Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 156

Reading 1 2 Mc 7:1-2, 9-14

It happened that seven brothers with their mother were arrested
and tortured with whips and scourges by the king,
to force them to eat pork in violation of God's law.
One of the brothers, speaking for the others, said:
"What do you expect to achieve by questioning us?
We are ready to die rather than transgress the laws of our ancestors."

At the point of death he said:
"You accursed fiend, you are depriving us of this present life,
but the King of the world will raise us up to live again forever.
It is for his laws that we are dying."

After him the third suffered their cruel sport.
He put out his tongue at once when told to do so,
and bravely held out his hands, as he spoke these noble words:
"It was from Heaven that I received these;
for the sake of his laws I disdain them;
from him I hope to receive them again."
Even the king and his attendants marveled at the young man's courage,
because he regarded his sufferings as nothing.

After he had died,
they tortured and maltreated the fourth brother in the same way.
When he was near death, he said,
"It is my choice to die at the hands of men
with the hope God gives of being raised up by him;
but for you, there will be no resurrection to life."

Responsorial Psalm Ps 17:1, 5-6, 8, 15

R. (15b)  Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.
Hear, O LORD, a just suit;
attend to my outcry;
hearken to my prayer from lips without deceit.
R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.
My steps have been steadfast in your paths,
my feet have not faltered.
I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
incline your ear to me; hear my word.
R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.
Keep me as the apple of your eye,
hide me in the shadow of your wings.
But I in justice shall behold your face;
on waking I shall be content in your presence.
R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.

Reading 2 2 Thes 2:16-3:5

Brothers and sisters:
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father,
who has loved us and given us everlasting encouragement
and good hope through his grace,
encourage your hearts and strengthen them in every good deed
and word.

Finally, brothers and sisters, pray for us,
so that the word of the Lord may speed forward and be glorified,
as it did among you,
and that we may be delivered from perverse and wicked people,
for not all have faith.
But the Lord is faithful;
he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.
We are confident of you in the Lord that what we instruct you,
you are doing and will continue to do.
May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God
and to the endurance of Christ.

Alleluia Rv 1:5a, 6b

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Jesus Christ is the firstborn of the dead;
to him be glory and power, forever and ever.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Lk 20:27-38

Some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection,
came forward and put this question to Jesus, saying,
"Teacher, Moses wrote for us,
If someone's brother dies leaving a wife but no child,
his brother must take the wife
and raise up descendants for his brother.
Now there were seven brothers;
the first married a woman but died childless.
Then the second and the third married her,
and likewise all the seven died childless.
Finally the woman also died.
Now at the resurrection whose wife will that woman be?
For all seven had been married to her."
Jesus said to them,
"The children of this age marry and remarry;
but those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age
and to the resurrection of the dead
neither marry nor are given in marriage.
They can no longer die,
for they are like angels;
and they are the children of God
because they are the ones who will rise.
That the dead will rise
even Moses made known in the passage about the bush,
when he called out 'Lord, '
the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob;
and he is not God of the dead, but of the living,
for to him all are alive."

 MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS,

 The Law as dictated by God to Moses was given to us to serve as instructions regarding how we should conduct ourselves and live our lives in communion with Him. It was a structure for us to follow so as to experience His creation to the fullest and to receive the fullest benefit of a relationship with Him. Under the Law there were consequences for not following it and for violating its provisions. It was through fear of the consequences of one’s actions and their standing in society which prevented someone from violating these laws. There was also an outright fear of reprisals to be suffered from God Himself. With the revelation of Jesus Christ as the Son of God and the establishment of The New Covenant Jesus Christ became the fulfillment of the Law and brought it to perfection. The Apostle Paul describes Jesus as freeing us from the Law because with the Coming of Jesus Christ the Law was now redefined and revealed in a different way to the entire world. Yes, we were still required to follow the Law but not out of fear of punishment but out of a wantonness to do so because we love God. God so loved the world that He sent His only son to suffer die and be resurrected so that we main gain eternal life.

