Today's readings present two powerful stories about faith, healing, gratitude and salvation. In the first story from the Book of 2 Kings, Naaman, an Aramean army commander, travels to Israel seeking Elisha because he believes that the prophet can cure his leprosy. And in the second story from Luke 17:11-19, ten lepers cry out to Jesus asking for healing.
Elisha didn't even bother to come out of his house or see Naaman. He merely sent Naaman a message, "Go and wash seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will heal, and you will be clean" (2 Kings 5:10). Naaman, insulted and angry but obedient, followed Elisha's instructions and "his flesh became again like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean" (2 Kings 5:14). Healed and humbled, Naaman and his whole retinue returned to Elisha in gratitude offering the prophet a great treasure of gold and silver. But Elisha refused the gift. Although Naaman was a rich and powerful man, neither his wealth nor his power could influence Elisha or purchase his health. His humble, obedient faith saved him and Naaman went home a firm believer in the God of Israel.
The ten lepers who approached Jesus had an experience similar to Naaman's. They asked Jesus to heal them and he did without any fanfare or dramatic effects. They didn't even have to wash in the Jordan River. With the simple words, "Go show yourselves to the priests" Jesus healed all of them. However, in this story only one of the lepers recognized the magnitude of what happened. This leper, a Samaritan, did not have any gold or silver to offer Jesus, he was poor and vulnerable. All he had was his faith in Jesus and overwhelming gratitude. He returned to Jesus " glorifying God in a loud voice; and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him" (Luke 17:15-16). For his faith, the Samaritan leper received the gift of healing. For his gratitude, he received a gift greater than physical healing; he received salvation.
During this next week, let’s show our gratitude to God by remembering to thank Him each day for the gift of life, for the gift of our families, for the gift of our friends, for the gift of our health and mostly for the gift of His love and for the gift of salvation that Jesus Christ won for us.
O God, our life, our health, our salvation,
look with mercy on your people.
Stir up within us a saving faith,
that believing, we may be healed,
and being healed, we may worthily give you thanks.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.
look with mercy on your people.
Stir up within us a saving faith,
that believing, we may be healed,
and being healed, we may worthily give you thanks.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.
AMEN.
