Reading 12 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 PsalmPS 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 22 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. Alleluia1 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. GospelLK 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."
WORDS OF THE HOLY FATHER To be able to offer thanks, to be able to praise the Lord for what he has done for us: this is important! So we can ask ourselves: Are we capable of saying “Thank you”? How many times do we say “Thank you” in our family, our community, and in the Church? How many times do we say “Thank you” to those who help us, to those close to us, to those who accompany us through life? Often we take everything for granted! This also happens with God. It is easy to approach the Lord to ask for something, but to return and give thanks... That is why Jesus so emphasizes the failure of the nine ungrateful lepers: “Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” (Lk 17:17-18). (EXTRAORDINARY JUBILEE OF MERCY, MARIAN JUBILEE, HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS, 9 October 2016)
FAUSTI - Jesus' journey to Jerusalem outlines the spiritual itinerary of the disciple. Now begins the third and final stage, which leads to Jericho, the gateway to the promised land. But who has innocent hands and a pure heart to go up the mountain of the Lord?Only the Just One has the strength to make the holy journey. (Ps 84:6). For us it is impracticable! But His mercy commands us, sinners and fugitives, to go to Jerusalem; His Word sends us to do what is forbidden to us. He, the One Pilgrim Who goes up there, makes it possible for us: He is the Samaritan who comes to meet us, exiled ones from the Face and excluded from the Glory, to take charge of our leprosy. His Mercy wounds Him of our leprosy and heals us with His wounds (Is 53:5). Excluded from the community of men, He brought us all into His communion with God. His Mercy wounds him of our leprosy and heals us with His wounds (Is 53:5). All men have sinned and are devoured by death, unclean and excluded. The leper is a contaminated person who contaminates... Only God can heal him, with a miracle similar to the resurrection. He is one who visibly lives death. The invocation: "Jesus, have mercy!" is the point to which Luke wants to bring his reader: it is the prayer of the Name that associates us with Him, in His own journey, within which we are cleansed Our desire for Him is immediately met by the meeting with the One whose name is Jesus = "God saves", because "He will save His people from its sins. Our invocation "Jesus, Lord, have mercy on us", known as the "prayer of the heart", is completely and trustfully addressed to Him. This story, which changes constantly the scene in each verse and contains about ten verbs of motion, speaks not of the possibility, but of the reality of the impossible. Salvation, which no one can reach, has already been given to all ten men: they are in fact on the same path as the One who came to seek them all. But only one for now has faith and meets the Savior. This one is responsible for the other nine, so that they too may be discovered healed and may return to the Lord making Eucharist. Salvation in fact, it's not the healing from leprosy, but meeting the One Who healed us. Thirst is not quenched by a glass of water, needs to find the source. Our thanks to the donor must correspond to the gift. Only the relationship with Him saves us: His gifts are simple means for putting us in communion with Him; only the Love recognized and welcomed heals us from inner death, which is true leprosy. For this reason salvation is between "already" and "not yet". Already offered to all, not all have yet accepted it. Still nine out of ten do not know that their lives have been condemned to death, they still live and die as lepers. They are like a bird in a cage that does not know that the door is open. The only one who returns to make the Eucharist is sent to give everyone the good news. May the eyes of the blind be opened and see the light! The announcement leads to discovering and accepting the gift. This is so only when it can find hands to take it and heart to rejoice in it. It is the first time that Jesus is called by His Name. "In no other there is Salvation, for there is no other Name given to men under heaven in which it is established that we can be saved". (At 4.12). The invocation unites us to Him, the Way that leads to the Father. Salvation is our Eucharistic relationship with Jesus. Those who have discovered it are responsible before Him for all their brothers and sisters. They become the announcers.
Reading 12 KGS 5:14-17
RispondiEliminaNaaman 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 PsalmPS 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 22 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.
Alleluia1 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.
GospelLK 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."
WORDS OF THE HOLY FATHER
RispondiEliminaTo be able to offer thanks, to be able to praise the Lord for what he has done for us: this is important! So we can ask ourselves: Are we capable of saying “Thank you”? How many times do we say “Thank you” in our family, our community, and in the Church? How many times do we say “Thank you” to those who help us, to those close to us, to those who accompany us through life? Often we take everything for granted! This also happens with God. It is easy to approach the Lord to ask for something, but to return and give thanks... That is why Jesus so emphasizes the failure of the nine ungrateful lepers: “Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” (Lk 17:17-18). (EXTRAORDINARY JUBILEE OF MERCY, MARIAN JUBILEE, HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS, 9 October 2016)
FAUSTI - Jesus' journey to Jerusalem outlines the spiritual itinerary of the disciple.
RispondiEliminaNow begins the third and final stage, which leads to Jericho, the gateway to the promised land.
But who has innocent hands and a pure heart to go up the mountain of the Lord?Only the Just One has the strength to make the holy journey. (Ps 84:6). For us it is impracticable! But His mercy commands us, sinners and fugitives, to go to Jerusalem; His Word sends us to do what is forbidden to us. He, the One Pilgrim Who goes up there, makes it possible for us: He is the Samaritan who comes to meet us, exiled ones from the Face and excluded from the Glory, to take charge of our leprosy.
His Mercy wounds Him of our leprosy and heals us with His wounds (Is 53:5).
Excluded from the community of men, He brought us all into His communion with God.
His Mercy wounds him of our leprosy and heals us with His wounds (Is 53:5).
All men have sinned and are devoured by death, unclean and excluded.
The leper is a contaminated person who contaminates...
Only God can heal him, with a miracle similar to the resurrection.
He is one who visibly lives death.
The invocation: "Jesus, have mercy!" is the point to which Luke wants to bring his reader: it is the prayer of the Name that associates us with Him, in His own journey, within which we are cleansed
Our desire for Him is immediately met by the meeting with the One whose name is Jesus = "God saves", because "He will save His people from its sins.
Our invocation "Jesus, Lord, have mercy on us", known as the "prayer of the heart", is completely and trustfully addressed to Him.
This story, which changes constantly the scene in each verse and contains about ten verbs of motion, speaks not of the possibility, but of the reality of the impossible.
Salvation, which no one can reach, has already been given to all ten men: they are in fact on the same path as the One who came to seek them all.
But only one for now has faith and meets the Savior.
This one is responsible for the other nine, so that they too may be discovered healed and may return to the Lord making Eucharist.
Salvation in fact, it's not the healing from leprosy, but meeting the One Who healed us.
Thirst is not quenched by a glass of water, needs to find the source.
Our thanks to the donor must correspond to the gift.
Only the relationship with Him saves us: His gifts are simple means for putting us in communion with Him; only the Love recognized and welcomed heals us from inner death, which is true leprosy.
For this reason salvation is between "already" and "not yet".
Already offered to all, not all have yet accepted it.
Still nine out of ten do not know that their lives have been condemned to death, they still live and die as lepers.
They are like a bird in a cage that does not know that the door is open.
The only one who returns to make the Eucharist is sent to give everyone the good news.
May the eyes of the blind be opened and see the light!
The announcement leads to discovering and accepting the gift.
This is so only when it can find hands to take it and heart to rejoice in it.
It is the first time that Jesus is called by His Name. "In no other there is Salvation, for there is no other Name given to men under heaven in which it is established that we can be saved".
(At 4.12). The invocation unites us to Him, the Way that leads to the Father.
Salvation is our Eucharistic relationship with Jesus. Those who have discovered it are responsible before Him for all their brothers and sisters. They become the announcers.