There is no reward for following the rules. Some may even argue that there is no punishment except that which we inflict on ourselves for not following them. They are presented as guideposts that we stay within as we live our lives with Jesus Christ. Sacred Scripture in its entirety is seen as an instruction manual that helps us understand our relationship with God, and through following it, a higher awareness is achieved that includes understanding the love that God has for us. Just as the Word becoming flesh was for our benefit, the establishment and fulfillment of the Law was entirely for us also. God gains nothing while we get everything.

The Law does not extend beyond God’s earthly creation. There is no need for it to do so. It was created for us in our corporal form and there is no need for it to extend to our spiritual state of being. When we are exploring our spirituality, we are exploring a relationship with God whose actions and state of being is not confined by laws. By extension, through our spirituality, we become free from the law because we are with God. The Law directs us towards God then frees us from its constraints because all of the reasons why we were following it have been achieved: we are completely with God; loving Him while being loved completely.

As logical creatures we tend to limit ourselves by our experiences and base our thought process off of these. Our perception of God, including what He can and cannot do, are based on the limitations that we set for ourselves and the rest of humanity. In other words we naturally set limitations of God’s greatness based on the limitations of what we see in ourselves. God is beyond all of these limitations and false barriers. God is not beholden to the Law because he created the Law. Those who create something are masters of it and control it. They are never controlled by it. Not only did God create the Law but He also created Natural Law which the entire universe is subject to. God is master of this also and is beyond its boundaries and affects. This obviously puts God in a higher position than us. He is our master and creator. Yet, He loves us so much that He meets us where we are and offers everything that He has for our benefit and for our salvation.

We as Christians are encouraged to understand that we should not do anything out of obligation but only in reaction to God’s love for us. Through our faith we will come to understand naturally what is the right thing to do and we will want to do it because God loves us and we love Him. We will definitely be aided through the guidance of the Deposit of Faith but in the end the presence of God in our lives and how we receive Him will be the determining factor of our actions and our conduct. The closer to Him we become the more joyful and content we will be.

Deacon Tom Anthony

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 150

Reading 1 Sir 35:12-14, 16-18

The LORD is a God of justice,
 who knows no favorites.
 Though not unduly partial toward the weak,
 yet he hears the cry of the oppressed.
 The Lord is not deaf to the wail of the orphan,
 nor to the widow when she pours out her complaint.
 The one who serves God willingly is heard;
 his petition reaches the heavens.
 The prayer of the lowly pierces the clouds;
 it does not rest till it reaches its goal,
 nor will it withdraw till the Most High responds,
 judges justly and affirms the right,
 and the Lord will not delay.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 34:2-3, 17-18, 19, 23

R. (7a)  The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
the lowly will hear me and be glad.
R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
The LORD confronts the evildoers,
to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.
When the just cry out, the Lord hears them,
and from all their distress he rescues them.
R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;
and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.
The LORD redeems the lives of his servants;
no one incurs guilt who takes refuge in him.
R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

Reading 2 2 Tm 4:6-8, 16-18

Beloved:
I am already being poured out like a libation,
and the time of my departure is at hand.
I have competed well; I have finished the race;
I have kept the faith.
From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me,
which the Lord, the just judge,
will award to me on that day, and not only to me,
but to all who have longed for his appearance.
At my first defense no one appeared on my behalf,
but everyone deserted me.
May it not be held against them!
But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength,
so that through me the proclamation might be completed
and all the Gentiles might hear it.
And I was rescued from the lion's mouth.
The Lord will rescue me from every evil threat
and will bring me safe to his heavenly kingdom.
To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Alleluia 2 Cor 5:19

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ,
and entrusting to us the message of salvation.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Lk 18:9-14

Jesus addressed this parable
to those who were convinced of their own righteousness
and despised everyone else.
"Two people went up to the temple area to pray;
one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector.
The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself,
'O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity --
greedy, dishonest, adulterous -- or even like this tax collector.
I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.'
But the tax collector stood off at a distance
and would not even raise his eyes to heaven
but beat his breast and prayed,
'O God, be merciful to me a sinner.'
I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former;
for whoever exalts himself will be humbled,
and the one who humbles himself will be exalted."

 MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS,

  

There is too much of a focus on status and prestige in society today. When we are asked to focus on things that are material in nature and are told that the more we have then the more we will be looked upon with some sort of importance, the individual personhood which defines us is at risk of being lost. Outward appearance is then used as a gauge for success or failure. There are those who have gained power through this false hierarchy while those who have less suffer just because they lack in material wealth. We are reminded through the Scripture Readings today that God does not show favoritism and does not look with more kindness on those who are rich and powerful. Instead, He hears the cry of the poor and oppressed and is able to comfort those in need because those who find themselves in a desperate situation have learned not to rely on things of this world but instead those things that come from God. Those who might find themselves rich in material wealth are more apt to find that they are poor in spirit; their faith being put into things of this earth instead of those things which are eternal.

Things that are created by the hands of man have a definite beginning and a definite end. Anything that comes into being through us has an expiration date, thus the power that they bring is also finite and fleeting. Because of our arrogance and pride we tend to put a high value on these things. We created them thus the importance that we put on them makes ourselves more important.  We have created something or have created the situation where we have benefitted from what came into being thus having it raises ourselves in stature and importance in our own eyes and the eyes of others. When it is treated with importance then by extension we are important and are placed higher among those whom we interact with. When this happens God is easily forgotten in favor of ourselves being god-like. Our relationship with God becomes secondary in favor of our position. There is not a lot of time left for God.

The less that we have in front of us to preoccupy our time then the more time we have for God. The more that we do with God at the forefront of our thoughts the stronger our relationship will become with Him and the more joyful our life will be. God offers a strong foundation from which we can build a joyful life. Everything that is done without Him at its center is weaker because He by His very nature makes everything stronger and everything good. There is no negative with God. All goodness flows from Him and influences everything by His presence. When we let God in we are made better, stronger, and more complete. Familiarizing ourselves with God and letting Him into our lives enables us to experience this life as He intended us to experience it. Living life without the presence of God or His influence immediately puts us at a disadvantage which cannot be overcome. At some point His absence will be felt and our weaknesses will be revealed.

As Christians we are all equal in the eyes of God. He levels the playing field. There is no competition with God only a pure love that is shared between the creator and that which is created. What each of us posses is for the benefit of ourselves and for those whom we interact with. Nothing is truly and completely our own. All that we have is to be used as tools to further our own development and the development of others. Through this shared experience we all become instruments of God to promote His love and built up His kingdom here on this earth. Our life is not our life. Our time is not our time. Our things are not our things. Everything is to be used to further the God Experience which we should be seeking at all times. When we are focused in this way we will then be open to receive the love of God completely and in such a way that we could only imagine previously.

In the Gospel reading today the words of the Pharisee in the temple serve as a warning to us all. We are reminded that we have earned nothing from God and that anything that we say or do in reaction to God’s presence cannot set us above anyone else. We are all sharers in the love of God which brought us into existence in the first place. If we place ourselves above anyone else or feel that we are superior in any way we are actually doing exactly the opposite of what God wants. We should focus on humbling ourselves in the presence of God and in the presence of our fellow brother and sisters in all that we say and do. It is when we humble ourselves that the greatness of God is revealed and we are lifted up in His presence. Just as Jesus humbled Himself by becoming a slave to all so must we imitate His example and do the same. This is the key to true joy and true love. It is through becoming the least among our brethren that we become great in the eyes of God. Nothing else should really matter except the knowledge that God loves us for who we are: His children. As a father loves all of His children the same so does our Father love us. Through that love we achieve greatness.

Deacon Tom

XXX Domingo ordinario
Leccionario: 150

Primera lectura

Eclesiástico (Sirácide) 35, 12-17. 20-22

El Señor es un juez
que no se deja impresionar por apariencias.
No menosprecia a nadie por ser pobre
y escucha las súplicas del oprimido.
No desoye los gritos angustiosos del huérfano
ni las quejas insistentes de la viuda.

Quien sirve a Dios con todo su corazón es oído
y su plegaria llega hasta el cielo.
La oración del humilde atraviesa las nubes,
y mientras él no obtiene lo que pide,
permanece sin descanso y no desiste,
hasta que el Altísimo lo atiende
y el justo juez le hace justicia.

