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.
No comments:
Post a Comment