Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C 2022

Title

Markers of God’s Love

Outline

We all have markers, markers of evil and markers of good

In my dresser drawer I have a Paddington Bear that was given to my father by a worker in his nursing home about a week before he died. He allowed it to stay with him that final week, perhaps because he had had a dream in which he was in a plane circling London, where he had lived the first 15 years of his life. Paddington Station is in the NW quadrant of London. That marked where home was.

For some of us it may be a particular saint’s card or a photo of a particular church where something happened to us. For me it is two or three photos of the Blessed Virgin Mary from Creighton University. They marked a stage on my journey

We may also have markers of evil in our lives. I have a plastic sandwich bag of shrapnel from Vucovar in Croatia, from a residential street. It marks the evil of war to which I came close.

Naaman wanted a marker

The Jordan River had cleansed him, but he had left no mark in it. What he wanted was two mule loads of earth from Israel on which to worship, for “Now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel.”

I prefer candles, my Breviary, my portable altar with a relic of St Philip Neri, the communion vessels I purchased after my ordination, the hooded alb I purchased before my ordination in the Episcopal Church. And then there is incense. Markers - here I worship God. Here I have met God.

Paul’s chains were markers

They indicated to him “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.” And he connected them to the raising of the dead. Sounds a bit like Padre Pio’s stigmata - tangible signs of suffering for others with Christ with the expectation of divinization with Christ.

Jesus gives two type of markers to the 10 lepers

The first is the command “Go show yourselves to the priests.” As they went they were healed, and those who got to the priests would be ceremoniously declared healed. Their healing would be publicly marked.

That was good for 9, but what about the 10th? He was a Samaritan. The priests were Jewish and would not even want him in the temple. They would declare him unclean as a Samaritan without looking at his skin.

He returns to Jesus and falls at his feet. He receives the words his inner soul longed for: “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.” That he would remember for the rest of his life. It marked him as accepted. It marked him as whole.

Well, Sisters, what are the markers in your lives?

What recalls you to your overcoming of trials or your peak experiences with God - some experiences are both?

My wife has my manutergium from my ordination, which was both a peak experience and an experience of letting go of me. And it also indicated our way was forward, for our mothers were both long deceased. Difficult and yet happy.

It could be your habit the sight and feel of which at times recalls the experience of making your vows. It could be a holy card, a Bible, or a particular rosary. We may embrace poverty, but some objects recall us to painful experiences which God overcame in us or peak experiences with God that are like mile markers on the way.

Let us be clear: Protestants may cherish some such markers, but officially they have none, for these things are too material. We can embrace the fulness of truth.

Reflect on such objects, songs, smells, and the like in your life. What did God say to you then? How might be be calling you forward through them?

Readings

Catholic Daily Readings 10-9-2022: Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

FIRST READING

2 Kings 5:14–17

14 So Naaman went down and plunged into the Jordan seven times, according to the word of the man of God. His flesh became again like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

15 He returned with his whole retinue to the man of God. On his arrival he stood before him 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 your servant will no longer make burnt offerings or sacrifices to any other god except the LORD.

Catholic Daily Readings 10-9-2022: Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

RESPONSE

Psalm 98:2b

2 The LORD has made his victory known;

has revealed his triumph in the sight of the nations,

PSALM

Psalm 98:1–4

1 A psalm.

Sing a new song to the LORD,

for he has done marvelous deeds.

His right hand and holy arm

have won the victory.

2 The LORD has made his victory known;

has revealed his triumph in the sight of the nations,

3 He has remembered his mercy and faithfulness

toward the house of Israel.

All the ends of the earth have seen

the victory of our God.

4 Shout with joy to the LORD, all the earth;

break into song; sing praise.

Catholic Daily Readings 10-9-2022: Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

SECOND READING

2 Timothy 2:8–13

8 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.

Catholic Daily Readings 10-9-2022: Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

1 Thessalonians 5:18

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

GOSPEL

Luke 17:11–19

11 As he 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.”

Notes

Catholic Daily Readings 10-9-2022: Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2022 | ORDINARY TIME

TWENTY-EIGHTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

YEAR C | ROMAN MISSAL | LECTIONARY

First Reading 2 Kings 5:14–17

Response Psalm 98:2b

Psalm Psalm 98:1–4

Second Reading 2 Timothy 2:8–13

Gospel Acclamation 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Gospel Luke 17:11–19

GREEN