Salmo Responsorial

Salmo 33, 2-3. 17-18. 19 y 23

R. (7a) El Señor no está lejos de sus fieles.
Bendeciré al Señor a todas horas,
no cesará mi boca de alabarlo.
Yo me siento orgulloso del Señor,
que se alegre su pueblo al escucharlo.
R. El Señor no está lejos de sus fieles.
En contra del malvado está el Señor,
para borrar de la tierra su recuerdo.
Escucha, en cambio, al hombre justo
y lo libra de todas sus congojas.
R. El Señor no está lejos de sus fieles.
El Señor no está lejos de sus fieles
y levanta a las almas abatidas.
Salve el Señor la vida de sus siervos.
No morirán quienes en él esperan.
R. El Señor no está lejos de sus fieles.

Segunda lectura

2 Tm 4, 6-8. 16-18

Querido hermano: Para mí ha llegado la hora del sacrificio y se acerca el momento de mi partida. He luchado bien en el combate, he corrido hasta la meta, he perseverado en la fe. Ahora sólo espero la corona merecida, con la que el Señor, justo juez, me premiará en aquel día, y no solamente a mí, sino a todos aquellos que esperan con amor su glorioso advenimiento.

La primera vez que me defendí ante el tribunal, nadie me ayudó. Todos me abandonaron. Que no se les tome en cuenta. Pero el Señor estuvo a mi lado y me dio fuerzas para que, por mi medio, se proclamara claramente el mensaje de salvación y lo oyeran todos los paganos. Y fui librado de las fauces del león. El Señor me seguirá librando de todos los peligros y me llevará salvo a su Reino celestial. A él la gloria por los siglos de los siglos. Amén.

Aclamación antes del Evangelio

2 Cor 5, 19

R. Aleluya, aleluya.
Dios ha reconciliado consigo al mundo, por medio de Cristo,
y nos ha encomendado a nosotros el mensaje de la reconciliación.
R. Aleluya.

Evangelio

Lc 18, 9-14

En aquel tiempo, Jesús dijo esta parábola sobre algunos que s tenían por justos y despreciaban a los demás:

"Dos hombres subieron al templo para orar: uno era fariseo y el otro, publicano. El fariseo, erguido, oraba así en su interior: 'Dios mío, te doy gracias porque no soy como los demás hombres: ladrones, injustos y adúlteros; tampoco soy como ese publicano. Ayuno dos veces por semana y pago el diezmo de todas mis ganancias'.

El publicano, en cambio, se quedó lejos y no se atrevía a levantar los ojos al cielo. Lo único que hacía era golpearse el pecho, diciendo: 'Dios mío, apiádate de mí, que soy un pecador'.

Pues bien, yo les aseguro que éste bajó a su casa justificado y aquél no; porque todo el que se enaltece será humillado y el que se humilla será enaltecido''.

MIS HERMANOS Y HERMANAS,

 Hoy en día, la sociedad se centra demasiado en el estatus y el prestigio. Cuando se nos pide que nos centremos en cosas que son de naturaleza material y se nos dice que cuanto más tengamos, más se nos considerará con algún tipo de importancia, la personalidad individual que nos define está en riesgo de perderse. La apariencia externa se usa como indicador para el éxito o el fracaso. Hay quienes han ganado poder a través de esta falsa jerarquía, mientras que aquellos que tienen menos sufren solo porque carecen de riqueza material. A través de las Lecturas de las Escrituras de hoy, se nos recuerda que Dios no muestra favoritismo y no mira con más amabilidad a aquellos que son ricos y poderosos. En cambio, escucha el grito de los pobres y oprimidos y puede consolar a los necesitados porque aquellos que se encuentran en una situación desesperada han aprendido a no confiar en las cosas de este mundo sino en las que provienen de Dios. Aquellos que podrían encontrarse ricos en riqueza material son más propensos a descubrir que son pobres en espíritu; poner su fe en las cosas de esta tierra en lugar de las cosas que son eternas.

Las cosas que son creadas por las manos del hombre tienen un comienzo definido y un final definido. Todo lo que surge a través de nosotros tiene una fecha de vencimiento, por lo que el poder que aportan también es finito y fugaz. Debido a nuestra arrogancia y orgullo, tendemos a dar un alto valor a estas cosas. Los creamos, por lo que la importancia que les damos se hace más importante. Hemos creado algo o hemos creado la situación en la que nos hemos beneficiado de lo que surgió y, por lo tanto, nos eleva en estatura e importancia a nuestros propios ojos y a los ojos de los demás. Cuando se trata con importancia, entonces, por extensión, somos importantes y somos más importantes entre aquellos con quienes interactuamos. Cuando esto sucede, Dios se olvida fácilmente a favor de que seamos como Dios. Nuestra relación con Dios se vuelve secundaria a favor de nuestra posición. No queda mucho tiempo para Dios.

