Faith, Perseverance, and Personal Relationship

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to live in troubling situations with faith and perseverance that deepens our relationship with God and others.

Persevere in Faith

In the Reading from the Second Book of Kings, Elisha Cures Naaman’s Leprosy

* [5:12] Wash in them and be cleansed: typical of the ambiguity in ritual healing or cleanliness. The muddy waters of the Jordan are no match hygienically for the mountain spring waters of Damascus; ritually, it is the other way around.

* [5:17] Two mule-loads of earth: worship of the Lord is associated with the soil of the Holy Land, where he is present. (2 Kings, CHAPTER 5, n.d.)

Psalm 98 extolls God for Israel’s victory.

* [Psalm 98] A hymn, similar to Ps 96, extolling God for Israel’s victory (Ps 98:1–3). All nations (Ps 98:4–6) and even inanimate nature (Ps 98:7–8) are summoned to welcome God’s coming to rule over the world (Ps 98:9). (Psalms, PSALM 98, n.d.)

The Reading from the Second Letter to Timothy reminds us that the Christian life includes endurance, witness, and even suffering.

* [2:8–13] The section begins with a sloganlike summary of Paul’s gospel about Christ (2 Tm 2:8) and concludes with what may be part of an early Christian hymn (2 Tm 2:11b–12a; most exegetes include the rest of 2 Tm 2:12 and all of 2 Tm 2:13 as part of the quotation). The poetic lines suggest that through baptism Christians die spiritually with Christ and hope to live with him and reign with him forever, but the Christian life includes endurance, witness, and even suffering, as the final judgment will show and as Paul’s own case makes clear; while he is imprisoned for preaching the gospel (2 Tm 2:9), his sufferings are helpful to the elect for obtaining the salvation and glory available in Christ (2 Tm 2:10), who will be true to those who are faithful and will disown those who deny him (2 Tm 2:12–13). (2 Timothy, CHAPTER 2 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Gospel of Luke proclaims Jesus Cleansing of Ten Lepers.

* [17:11–19] This incident recounting the thankfulness of the cleansed Samaritan leper is narrated only in Luke’s gospel and provides an instance of Jesus holding up a non-Jew (Lk 17:18) as an example to his Jewish contemporaries (cf. Lk 10:33 where a similar purpose is achieved in the story of the good Samaritan). Moreover, it is the faith in Jesus manifested by the foreigner that has brought him salvation (Lk 17:19; cf. the similar relationship between faith and salvation in Lk 7:50; 8:48, 50). (Luke, CHAPTER 17 | USCCB, n.d.)

Rev. Rashmi Fernando, SJ, comments that all who cry out in their need can experience God’s healing touch, but salvation requires the deeper response of gratitude, faith, and the turning of one’s life toward God. Healing can restore us, but salvation transforms us.

Today, in a world plagued by crises of care, where many seek healing—whether physical, emotional, or spiritual— these readings challenge us to look beyond the gift to the Giver. Healing may restore us to health, but salvation offers eternal life. Healing may bring relief for a season, but salvation brings communion with God forever. Gratitude, faith, and the willingness to follow Christ are what bridge the gap between receiving a gift and embracing the fullness of salvation. Thus, we are reminded: God’s mercy is wide, his healing is abundant, but salvation is personal. It requires the grateful heart that returns, the faithful heart that endures, and the surrendered heart that proclaims: “Jesus is Lord.” (Fernando, 2025)

Don Schwager quotes “Cleansing of the ten lepers,” by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD).

"Why did [Jesus] not say, 'I will, be cleansed,' as he did in the case of another leper (Luke 5:13), instead of commanding them to show themselves to the priests? It was because the law gave directions to this effect to those who were delivered from leprosy (Leviticus 14:2). It commanded them to show themselves to the priests and to offer a sacrifice for their cleansing. He commanded them to go as being already healed so that they might bear witness to the priests, the rulers of the Jews and always envious of his glory. They testified that wonderfully and beyond their hope, they had been delivered from their misfortune by Christ's willing that they should be healed. He did not heal them first but sent them to the priests, because the priests knew the marks of leprosy and of its healing." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILIES 113-16) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 17:11-19 comments that our own gratitude can lead us to worship the One who has given us abundant life, both now and forever.

