Pentecost 20 (year C proper 25)- Luke 18: 9-17- Two Kinds of Sinners

The Gospel for the Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost is Luke 18:9-17, the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax-collector going to the Temple to pray. The Pharisee was a proud and presumptuous sinner who did not see his need for repentance and forgiveness, The Tax-collector was a penitent and humble sinner who sought and received divine mercy and pardon. This story warns us against pride and self-righteousness, and it encourages us toward repentance and humble faith in divine mercy. We should all pursue goodness and holiness, but even at our best, we are still sinners who must depend upon God's forgiveness, mercy, and grace.

Pentecost 18 (year C proper 22)- 2Timothy 2:1-14; Luke 17:11-19

For the Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost, the second or epistle reading is from 2 Timothy 2:1-14. Here, the Apostle Paul exhorts Timothy and us to be good soldiers of Christ. He uses military, athletic, and farming comparisons to emphasize commitment and discipline.  At the end of the passage, Paul presents what some consider to be an early Christian creed emphasizing the centrality of the work of Jesus Christ. 2 Timothy 2:11-13 says, "Here is a trustworthy saying:  If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself."

The Gospel reading is from Luke 17:11-19. On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus passed between Samaria and Galilee. He was met by ten lepers who asked Him to have mercy. When they were healed on the way, only one returned to thank Jesus, and he was a Samaritan. This reminds us that divine grace and healing are extended to all sorts of people. The response of the Samaritan leper is also a reminder that faith and gratitude are not limited to particular human groups. God in Christ cares for all, and through divine grace, grateful faith may appear where we least expect it.