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Saturday, October 8th, 2016, 7:00 AM
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"
In Deo Speramus
"
(In God We Hope)
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Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
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They stood at a distance
from him and raised their voices, saying,
"Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!"
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Oremus pro invicem
(Let us pray for one another)
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We
are
ten
lepers.
With scars
and wounds-and hope
for your healing
touch.
From our soul's depths
we raise our
voices
to
you.
"Jesus, Master!
Have pity
on us!"
As we glimpse just
the grace
you
pour
upon us
we thank you.
Amen
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First Reading
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."
The Word of the Lord
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Discussion Questions
1.
Naaman must have expected special and involved treatment, though he got ordinary directions from Elisha to wash in the river. How could this be sufficient to cure his illness? Which do you think God uses more often to communicate with you, extraordinary signs or ordinary ones? Explain.
2. Have you ever brought sand, shells or rocks from foreign places back to your home? What does Naaman's taking holy ground back to Syria say to you? Where is your holy ground?
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Second Reading
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.
The Word of the Lord
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Discussion Questions
1. Name some people whom you would say have suffered for the gospel. Who suffers for the gospel today? Do you? in what ways?
2. Paul says, "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." How would this work? Is Paul saying that your suffering is linked with the salvation of others? Has your faith been affected by the cloud of witnesses who surround you and who have gone before you?
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Alleluia
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1 Thess 5:18
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In all circumstances, give thanks,
for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.
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Alleluia, alleluia
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Gospel
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."
The Gospel of the Lord
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Discussion Questions
1. This Sunday we see foreigners who were grateful: the Syrian blind man, and in the First Reading the foreigner Naaman. Does God offer generous love regardless of a person's origins or accomplishments? Do you give of yourself or your goods when you suspect ingratitude? Do you take note when God pours grace into your life? Are you grateful?
2. According to Pope Francis in his homily at the Mass with the new Cardinals, what is a most important message Jesus gives us in his healing of the ten lepers? Is there any little thing you can do to heal a person's wounds?
I urge you to serve Jesus crucified in every person who is emarginated, for whatever reason; to see the Lord in every excluded person who is hungry, thirsty, naked; to see the Lord present even in those who have lost their faith, or turned away from the practice of their faith, or say that they are atheists; to see the Lord who is imprisoned, sick, unemployed, persecuted; to see the Lord in the leper-whether in body or soul-who encounters discrimination! We will not find the Lord unless we truly accept the marginalized!
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| For what are we born if not to aid one another? Ernest Hemingway "When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then we'll have peace." By: Jimi Hendrix "My concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right." Abraham Lincoln If we love one another, God remains in us and his love is brought to perfection in us.
1 John 4:12
Deus fit homo ut homo fieret Deus God became human so that humans might become God (Catholicism, Page 2 by Fr. Robert Barron) "The Glory of God is a human being fully alive." Meyers, Robin R. (2009-02-19). Saving Jesus from the Church: How to Stop Worshiping Christ and Start Following Jesus (Kindle Location 639). Harper Collins, Inc.. Kindle Edition.
God "dwells in us."
God's love is not meant for us alone;
we must give it away.
Do small things today and for many tomorrows,
with a generous heart.
Give God Away Today!
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Help us then, Lord,
to be so united with the paschal mystery of Jesus,
that through Him the world can become a better place to dwell.
You promise us much for this life
and for our eternal presence with You;
may we live into that promise
each day.
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An interesting thought:
The birth of St. John is celebrated on June 24th, in the moment of the summer solstice. From that point onward, daylight begins to reduce. On the other hand, the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ is celebrated on December 25th, during the winter solstice. From that point onward, daylight begins to grow, to get longer.
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