We can worship the Lord in many ways, but today, let’s imitate the Samaritan in today’s Gospel:

At Mass today, sing out your praise! Join the choir “in a loud voice” (Luke 17:15) and worship the Lord with all your heart. Kneel in adoration before the King of kings. Rejoice because the Lord says to you, as he did to the Samaritan, “Your faith has saved you” (17:19).

“‘Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds’ (Psalm 98:1).” (Meditation on Luke 17:11-19, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler identifies how in Second Kings, Naaman travels to be healed in Israel by a great prophet after reluctantly bathing In the Jordan at the direction of Elisha. This seemed a strange thing to do and he expected a difficult task he would have done! God is recognized as the Only God in this passage but still seen as a national God. Later, God is recognized as of all nations. Second Timothy, likely written in the name of Paul, suffering in chains, to recall Paul’s faithfulness. There are two different Greek verbs: “mess up” and “deny as not part of my life”. In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus heals ten lepers and sends them to the priest, following Jewish law, that was considered to be important. The Samaritan, hated by the Jews, came to give thanks. We receive wonders from the Lord that we too often do not recognize. Friar Jude cites an experiment at shopping malls opening doors and only a few people offered thanks. We are a society of entitlement. We may fall into an attitude of focus on what we don’t have.

Fr. Mike Schmitz comments on  today's reading from 1 Maccabees, we hear about the victory of Judas Maccabeus, which is also the story of Hanukkah. In Sirach, Fr. Mike points out that chasing fame and glory in this world are not worth our time, because they will all fade away after we are gone. The readings are 1 Maccabees 4, Sirach 10-12, and Proverbs 22:9-12.

Brian McLaren emphasizes knowing and following Jesus as a prophet: 

Growing up as a Jew, Jesus enters the ancestral lineage of the patriarchs and matriarchs—Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Rebekah, and Rachel. But Jesus also enters through a spiritual lineage of prophets and prophetesses beginning with Moses, the first biblical prophet…. 

If we take Jesus seriously as a prophet, we take his incarnation seriously, because Jesus comes into a particular historical situation. As part of a society, he had to grapple with politics and economics. The crucifixion makes sense because prophets’ lives don’t usually end well. Very few have a comfortable retirement. His prophetic identity also requires us to take the story of the resurrection seriously as a prophetic demonstration and affirmation that the work of the prophet must continue even after he is executed and buried.  

If we let Jesus as prophet be eclipsed by other understandings, Jesus is reduced, and so are we. Jesus wants his followers to become like him…. He says, “My movement is a prophetic movement. If you join my movement, you’re in that line of work, including its hazards.” (McLaren, n.d.)

We are invited by the Spirit to take a few minutes to ponder the gratitude we have for the personal relationships on our journey that call us to live our our Baptismal anointing as priest, prophet and leader.

References

Fernando, R. (2025, October 12). Daily Reflection October 12, 2025 | Creighton Online Ministries. Creighton Online Ministries. Retrieved October 12, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-october-12-2025 

Luke, CHAPTER 17 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved October 12, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/17?11 

McLaren, B. (n.d.). Prophetic Love. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved October 12, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/prophetic-love/ 

Meditation on Luke 17:11-19. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved October 12, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/10/12/1405661/ 

Psalms, PSALM 98. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved October 12, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/98?1 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). He Fell at Jesus' Feet Giving Thanks. Daily Scripture Net. Retrieved October 12, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/ 

2 Kings, CHAPTER 5. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved October 12, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/2kings/5?14 

2 Timothy, CHAPTER 2 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved October 12, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/2timothy/2?8 

New Wine of Life

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to be open to the prompting of the Spirit to experience the fullness of life in our journey through compassion, mercy, service, and love in our relationships.

