When Naaman went to be healed of leprosy, he had other ideas on how Elisha should cure him. So Naaman was  enraged that he was asked to do something so simple. Fortunately, his servants encouraged him to do what Elisha had said. They reasoned, “If the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’!” (2 Kings 5:13).

We tend to dismiss simple advice because we think effective cures have to be great and complicated. But God is not complicated. He sees right through the heart of each problem. To heal our ailing bodies, He’s given simple solutions such as enough sleep, getting sunshine for at least ten minutes, drinking more water, eating more fruits and vegetables, moving and walking more, breathing deeply, and spending time in nature.

Listen to God on how to keep your body clean. Eat right, trust Him and surrender your stress, and go to confession. You will find yourself soon enough cleansed of your physical and spiritual illness. 

Marjorie Duterte (writersretreatph@gmail.com)

reflect

“The simplest solution is almost always the best.” (William of Ockham)

Dearest Lord, help us to listen to the wise counsel You send our way. Make us obedient to Your instructions that we may be healed. 

St. Edwin of Northumbria, pray for us.

First Reading | 2 Kings 5:14-17

Elisha trusted that God wanted the best for His people. So, Elisha was willing to help heal Naaman, the Syrian. What about you? Are you as convinced of God’s love for you as Elisha was? If not, pray for the grace to grow in faith and trust in the goodness of God. Why do you doubt? Maybe you need to ask God to heal your past hurts or disappointments. Whatever you need to do to grow in faith, you should start doing it now.

¹⁴ Naaman went down and plunged into the Jordan seven times at the word of Elisha, the man of God. His flesh became again like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean of his leprosy. ¹⁵ Naaman returned with his whole retinue to the man of God. On his arrival he stood before Elisha and said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel. Please accept a gift from your servant.” ¹⁶ Elisha replied, “As the Lord lives whom I serve, I will not take it,” and despite Naaman’s urging, he still refused. ¹⁷ Naaman said: “If you will not accept, please let me, your servant, have two mule-loads of earth, for I will no longer offer holocaust or sacrifice to any other god except to the Lord.”  

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 98:1, 2-3, 3-4

R: The Lord has revealed to the nations his power.

¹ Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds; his right hand has won victory for him, his holy arm. (R) ² The Lord has made his salvation known: in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice. ³ He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness toward the house of Israel. (R) All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God. ⁴ Sing joyfully to the Lord, all you lands: break into song; sing praise. (R)

Second Reading | 2 Timothy 2:8-13

Paul is not worried about what happens to him as long as the Gospel is proclaimed to those who need to hear it. He trusts deeply in the goodness and providence of God. If we are to become effective evangelizers like Paul, let us pray for a similar depth of conversion and for God’s grace to work powerfully through us. 

⁸ Beloved: Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David: such is my gospel, ⁹ for which I am suffering, even to the point of chains, like a criminal. But the word of God is not chained. ¹⁰ Therefore, I bear with everything for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, together with eternal glory. ¹¹ This saying is trustworthy: If we have died with him we shall also live with him; ¹² if we persevere we shall also reign with him. But if we deny him he will deny us. ¹³ If we are unfaithful he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself.

Gospel | Luke 17:11-19

The story in the Gospel not only challenges us to express gratitude for the goodness of God; it also reminds us that, often, foreigners are the ones who show the way for the people of faith. This is embarrassing because men and women of faith should be examples for foreigners or unbelievers. May we be mindful of the little things in life that make a big difference, such as the example we set for others. 

Gospel Acclamation 

In all circumstances, give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. 

¹¹ As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem, he traveled through Samaria and Galilee. ¹² As he was entering a village, ten lepers met him. They stood at a distance from him ¹³ and raised their voice, saying, “Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!” ¹⁴ And when he saw them, he said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” As they were going they were cleansed. ¹⁵ And one of them, realizing he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice; 16 and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. He was a Samaritan. ¹⁷ Jesus said in reply, “Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine? 18 Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?” ¹⁹ Then he said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.”

Reflect:

How can you be an example of faith and encourage others to follow Jesus?

Read the Bible in one year! Read OBADIAH today.

Pay Attention

There’s a Filipino saying that he who does not look back to where he came from will not get to where he is going. But I’d like to add that one who does not pay attention to his path won’t reach his destination either. Many people rush toward their goals but often overlook the present moment—the path they’re taking, the people they meet, or the rich experiences along the way. Looking back inspires us to move forward into the future. However, we should also pay attention to the present, as there are lessons to be learned in our current journey.

Let’s keep in mind that we receive God’s blessings, not because of our goodness but because of His generosity. Often, He grants us blessings even before we ask and even if we are undeserving. Thus, any good deed we do should be an expression of gratitude for His blessings.

In the Gospel today, this is exemplified by one of the ten lepers who returned to thank Jesus. This implies that the other nine might not have realized their healing. We can understand their excitement. They had long awaited the moment to show themselves to the priest who was tasked to declare their healing.

This was a signal that they could also return to their family and community after years of isolation. Their excitement is understandable, but they should have also become aware of their healing to express gratitude to Jesus.

I see the value of the “consciousness examen,” the prayer of savoring one’s daily experiences as taught by Saint Ignatius. A key aspect of this prayer is gratitude for the blessings of the past day. Through this prayer, we trace God’s hand in our day’s activities, recognizing good deeds to continue or wrongdoings to stop. Thus, truly, one who pays attention to their path will better reach their destination.

Fr. Franz Dizon

reflection question

Today, think about the things you should be thankful for. Open your eyes and see the blessings you’ve received from the God of grace.

Lord, help me to see every trace of Your love. May I always remember to give You thanks. Amen.

Today, I pray for: _________________________________