Blessed God Continues to Increase My Faith While Being Denied and Having Leprosy of Today!

What a blessing this week's mass readings were! Another week of learning and recognizing that God continues to increase and build my faith! I see it so much in making God the center point of my life and my interactions with others. Even today, the priests and/or pharisees are the same as at the time of Jesus, they deny, judge, and hate if you do not fit into their mold. Life Jesus didn't in those times, people like me and my spouse don't either, maybe that is why we are ignored by our priest at church or when we see him at the gym, or why priests won't make eye contact with you. They have a lot of insecurities too, they may have all the knowledge of the world, and can talk the talk, but do not walk the walk of Jesus Christ and His teachings at all. They do the same as the pharisees did in times past of Jesus, they were the same ones who had Jesus killed on a cross.  It says in the Bible, "But if we deny him, he will deny us." Yet the priests continue to deny and ignore, and reject their parishioners if they do not fit into that non-marginalized mold.  The leprosy of today may be different than it was 2000 or 5000 years ago in the times of the Jews. Maybe it is people who are gay Catholics, or people with HIV/AIDS, or people who are fat, single, mentally ill, etc. They are rejected by the church, most often by the priests who are supposed to be acting on behalf of God, like in the times of Jesus with the Pharisees. The pharisees are the ones who had Jesus Christ killed on a cross, now they today still reject people who have Jesus and God in them, people who are gay or whatever marginalized group. The church does not really know how to handle marginalized groups at all, in the past or today. They still treat people like they have leprosy today. This hopefully can only bring more hope and faith to the marginalized, building our faith to be stronger in God and knowing that our faith will save us! We are more blessed when we have strong faith in God alone! I thank God daily for His increase faith in me as I go about this Earth School. I pray I can live by his commandments and the teachings of Jesus Christ to then spend eternity with Him in Heaven forever when I leave this school! Remain faithful and know He will never deny us! 

Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading I
2 Kings 5:14-17
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.
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."
Elisha replied, "As the LORD lives whom I serve, I will not take it;"
and despite Naaman's urging, he still refused.
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. (cf. 2b) The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
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. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
The LORD has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands:
break into song; sing praise.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.

Reading II
2 Timothy 2:8-13
Beloved:
Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David:
such is my gospel, for which I am suffering,
even to the point of chains, like a criminal.
But the word of God is not chained.
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.
This saying is trustworthy:
If we have died with him
we shall also live with him;
if we persevere
we shall also reign with him.
But if we deny him
he will deny us.
If we are unfaithful
he remains faithful,
for he cannot deny himself.

Alleluia
1 Thes 5:18
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
In all circumstances, give thanks,
for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
 

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