New Wine for Life

The reading from the First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians describes the Ministry of the Apostles.

While Paul was in Ephesus on his third journey (1 Cor 16:8; Acts 19:1–20), he received disquieting news about Corinth. The community there was displaying open factionalism, as certain members were identifying themselves exclusively with individual Christian leaders and interpreting Christian teaching as a superior wisdom for the initiated few (1 Cor 1:10–4:21). (1 Corinthians, THE FIRST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS, n.d.)

Psalm 37 is an exhortation to patience and trust.

* [Psalm 37] The Psalm responds to the problem of evil, which the Old Testament often expresses as a question: why do the wicked prosper and the good suffer? The Psalm answers that the situation is only temporary. God will reverse things, rewarding the good and punishing the wicked here on earth. The perspective is concrete and earthbound: people’s very actions place them among the ranks of the good or wicked. Each group or “way” has its own inherent dynamism—eventual frustration for the wicked, eventual reward for the just. The Psalm is an acrostic, i.e., each section begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Each section has its own imagery and logic. (Psalms, PSALM 37, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus addresses the question about fasting.

* [5:39] The old is good: this saying is meant to be ironic and offers an explanation for the rejection by some of the new wine that Jesus offers: satisfaction with old forms will prevent one from sampling the new. (Luke, CHAPTER 5, n.d.)

Gladyce Janky shares a reflection narrative to help ponder Jesus’ words.  Is Jesus the bridegroom, and if so, who is the bride?  Is he referring to a different sort of celebration?  Everyone knows mending an old wineskin with new skin or putting new wine in an old skin is foolish.  What is the deeper meaning of anyone drinking old wine not desiring the new?

 

Over time Jonah felt he understood better.  He decided Jesus must be an influential teacher or honored guest, and spending time with him should be joyous, not a time for fasting and sorrow.  Jonah concluded; The new wine must be an analogy for the new teachings Jesus is spreading among the ordinary people, and understanding the message requires putting on a “new skin,” or a new way of relating to God.  Clinging to old skin (The Law) because it is familiar and comfortable, like the taste of mature wine, will keep me from enjoying what the new teachings or new wine have to say about God.  Is this what Jesus is saying?  What else is he saying about God? (Janky, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “Christ will send you wise men and scribes,” by Clement of Alexandria, 150-215 A.D.

"A scribe is one who, through continual reading of the Old and New Testaments, has laid up for himself a storehouse of knowledge. Thus Christ blesses those who have gathered in themselves the education both of the law and of the gospel, so as to 'bring forth from their treasure things both new and old.' And Christ compares such people with a scribe, just as in another place he says, 'I will send you wise men and scribes' (Matthew 23:34)"(excerpt from FRAGMENT 172) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on 1 Corinthians 4:1-5 comments that our relationship with God is like the relationship between a parent and a child. A good father doesn’t constantly criticize a child to get her to change her behavior. He sees her potential. He encourages her and tells her what she is doing right. He praises her when she makes progress, even as he corrects her when she goes astray. 

Does the thought of coming under God’s judgment make you uneasy? Remember this passage. Remember that God is your heavenly Father. Then let him shine his light on both the good and the not so good in you. Ask him to show you the love and compassion that fill him as he looks on you.

“Come, Lord, and search my heart!” (Meditation on 1 Corinthians 4:1-5, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler discusses some of the attitudes toward judgement and the primacy of the spiritual over the material that confronted Paul in Corinth. Avoiding mixing old and new was a practice in Jewish culture in Jesus' time. Friar Jude reminds us of fasting as ritual mourning that often accompanies loss of a loved one.