Cuanto menos tenemos frente a nosotros para ocupar nuestro tiempo, más tiempo tenemos para Dios. Cuanto más hagamos con Dios al frente de nuestros pensamientos, más fuerte será nuestra relación con Él y más alegre será nuestra vida. Dios ofrece una base sólida a partir de la cual podemos construir una vida alegre. Todo lo que se hace sin Él en su centro es más débil porque Él, por su propia naturaleza, lo hace todo más fuerte y todo lo bueno. No hay nada negativo con Dios. Toda bondad fluye de Él e influye en todo por su presencia. Cuando dejamos que Dios entre, somos hechos mejores, más fuertes y más completos. Familiarizarnos con Dios y dejarlo entrar en nuestras vidas nos permite experimentar esta vida como Él pretendía que la viviéramos. Vivir la vida sin la presencia de Dios o su influencia nos pone inmediatamente en desventaja que no se puede superar. En algún momento se sentirá su ausencia y se revelarán nuestras debilidades.

Como cristianos, todos somos iguales a los ojos de Dios. Él nivela el campo de juego. No hay competencia con Dios, solo un amor puro que se comparte entre el creador y lo que se crea. Lo que cada uno de nosotros posee es para el beneficio de nosotros mismos y de aquellos con quienes interactuamos. Nada es verdaderamente y completamente nuestro. Todo lo que tenemos es ser utilizado como herramientas para promover nuestro propio desarrollo y el desarrollo de los demás. A través de esta experiencia compartida, todos nos convertimos en instrumentos de Dios para promover su amor y construir su reino aquí en esta tierra. Nuestra vida no es nuestra vida. Nuestro tiempo no es nuestro tiempo. Nuestras cosas no son nuestras cosas. Todo se debe utilizar para promover la experiencia de Dios que deberíamos buscar en todo momento. Cuando estemos enfocados de esta manera, estaremos abiertos a recibir el amor de Dios por completo y de tal manera que solo podríamos imaginarlo previamente

En la lectura del Evangelio de hoy, las palabras del fariseo en el templo nos sirven de advertencia a todos. Se nos recuerda que no hemos ganado nada de Dios y que cualquier cosa que digamos o hagamos en reacción a la presencia de Dios no puede ponernos por encima de nadie más. Todos compartimos el amor de Dios que nos trajo a la existencia en primer lugar. Si nos colocamos por encima de cualquier otra persona o sentimos que somos superiores de alguna manera, en realidad estamos haciendo exactamente lo contrario de lo que Dios quiere. Debemos centrarnos en humillarnos en presencia de Dios y en presencia de nuestros hermanos y hermanas en todo lo que decimos y hacemos. Es cuando nos humillamos que se revela la grandeza de Dios y somos elevados en su presencia. Así como Jesús se humilló al convertirse en esclavo de todos, también debemos imitar su ejemplo y hacer lo mismo. Esta es la clave de la verdadera alegría y el verdadero amor. Es a través de ser el más pequeño entre nuestros hermanos que nos hacemos grandes a los ojos de Dios. Nada más debería importar realmente excepto el conocimiento de que Dios nos ama por lo que somos: sus hijos. Como un padre ama a todos Sus hijos de la misma manera, nuestro Padre nos ama a nosotros. A través de ese amor alcanzamos la grandeza.

Diácono Tom

Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 144

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.

Alleluia 1 Thes 5:18

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
In all circumstances, give thanks,
for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

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."

 MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS,

We are encouraged to see Jesus Christ in everyone that we interact with and if we approach all of our encounters with this thought in mind there is so much more that we can learn. Being uncomfortable in the relationships that we have and keeping ourselves from being open-minded about other people and their beliefs prevents us from growing and truly understanding our faith. It is so easy to be complacent in the wisdom that already have and not to make an effort to obtain more from likely and unlikely sources. We tend to be the ones who limit ourselves by our prejudices and pre-conceived notions of the way things are. In the Scripture Reading from the Second Book of Kings we read how Naaman, a pagan and general of a foreign army, came to Elisha seeking to be healed from his leprosy. He did not receive an audience from Elisha and was told to bath seven times in the River Jordan. Naaman saw this solution to his ailment as just too easy to believe and was prejudiced in his opinion. He then became doubtful and conflicted. It was through the simple suggestion of his servants that he actually listen to what Elisha said, as  straightforward as it was, and do what he was told to do. When Naaman ignored his own prejudice and became open to what was being told to him he was then healed.

As human beings we tend to complicate things beyond the reality of what they really are. Obstacles and barriers that we are confronted with appear greater than they really are and in our own arrogance we tend to make the situation more complicated. We then convince ourselves that because something may appear difficult then the solution must be difficult also. A denial is created that the solution can’t be easier than it appears to be. We then become frustrated and lose our faith in God. Through the story of Naaman we are shown that having faith in God tends to simplify even the most difficult problems and the answer is simple when it is built on a foundation of faith. Trusting in God means putting our faith into action and basing our decisions on what we believe.

Just like Naaman, our trust in God at times may be weak and ineffectual in comparison to what is happening to us in our life. This trust, just like trust in any relationship, can become stronger when we focus on our relationship with God and treat it with the importance that it should be treated with. To love God is to know God and to experience Him we need know Him intimately. It was when Naaman became accepting of God and the gifts that He was offering that He became healed. God is always here to protect us and love us regardless of the circumstances that we find ourselves in. Even though some challenges that we encounter may not end up the way that we want them it is with the presence of God and His love that any situation can be endured and we can become better because of it. This realization comes from us trusting Him and loving Him. The more that we trust and love him then the more that we say and do will be defined and interpreted through His presence. In other words, anything that happens will happen with God in our lives if we let Him in and let Him do His work.

Jesus Christ is always faithful to us. He first demonstrated this by dying on the cross. There were no preconditions for this sacrifice that He made and there are no preconditions to a relationship with Him now. He set the conditions of a relationship with Him by giving up everything for us and now He awaits a response. The response that we give to Jesus in relation to what He did for us will then define our relationship with Him. He is waiting for us to invite Him into our lives and give Him permission to begin the work that He wants to do for us: to love us and heal us through that love. Inviting Him in is described as a dying to the self and an accepting of His will above ours. The Apostle Paul tells us that when this happens we will indeed live with Him in this life and the next. Christ served as the example for us to follow and when it is followed we will receive everything in return. Ultimately, we are embarking on a new life that is defined primarily by our relationship with Jesus Christ. This means that He will always be with us if we allow Him to be and He will exert a profound influence over our entire existence from all the choices that we make to all of the experiences that we all have.

We when die with Christ a new life will be opened to us that will diminish all of the influences of what we knew before and the previous experiences that we have had. They will be replaced by Jesus Christ. Through this simplification of our thoughts and perceptions a new joy and a new way will be revealed with Christ at its core. Jesus shows us through the healing of  the 10 lepers how accepting Him and defining our lives through Him brings about a transformative experience. It was the 10 lepers who were healed through their faith. They were all healed but it was the Samaritan, the one who was an outcast regardless of having leprosy or not, who recognized who Jesus was and came back to give Him thanks and to praise God.  All came forward ready to be healed and only the Samaritan came back ready to be transformed by an experience through Jesus Christ. To do this he only had to recognize who Jesus was, and to recognize that the experience he was having was coming from God. He dismissed all of the influences and experiences he had before. If he still hung on to his old beliefs he would have never approached Jesus to ask to be healed and he would never have approached Him and fell at His feet afterwards: Jewish and Samaritan Tradition would not have permitted it.

To know everything we have to forget everything. To fully experience the love of God we have to put our relationship with Him first and foremost in our lives. When this is done then a new life through our spiritual rebirth will be revealed. We are told that this brings about a life and a relationship that will be built upon a foundation created and defined by Jesus Christ who created us in the first place. The old ways forgotten, a new way will be revealed. This way will be the perfect way offered through a by Jesus Christ.

Deacon Tom