Sunday XXVIII

by Fr. Benny Kottarathil Antoney, OSB  |  10/12/2025  |  From the Clergy

Leprosy would make one ritually impure. It is against this background that we should understand the episodes in the first reading and in the gospel. In the first reading it was Naaman, the Syrian, and in the gospel ten unnamed lepers. The striking difference lies in the sense of gratitude shown by those who were healed. The 9 Jewish lepers healed by Jesus were more concerned about getting their healing confirmed and certified by the religious leadership, where as the only non-Jew had no such strings attached. So, he went straight back to Jesus praising God. He prostrated before him and thanked Jesus.

In the second reading Paul acknowledges that he was healed of all impurities. He offers his gratitude to God by transforming himself to a total offering in favor of God’s elect, i.e. for the Church. We also are washed clean. When we were baptized, we were cleansed of all sins, both original and actual. And every time we approach the sacrament of Reconciliation, we experience this purification all over again. After the example of St. Paul let us also transform ourselves into a spiritual offering for the good of the Church and of the world.

- Fr. Benny Kottarathil Antoney, OSB