeped in ignorance. (cfr. Rom. 1:19-23)

In other words there is a reason behind this ignorance or this ignorance is a byproduct of a deeper malaise which is broadly classified as sin or a deliberate attempt at suppressing the truth of God, who alone can bring us out of dark situation.  

What is that sin that leads one to even remain ignorant and jeopardizes the salvation of many around them?

It is the sin of allowing oneself to be steeped in all that is unclean, even the pleasures and daily routine of life, and leaving the search of the highest truth out of ones purview. 

Some are in the truth and yet far from it, it is like in a ocean of water and yet not able to find the pure water to quench their thirst. 

The Pharisees by virtue of their special call to devote themselves to the word had the means and the knowledge to respond to God’s constant call.

They had the ocean of knowledge about God and his ways and yet failed to render him the glory and praise because in all this they sought their own glory and the pleasure of wanting the approval of men.      

How can you believe, who receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? John 5:44

Not that all Pharisees came under this category but many of them did on account of their pride and elitism and thus became an obstacle for others to enter the kingdom and hence Jesus had to say:

"But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you shut the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither enter yourselves, nor allow those who would enter to go in. (vs. 13)

Hence if there is a sin that we need to avoid which is that of the Pharisees. 

Prayer: Lord, teach me to humbly seek you and your ways and to please you in all situations and not to seek the approval of men.  (cfr. Gal. 1:10)

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Sin

Today’s Gospel Text: The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, 'After me comes a man who ranks before me, for he was before me.' 31 I myself did not know him; but for this I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel." 32 And John bore witness, "I saw the Spirit descend as a dove from heaven, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him; but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' 34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God." John 1:29-34

Reflection: Where is God or where was God when such a thing happened?  

These are oft repeated questions of the many God bashers and there are plenty of video’s and other writings doing the rounds of the internet which seeks to answer this question in the light of rejection of religion in public place.

Many of them have valid answers but there is a deeper truth which we shun looking at and which today’s gospel passage brings out poignantly: Sin and its nature

How many of us have really tried to understand the scriptural meaning of sin? When we think of sin we only think of the sins that make us feel guilty and many of our guilt is on account of the embarrassment of life.

In the process we forget the key elemental meaning of sin as that which separates us from God.  It means that even if we were to seek him on our own we would miss the mark (Gk. = hamartia)

Further, it means, left to its own humanity will always miss the mark when it comes to finding God and knowing his nature; no wonder we have so many religions and God bashers.  

When one sees the many forms of suffering and terrorism, the inequality in the distribution of wealth and marginalization then we become wiser than the God who created us and would prefer removing God from our midst.Pride takes over and we begin to offer a solution, often based on idealism. 

God has not left us to our own. If we chose to walk in his wisdom, we have only to look to the Lamb of God and turn over to him our life, with all humility and faith, for our answers; "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

Jesus is the Lamb of sacrifice, the visible God, who is the answer that even the wise of the world must submit to for an answer to every dilemma.

Prayer: Lord, help me realize my flaw and my limitedness in knowing and understanding the eternal truths of life.

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Servant or Citizen?

Today’s Gospel Text:  As they heard these things, he proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately. 12 He said therefore, "A nobleman went into a far country to receive a kingdom and then return. 13 Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten pounds, and said to them, 'Trade with these till I come.' 14 But his citizens hated him and sent an embassy after him, saying, 'We do not want this man to reign over us.' 15 When he returned, having received the kingdom, he commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by trading. 16 The first came before him, saying, 'Lord, your pound has made ten pounds more.' 17 And he said to him, 'Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.' 18 And the second came, saying, 'Lord, your pound has made five pounds.' 19 And he said to him, 'And you are to be over five cities.' 20 Then another came, saying, 'Lord, here is your pound, which I kept laid away in a napkin; 21 for I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man; you take up what you did not lay down, and reap what you did not sow.' 22 He said to him, 'I will condemn you out of your own mouth, you wicked servant! You knew that I was a severe man, taking up what I did not lay down and reaping what I did not sow? 23 Why then did you not put my money into the bank, and at my coming I should have collected it with interest?' 24 And he said to those who stood by, 'Take the pound from him, and give it to him who has the ten pounds.' 25 (And they said to him, 'Lord, he has ten pounds!') 26 'I tell you, that to every one who has will more be given; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 27 But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them before me.'"

28 And when he had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. Luke 19:11-28

Reflection: In this parable that Jesus talks about we could be so focused on the talents or the pounds and miss out on a very important truth which seem to come across as passing. 

We could confuse the message of this parable with the parable that Matthew mentions in the 25^th chapter of his gospel, which explicitly talks about the servants and the talents given to them by the master.

Here in this parable, as if in passing but significantly, Jesus mentions about the citizens who hated the noble man.

Jesus does not give us any reason for their hate but reveals a very important fact in the parable: you are either a servant of Jesus or a citizen receiving all the ordinary benefits of the kingdom and yet could be hating the king.

If the scripture reveals to us that we are sinners, one of the qualities of sin is to be hostile towards the God whom Jesus has revealed and this hostility is even manifest in the many gods created by people and by those who do not believe in him.

Each individual in this world, if he has not opted to be the servant of Christ, is a citizen of the kingdom. For God himself accepts them as citizen and makes his sun shine on them and the rain to water their needs. (Mt. 5:45)

Do you not know that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? Rom 2:4

The above is besides the hostility of the servants who do not value the pound given by the master and which belongs to the master and do not make much of it.

The important thing is to ask ourselves where we belong: Whether we are servants or citizens, if citizens then we need to change and opt to be servants.

If are servants or opted to be one then it is necessary for us to ask ourselves what we are going to do with the wealth that Christ has entrusted to each one of us as his servants; i.e. the gospel.

Prayer:  Lord, I thank you for opening my eyes to understand my place in your kingdom, help me Lord to constantly opt to be your servant and to carry your word to all whom I meet.

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