To watch Fr. Joe’s homily for the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time: CLICK HERE!
If I were to ask what thought did you take away from the scripture readings today, we might rightly say that in the Book of Kings today, when Naaman is healed of leprosy, he immediately returns to Elisha with a gift and a sincere desire to worship the God of Israel.
In Gospel of Luke, we heard the familiar story of 10 lepers cured, but only one returns to thank Jesus and glorify God.
We might say we need to be resolved to live with thankful hearts, finding joy in the good things that have been done for us, and taking the time to thank God and each other for these blessings.
And such a take away is fine and hopefully we do… but let me suggest another thought we might take with us as this weekend.
Yes, all 10 lepers were healed but only one of ten came back to thank Jesus. The other nine most certainly did as they were asked, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” But this one person realized that Jesus not only healed him, but also knew his life would never be the same because of his encounter with Jesus.
And so he went back to Jesus while the others went their way after being helped by Jesus.
This one person GOT IT! He knew that now he had a whole new relationship with Jesus, the Master – with Jesus, the Son of God.
You know every time we share in the Sacraments, we encounter Jesus, who prays that we will get it. That He, Jesus, continues to offer us something more than what we are asking for at the moment; be it Baptism, Communion, Confirmation, Anointing of the Sick…
God continues to give us life and gives it in abundance!
Our faith life is not meant to be a grocery store approach to faith, where we come only when we need or want something…
Hopefully we come to see that Jesus, our Lord and Savior, has more to offer us than just what we need or want at the moment. There is more available to us, more to come, because Jesus not just touched our life once or twice, but that Jesus wishes to touch our lives in ways that are abundant throughout our journey of life and faith…
What more is Jesus offering us as person, family and Parish as we turn to him in prayer today, in receiving the Eucharist every weekend, who touches our lives in so many ways that can absolutely change us for the better.