Cynthia Bourgeault recalls Father Richard Rohr’s preaching about Jesus’ invitation to undeserved mercy, a worldview at odds with our entire economic system. There’s only one way to get us out of this meritocracy and entitlement. Once in our lives we have to experience undeserved love at a deep, gut level. Where we didn’t merit it, we weren’t worthy of it; in fact we were unworthy of it, and we got it anyway. That’s called mercy. Only the experience of divine mercy breaks down this entire way of counting. And that’s what we do—we’re all counters. We are! We think to ourselves, “You gave this much, so you deserve this much.”

Every such expectation is a resentment waiting to happen. When we expect, we’re soon going to resent it when we don’t get what we think we deserve. So, what the Gospel says is “Stop expecting!” Entitlement is lethal for the soul. Everything is a gift—one hundred percent pure gift. The reason any of us woke up this morning had very little to do with us and everything to do with God. All twenty-four hours today are total gift. And so, the only real prayer is to say “Thank you!” and to keep saying it. When our prayer is constantly “Thank you,” and we know we deserve nothing, and that everything is a gift, we stop counting. Only when we stop counting and figuring out what we deserve, will we move from the world of merit into the wonderful world of grace. And in the world of grace, everything is free. (Bourgeault, n.d.)

Our social environment may express attitudes and encourage action that is contrary to the “New Wine” the Bridegroom offers to enrich our lives.

References

Bourgeault, C. (n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved September 2, 2022, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/everything-is-a-gift-2022-09-02/ 

Janky, G. (n.d.). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved September 2, 2022, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/090222.html 

Luke, CHAPTER 5. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved September 2, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/5 

Meditation on 1 Corinthians 4:1-5. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved September 2, 2022, from https://wau.org/meditations/2022/09/02/481094/ 

1 Corinthians, THE FIRST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved September 2, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1corinthians/0 

Psalms, PSALM 37. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved September 2, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/37?3 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). The Unity of the New and the Old. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved September 2, 2022, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2022&date=sep2 

Care and Gratitude

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to reflect on the care we should take in our relationships with others as we meditate on the gratitude we need to express for our situation in life.

Care and Gratitude

 

The reading from the Book of Wisdom asserts that Kings should seek Wisdom.

* [6:1] Kings…magistrates: note the inclusion with v. 21 (“kings”). The address to earthly powers is in accord with the opening (1:1), but the true audience remains the Jewish community.1 

Psalm 82  is a plea for Justice.

* [Psalm 82] As in Ps 58, the pagan gods are seen as subordinate divine beings to whom Israel’s God had delegated oversight of the foreign countries in the beginning (Dt 32:8–9). Now God arises in the heavenly assembly (Ps 82:1) to rebuke the unjust “gods” (Ps 82:2–4), who are stripped of divine status and reduced in rank to mortals (Ps 82:5–7). They are accused of misruling the earth by not upholding the poor. A short prayer for universal justice concludes the Psalm (Ps 82:8).2 

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus cleanses Ten Lepers.

* [17:11–19] This incident recounting the thankfulness of the cleansed Samaritan leper is narrated only in Luke’s gospel and provides an instance of Jesus holding up a non-Jew (Lk 17:18) as an example to his Jewish contemporaries (cf. Lk 10:33 where a similar purpose is achieved in the story of the good Samaritan). Moreover, it is the faith in Jesus manifested by the foreigner that has brought him salvation (Lk 17:19; cf. the similar relationship between faith and salvation in Lk 7:50; 8:48, 50).3 

Tom Quinn comments that if we view ourselves and our society in the light of these words, we know what we need to do as the people of God.  We cannot merely shrug and say, "This does not apply to us." It does apply.

We all have some relative power over others, whether they are in our families, work, faith community, or simply those with whom we incidental contact. We all have skills that, though we have honed them and brought them to fruition, ultimately are gifts from God.  Since we do have the power to affect others lives, we need to love and care for others. We are told to create harmony; learn wisdom; yearn for wisdom in order to be not only instructed, but holy.4 

Don Schwager quotes “Cleansing of the ten lepers,” by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD).

