A Push Of Faith

A Reflection on the First Reading for October 13th, 2019:
Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

2 KINGS 5:14-17

14 So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. 15 Then he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and he came and stood before him; and he said, "Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel; so accept now a present from your servant." 16 But he said, "As the LORD lives, whom I serve, I will receive none." And he urged him to take it, but he refused. 17 Then Na'aman said, "If not, I pray you, let there be given to your servant two mules' burden of earth; for henceforth your servant will not offer burnt offering or sacrifice to any god but the LORD.

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Na’aman was a commander of an army and he was also a man affected by leprosy. Leprosy was an incredibly stigmatizing disease — it can cause both disfigurement and disability. To be affected by leprosy was to be unclean.


Na’aman wanted to be cured of his illness, so he went to see a prophet in Israel. When he arrived at the prophet's house, a messenger came out and told him to go wash in the river Jordan to become clean. Na’aman was annoyed with this instruction. He wanted the prophet to come out and wave his hand around and magically cure him of his illness. But it didn't work like that. Na’aman had to go himself. He had to follow the instructions, act on faith (however skeptical he was about it), and dip himself in the river. It was only then that he was cured of his illness as "his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean."

"God will often use the most surprising circumstances to speak to me, to heal my hurts, and to show me His love."

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I'm often a bit like Na’aman. I have all kinds of ideas about how I would like God to address my particular circumstances and I'm often annoyed when he doesn't. I like control and I like plans. But that's not how it works. God will often use the most surprising circumstances to speak to me, to heal my hurts, and to show me His love. Sometimes I have to take a (very skeptical) step of faith. More often than not, it's more like a push of faith, where my own weak faith is bolstered by the faith of those around me who love me and speak truth into my life.


Na’aman's story seems to be a foreshadowing of healing to come. Centuries later, another man would live and teach around the Jordan River. He would offer not only physical healing, but also spiritual healing to all who were willing to follow Him. In the New Testament, there are multiple accounts of Jesus healing people affected by leprosy. He made it a point to touch these individuals. This would have been shocking because it is something that was not done at that time. People were afraid of becoming unclean themselves. I think He touched the people who were affected by leprosy specifically for the person who was being healed in that moment — to show them His love, His acceptance, His mercy. He affirmed their dignity and recognized them as people, whole and worthy. I also think He did this for the benefit of all who witnessed these miracles and all who would hear about them later on. When he reached out to touch the "unclean", He also reached out to touch all of us — to show us there is no one beyond His reach. All are worthy. All are loved. All are offered mercy. All can be made whole and clean by His touch.  ​
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​Morgan MacKenzie

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