28th Sunday C

THANK YOU are two important words in human relationships.

The first reading mentions Naaman who was not an Israelite. He was the commander of the Syrian, and he suffered from leprosy. He found out that in Israel there was a miracle-maker, the prophet Elisha. So he traveled over there in the hope of being cured by him. He carried with him a huge sum of money to pay for the cure.

When Naaman arrived at Elisha’s house, the great prophet sent out a message to him that he should go and bathe in the river Jordan seven times and his flesh would be restored to full health. Naaman was offended and angry. To him the prophet’s conduct was all wrong. He should have come out to meet him, an important visitor, wave his hand over him and call on his God to help. Instead he sent out a message.

So Naaman turned and left, angry and disappointed. His servant said to him, if the prophet had waved his arms and told you to do something difficult you would have believed in him, but because he told you to do something simple you wont do it. Is this wise conduct?

Sometimes we too reject the simple answer in favor of the complicated one. God’s promise of his unconditional love for us seems too simple at times. He says to every one of us: ‘before I formed you in the womb I knew you and loved you.’
yet at times we think that he is too big to take any notice of us.

We say that God is perfect and yet at times we belittle his love as something tied to conditions, here today, gone tomorrow.

We accept that God lacks nothing and doesn’t need anything, yet at times we fear that his feelings will be hurt and he will punish us unless we do everything just the way he wants it.

God lacks nothing and needs nothing from us but he does desire that we accept his unconditional love and use it to be free and fulfilled in our humanity, to be joyful, loving, accepting and grateful.

Going back to the story of Naaman, he changed his mind, went and immersed himself in the Jordan as Elisha had told him and he was cured. Then he was very impressed and grateful and showed his gratitude by offering Elisha a reward. He also recognized the true giver of the gift of cure and praised the God of Elisha.

Sometimes we are glad to receive help but fail to express gratitude thereby diminishing ourselves and the helper; and we also interrupt the cycle of give-and-take, give-and-take.

Let us at the end of Mass pause and show gratitude for having been part of it and for being God’s children and friends of Jesus.