October 9, 2016

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2 Kings 5: 14-17;2 Timothy 2: 8-13; Luke 1 17: 11-19 How many miracles have you seen in your life? I’ve witnessed an enormous amount, thank you Lord. But the reality is that each person has witnessed and continues to witness miracles each day in their lives. I would say that it is safe to say that miracles are a large part of our day…if we are aware…if we listen…if we see. An even bigger point to make in this is that miracles tell us of God’s presence. God is always present and active in each person’s life, in all of His creation. The more I am open to God’s activity, the more I am aware of God’s continued presence in my daily journey to Him. Many people do not believe in miracles. Many do not believe that God is active in our world and even cares about His creation. They say things like: look at all the evil in the world…look at all the natural disasters that happen where huge numbers of people are hurt, made homeless and die…just look at all the terrorists activities, how can there be a God who allows this…and then the age-old question: ‘If God is a good God, how can He allow all this evil in the world’…‘why do bad things happen to good people.’ Yes people do not want to believe in God and refuse to see His care and love and concern for all. This is seen with a different twist throughout scripture. Actually the english word ‘miracle’ is a little misleading. Its primary connotation is something to be astonished at (Latin mirari: ‘to wonder at’). The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines miracle: “1. an extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs 2. an unusual event, thing, or accomplishment: Wonder, Marvel”. Now there is no doubt that the miracles of Jesus caused people to stop and wonder and admire, but that was only secondary. The most common understanding of miracles in the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) was as dynamic or acts of power. The common belief was that sickness, diseases, bad things happened because God was upset or mad at a certain individual because of their sins, and thus He was punishing the person. Jesus’ miracles proved that the ‘kingdom has come: God is good, not evil.’ God is not a punishing God but a God who cares and is with us. Jesus is clearly showing Himself as changing the governance of the world and of human lives. He inaugurates His kingdom as a kingdom of love. Am I involved as a person of love? Do I allow the gifts I have received to witness this Kingdom? Do I realize that as Jesus healed, I have been blessed with the gift of healing? This healing is so easily seen in my ‘love actions’ with others. It may be the way I smile or laugh, or listen or look with understanding eyes, or the way that I touch and bring comfort, show care. It is truthfully said that I have healing hands, eyes, ears, mouth…I ‘touch’, I heal. This healing comes from realizing that I am loved. The message of Jesus is to ‘pass it on’! Am I doing this? What part does this have in my journeying toward God? A look at the readings help us with this today. In today’s passage from the Book of Kings, a foreign general asks Elisha for healing from leprosy. He is prepared to do anything to show his compliance. The prophet invites him to wash in the Jordan River. At first the general objects at this ridiculous command. Then his servants plead with him to set aside his pride. He does so and does what Elisha says and is totally healed. His skin is not only healed, it returns to t he softness and wholeness he had as a child. Jesus taught us that we must be like ‘little children’ to enter His kingdom. Do I trust? Do I realize it is about God and not about me Am I too proud to say, ‘Lord, please help me?’ Paul is writing to Timothy. He is in prison, in chains and has surrendered to the reality of his impending torture and death. He can’t preach, set up churches, make grand speeches anymore. He can’t even send a letter without depending on others. This must have been frustrating to him, but he realizes that God accomplishes all…trust Him. I look back in my life and think on the times I have been in very humbling circumstances and how much God was teaching me. Lord give me the grace to be aware of this moment now…You are present…You are leading me…You are loving me…You are giving me the grace to be a part of Your plan for me and my world. In the Gospel, Jesus is continuing His long journey from Galilee to Jerusalem teaching about discipleship. It always is an interesting reflection for me to spend time on what I think discipleship is… then to pick up Luke’s gospel focusing on chapters 9 - 19 where Jesus is telling what true discipleship is. Jesus encounters ten lepers asking for money. Lepers were totally dependent on charity for survival. Jesus gives them nothing but tells them to show themselves to the priests since only a priest could declare a leper cleansed and healed. They leave. On the way one realizes that he has been healed. We are not told if the other nine had realized at that time that they had been healed. He comes to Jesus and glorifies God in a loud voice. Then he falls at Jesus’ feet and thanks Him. He has been healed by the power of God, mediated through Jesus. Then comes the shocking statement, “He was a Samaritan.” Jesus says, “Your faith has saved you.” All are called. All are chosen. All are gifted. All are given the grace daily to praise God for all. All are disciples to be Jesus in their world. The New Testament scholar Tom Wright offers a summary on today’s gospel. “The work of salvation, in its full sense, is [1) about whole human beings, not merely souls; (2) about the present, not simply the future; and (3) about what God does through us, not merely what God does in and for us.” So I reflect on: • What have I learned from the humbling experiences in my life that I couldn’t learn any other way? • Do I say ‘Thank You’ often or rarely? • In reflecting on ‘gratitude’…what are the top ten reasons I am grateful? • A simple exercise is to make a list of the ways in which I express gratitude to God…after each one say, ’Thank you, Lord!’ Sacred Space 2016 says, “How long does gratitude last? These lepers were respectful, even fawning, when they were still suffering: ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” In their misery they joined forces, waiving the old hostility between Jews and Samaritans. But when they saw their leprosy healed, and felt themselves whole, nine of them took their blessing for granted and forgot to say thank you. Lord, all throughout my life I have known kindnesses; there have been people whom I thanked after a big favor, using inflated language and saying that I would never forget them. But my gratitude grows cold. Let me count my blessings, not take them for granted.” Connections shares these beautiful words: “Gratitude is a practice - a way of approaching life - that is grounded in the conviction that God has breathed His life into us for no other reason than love so deep we cannot begin to fathom it, and that the only fitting response we can make to such unexplainable and unmerited love is to stand humbly before God in quiet, humble gratitude. Like the Samaritan leper who gives thanks for the miracle that has taken place in his life, we, too, can be transformed by such joyful gratitude to God once we realize that God makes His loving presence known in every human heart.”