On this Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost, the epistle reading is from 2 Timothy 2:1-13. The Apostle Paul exhorts Timothy and us to be good soldiers of Christ. There are 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 selection is from Luke 17:11-19. On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus passes between Samaria and Galilee. He is met by ten lepers who ask Him to have mercy. When they are healed on the way, only one returns to thank Jesus, and he is a Samaritan. This reminds us that divine grace and healing as well as faith and gratitude are not limited by human political or social boundaries. God in Christ cares for all, and the appropriate human response is grateful faith.
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