ME
NU

OMELIE / Omelie EN

09 ott 2022
09/10/2022 – 28th Sunday in O. T. - year C

09/10/2022 – 28th Sunday in O. T. - year C

Reading 1 2KINGS 5,14-17 Psalm 97 Reading 2 2 TM 2,8-13 Gospel LK 17,11-19

At first look, it seems like the main topic of today’s readings might be thankfulness. Naaman, healed of leprosy, wants to be thankful towards the prophet who has invited him to wash himself in the Jordan seven times. The leper stranger healed by Jesus with the other nine leper Hebrews, comes back to thank Him. In both cases, the thankfulness becomes aknowledgement of the God who has shown Himself to be so merciful and powerful to nullify the death sentence, which is leprosy.

Naaman brings back with him a few parcels of soil from Israel to build with them his own place of prayer in the pagan country he was coming from, and so show his new faith in the God of the prophet who had healed him. The Samaritan goes back to Jesus to praise God out loud: it is Jesus’ God who has been manifested in the healing. In both cases faith is praised, and is brought as an example for the very Jewish believers. It is not enough to be part of the people which follows the right type of faith: the latter needs to become the soul of each single faithful, to find the way to bear witness to the God who has benefited them!

When Jesus listened to the prayer of the ten lepers and sent them to be seen by the priests of the temple, so they could certify the regained health, He wanted not only to commit an act of mercy towards suffering people, but also above all give a sign for Himself to be recognised as the one sent by the Father, God’s gift to the world in need of salvation.

Those who do not recognise Jesus as God’s gift and our life, even if their body is healthy, are disappointed, insensitive, without the deep joy, without the true meaning of existence. Jesus is distraught by the fact that only one came back to Him to recognise Him: the other nine, even if they had been benefited, even if they had received a clear sign, continue on their path in this world without the joy of God’s praise! In them His actions have not born the expected fruit, because they feel satisfied with the healing of the body and do not realise that their life is still in the darkness, drowned in the selfishness which keeps spinning the world around heavy and useless efforts.

Saint Paul has learnt to live in Jesus and for Him. He knows that men have no knowledge even of what life is until they become one with the Lord and Saviour. This is why he does not stop recommending to the disciples, today Timothy, to remain steadfast in the faith in Jesus, and not only in words, but taking part in His death through their efforts. He himself is the example, since he is in prison because of the gospel. By thinking of his suffering – and we by thinking of the sufferings of many brethren persecuted because of our faith – the disciple is driven to be steadfast in the faith, despite the fact that the whole world is against him.

May today’s Eucharist be our thanks to God because He has given us Jesus! And with this thanks in our heart we will continue to love, to be as well a sign and testimonial that He is the life and the salvation!