Sunday between 9 and 15 October
Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)
First Reading - 2 Kings 5.1-3, 5, 9-15b
A reading from the second book of Kings.
Naaman
was the highly-respected commander
of the Syrian army, which had
won many victories
under his command.
And yet Naaman, this mighty warrior,
suffered from leprosy.
On one of their raids,
the Syrian army
had taken a young girl captive
from the land of Israel,
and she was now a servant
to Naaman’s wife.
This servant girl
told her mistress
that there was a prophet in Samaria
who could cure Naaman of his leprosy.
So, taking with him a letter from the king,
Naaman travelled to Samaria
with his horses and chariots,
taking silver, gold, and fine garments.
When Naaman arrived in Samaria,
at the house of Elisha the prophet,
Elisha sent out a messenger,
to say to Naaman, ‘Go and wash, seven times,
in the river Jordan; and your flesh will be restored,
and you will be clean.’
But Naaman became angry, and went away,
saying, ‘Surely the prophet could at least have
come out of his house,
called on the name
of the Lord his God,
and waved his hand over the leprosy, to cure it!
We have rivers of our own,
better than any in Israel!’
But his servants said, ‘Sir,
if the prophet had commanded you
to do something difficult, you would have done it.
So surely you can do as the prophet commands,
when all he says
is to wash, and be clean.’
So Naaman went,
and washed, seven times,
in the river Jordan,
as Elisha the prophet had instructed.
And Naaman’s flesh was restored
like that of a child; and he was clean.
Then Naaman returned, with all his servants,
and stood before Elisha, and said,
‘Now I know
that there is no God in all the earth
except in Israel.’
This is the word of the Lord.
Second Reading - 2 Timothy 3.11b-17
A reading from the second letter of Paul to Timothy.
I have endured
so many persecutions;
but the Lord has rescued me from all of them.
All those who aim to live a godly life in Christ Jesus
will be persecuted;
and wickedness, and deception,
will increase.
But hold fast
to all that you have learned and believed,
trusting
those who taught you,
and trusting
in the holy scriptures
that you have known
from childhood, which gave you
the wisdom
to be ready for salvation
through faith in Christ Jesus.
For all scripture, inspired by God,
is useful for teaching, and learning,
and for growing in righteousness,
strengthening
and equipping us
for all
that God calls us to do.
This is the word of the Lord.
Gospel - Luke 17.11-19
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ
according to Luke.
On his way to Jerusalem,
Jesus passed through the region
between Galilee and Samaria.
As he entered a village,
he was approached
by ten people
suffering with leprosy.
Keeping their distance,
they called out, ‘Jesus, Master,
have mercy on us!’
Jesus said to them, ‘Go and present yourselves
to the priests.’
And as they went,
they were made clean.
One of them, seeing that he was healed,
turned back,
praising God with a loud voice.
And he fell at Jesus’ feet,
and thanked him.
And he was a Samaritan.
Jesus said, ‘Surely ten
were made clean?
Where are the other nine?
Has none returned,
to give glory to God,
except this foreigner?’
And he said to the Samaritan,
‘Get up, and go on your way;
your faith has made you well.’
This is the Gospel of the Lord.