"Why did [Jesus] not say, 'I will, be cleansed,' as he did in the case of another leper (Luke 5:13), instead of commanding them to show themselves to the priests? It was because the law gave directions to this effect to those who were delivered from leprosy (Leviticus 14:2). It commanded them to show themselves to the priests and to offer a sacrifice for their cleansing. He commanded them to go as being already healed so that they might bear witness to the priests, the rulers of the Jews and always envious of his glory. They testified that wonderfully and beyond their hope, they had been delivered from their misfortune by Christ's willing that they should be healed. He did not heal them first but sent them to the priests, because the priests knew the marks of leprosy and of its healing." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILIES 113-16)5 

The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 17:11-19 comments that whatever the man said, he proclaimed his faith in Jesus’ power to heal, because Jesus responded, “Your faith has saved you,” a word that means “made whole” (Luke 17:19, emphasis added). Because this man returned to worship God and express his gratitude, he received the wholeness that Jesus wanted for all ten. He was healed in spirit as well as in body—something better even than being healed of leprosy!

You may have many needs and desires. Jesus cares about them all, but what he most cares about is to make you whole: filled with faith, freed from sin, and confident in God’s love. He wants you to live with him forever. That can happen as your faith, whatever size it is, expresses itself in worship. Your worship opens your heart to God’s power to heal and restore. And it begins with simple words of gratitude. Fall at the feet of Jesus today and thank him for one thing he has done for you. Thank him for his mercy, and then worship him. “Jesus, thank you for caring so deeply about me. I worship you with all my heart!”6 

Friar Jude Winkler sees the text in Wisdom as a call to exercise authority with wisdom that serves others in God’s Way. Luke’s example of the gratitude of the Samaritan supported his ministry to Gentiles. Friar Jude reminds us that our entitlement blocks our appreciation of everything as a gift.

 

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, has often said that transformation mostly comes through great love and great suffering. The First Noble Truth of Buddhism shows how accepting the inescapable nature of suffering can lead to greater freedom. Kaira Jewel Lingo, a former Buddhist nun in Thich Nhat Hanh’s Plum Village community in France, reflects on coming to terms with the unpredictable challenges of life.

This attitude of acceptance is freeing when we apply it not only to our personal suffering but also to the suffering in the world. Once, as a young nun, when I was practicing a classic Plum Village guided meditation, I came to the final exercise, “Breathing in, I dwell in the present moment; breathing out, I know this is a wonderful moment.” Suddenly I found myself stuck when I did this practice, questioning how we could truly affirm it was “a wonderful moment” with all the violence, hatred, inequality, and preventable tragedies that are happening in the present moment all over the world. . . . I sat in the question of it and began to see that along with all the suffering and pain, there are also many beings that are supporting others in the present moment. There are many hearts of compassion, opening to relieve suffering, to care for others, to teach, to show a different way. There are people who are courageous and standing up for what they believe is right, protecting our oceans, cleaning rivers and beaches, advocating for those who are oppressed. There are those in every corner of the planet who are quietly doing the things no one else wants to do: caring for the forgotten people, places, species, and doing what needs to be done.7 

We pray to be open to the prompting of the Spirit to share our gifts and live in gratitude for every day.

 

References

1	(n.d.). Wisdom, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB. Retrieved November 10, 2021, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/wisdom/6
2	(n.d.). Psalms, PSALM 82 | USCCB. Retrieved November 10, 2021, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/82
3	(n.d.). Luke, CHAPTER 17 | USCCB. Retrieved November 10, 2021, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/17
4	(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections - Online Ministries. Retrieved November 10, 2021, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/111021.html
5	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved November 10, 2021, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2021&date=nov10
6	(n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved November 10, 2021, from https://wau.org/meditations/2021/11/10/243159/
7	(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archive: 2021 - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved November 10, 2021, from https://cac.org/accepting-what-is-2021-11-10/