Naaman, the army commander of the king of Aram, was highly esteemed and respected by his master, for through him the LORD had brought victory to Aram. But valiant as he was, the man was a leper. Now the Arameans had captured in a raid on the land of Israel a little girl, who became the servant of Naaman’s wife. “If only my master would present himself to the prophet in Samaria,” she said to her mistress, “he would cure him of his leprosy.” (2 Kgs 5:1-15ab)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031323.cfm
So much depends on the anonymous characters in the Scriptures. Today the little slave girl who bravely speaks up about the prophet in her country becomes the means by which healing comes to the Syrian commander. And then Jesus speaking about God intervening on behalf of ¨foreigners¨ proves to be too much for the people of his home town of Nazareth—they want to kill him. Today´s photo is of two pilgrims washing in the Jordan River.
These reflections are a result of more than 40 years of ministry as a Roman Catholic priest. Most of these years I spent in the Diocese of Charlotte which covers Western North Carolina. Now I am retired, and live in Medellín, Colombia where I continue to serve as a priest in the Archdiocese of Medellín.
Monday, Week III, Lent
