Fr. Luis Perez, SX
TWENTY-EIGHT SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
The first Reading and today's Gospel tell the healing of the leper Naaman the Syrian by the prophet Elisha and of the ten lepers by Jesus. Both Naaman and one of the lepers, a Samaritan, the two non-Jews, return giving thanks for the benefits received. The two are moved by their faith, the Syrian making a profession of faith in the God of Israel, the Samaritan of whom Jesus says "Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.
The keywords for this Sunday are leprosy, faith-Jesus, miracle and Kingdom of God. Jesus establishes the Kingdom of God by his presence, preaching and action and this kingdom belongs to those who respond with faith, finding a new life.
Leprosy, especially at that time, was a terrible disease without cure and considered contagious, destroying the person in the body and in social life and community ... the person was totally isolated, condemned to a slow death; therefore the cure of leprosy was a great gift, unexpected and surprising, that returned life to the sick.
Jesus' miracles are always signs of the Kingdom of God and of the new life He gives us by his death and resurrection. Miracles are signs of the glory of God and a expressions of the good news that Christ represents and announces.
Faith in Jesus is what made miracles possible: "Your faith has healed you, your faith has saved you." The miracles also strengthen the faith of his disciples in Him (Jn 2, 11).
The miracles of Jesus, thanks to the faith of those who received them, were always a gift, an act of love and mercy, an example of deliverance from evil, creation of new life and freedom from pain, disease , hunger, poverty, ignorance, oppression ...
Our faith in Jesus, our identification with Him and His message can perform the miracle of a better world, fairer, more humane and fraternal. May the Lord give us hope and strength so that, little by little, this hope may be real. so let it be.
TWENTY-EIGHT SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
The first Reading and today's Gospel tell the healing of the leper Naaman the Syrian by the prophet Elisha and of the ten lepers by Jesus. Both Naaman and one of the lepers, a Samaritan, the two non-Jews, return giving thanks for the benefits received. The two are moved by their faith, the Syrian making a profession of faith in the God of Israel, the Samaritan of whom Jesus says "Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.
The keywords for this Sunday are leprosy, faith-Jesus, miracle and Kingdom of God. Jesus establishes the Kingdom of God by his presence, preaching and action and this kingdom belongs to those who respond with faith, finding a new life.
Leprosy, especially at that time, was a terrible disease without cure and considered contagious, destroying the person in the body and in social life and community ... the person was totally isolated, condemned to a slow death; therefore the cure of leprosy was a great gift, unexpected and surprising, that returned life to the sick.
Jesus' miracles are always signs of the Kingdom of God and of the new life He gives us by his death and resurrection. Miracles are signs of the glory of God and a expressions of the good news that Christ represents and announces.
Faith in Jesus is what made miracles possible: "Your faith has healed you, your faith has saved you." The miracles also strengthen the faith of his disciples in Him (Jn 2, 11).
The miracles of Jesus, thanks to the faith of those who received them, were always a gift, an act of love and mercy, an example of deliverance from evil, creation of new life and freedom from pain, disease , hunger, poverty, ignorance, oppression ...
Our faith in Jesus, our identification with Him and His message can perform the miracle of a better world, fairer, more humane and fraternal. May the Lord give us hope and strength so that, little by little, this hope may be real. so let it be.