Liturgy Alive, Models of Celebrations

Introduction

Today's liturgy thinks especially of converts who are baptized immersed into baptismal water. Are conversion and missionary action still valid? Why be concerned about unknown, distant peoples? - Elisha cured the pagan officer from Damascus, Syria, and the man found both healing and faith. Jesus, not accepted as a prophet in his own town, says that salvation will be offered to pagans. That doesn't mean that the missionary will be always understood and welcome in the missions...

Opening Prayer

Lord God, our Father,
you want all people to be saved
through faith in Jesus Christ, your Son.
May Christians not practice
spiritual selfishness and clannishness
but may their faith mean so much to them
that they want to share it with others,
that your Son may be known and loved everywhere,
for he is the Lord of all for ever.

Liturgy of the Word

First Reading: 2 K 5:1-15

Naaman was the army commander of the king of Aram. This man was highly regarded and enjoyed the king's favor, for Yahweh had helped him lead the army of the Arameans to victory. But this valiant man was sick with leprosy.

One day some Aramean soldiers raided the land of Israel and took a young girl captive who became a servant to the wife of Naaman. She said to her mistress, "If my master would only present himself to the prophet in Samaria, he would surely cure him of his leprosy."

Naaman went to tell the king what the young Israelite maidservant had said. The king of Aram said to him, "Go to the prophet, and I shall also send a letter to the king of Israel."

So Naaman went and took with him ten gold bars, six thousand pieces of silver and ten festal garments. On his arrival, he delivered the letter to the king of Israel. It said, "I present my servant Naaman to you that you may heal him of his leprosy."

When the king had read the letter, he tore his clothes to show his indignation, "I am not God to give life or death. And the king of Aram sends me this man to be healed! You see he is just looking for an excuse for war."

Elisha, the man of God, came to know that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, so he sent this message to him: "Why have you torn your clothes? Let the man come to me, that he may know that there is a prophet in Israel."

So Naaman came with his horses and chariots, and stopped before the house of Elisha. Elisha then sent a messenger to tell him, "Go to the river Jordan and wash seven times, and your flesh shall be as it was before, and you shall be cleansed."

Naaman was angry, so he went away. He thought: "On my arrival, he should have personally come out, and then paused and called on the name of Yahweh, his God. And he should have touched with his hand the infected part, and I would have been healed. Are the rivers of Damascus, Abana and Pharpar not better than all the rivers of the land of Israel? Could I not wash there to be healed?"

His servants approached him and said to him, "Father, if the prophet had ordered you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? But how much easier when he said: Take a bath and you will be cleansed."

So Naaman went down to the Jordan where he washed himself seven times as Elisha had ordered. His skin became soft like that of a child and he was cleansed.

Then Naaman returned to the man of God with all his men. He entered and said to him, "Now I know that there is no other God anywhere in the world but in Israel. I ask you to accept these gifts from your servant."

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 42:2, 3; 43:3, 4

R (see 42:3) Athirst is my soul for the living God.

When shall I go and behold the face of God?
As the hind longs for the running waters,
so my soul longs for you, O God.
R Athirst is my soul for the living God.

When shall I go and behold the face of God?
Athirst is my soul for God, the living God.
When shall I go and behold the face of God?
R Athirst is my soul for the living God.

When shall I go and behold the face of God?
Send forth your light and your fidelity;
they shall lead me on
And bring me to your holy mountain,
to your dwelling-place.
R Athirst is my soul for the living God.

When shall I go and behold the face of God?
Then will I go in to the altar of God,
the God of my gladness and joy;
Then will I give you thanks upon the harp,
O God, my God!
R Athirst is my soul for the living God.

Gospel Reading: Lk 4:24-30

When Jesus had come to Nazareth he said to the people in the synagogue, “No prophet is honored in his own country. Truly, I say to you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens withheld rain for three years and six months and a great famine came over the whole land. Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow of Zarephath, in the country of Sidon. There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha, the prophet, and no one was healed except Naaman, the Syrian.”

On hearing these words, the whole assembly became indignant. They rose up and brought him out of the town, to the edge of the hill on which Nazareth is built, intending to throw him down the cliff. But he passed through their midst and went his way.

Commentary

NAAMAN, a Syrian army commander (hated enemy of the Israelites) is cured by the prophet Elisha on the testimony of his slave girl when he obeys the word of the prophet and washes in the Jordan. He becomes a worshipper of the God of Israel. Jesus comes and preaches in his own synagogue in Nazareth and is rejected-they think they know who he is and where he comes from. Jesus reminds them of the enemy of Israel healed by the graciousness of God in Elisha the prophet when there were many lepers in Israel, warning them that if they reject him, there will be many in other lands who will come to believe in their stead. When they hear the truth of their own traditions, they seek to kill him but he leaves them and goes his way into his work among others. We see ourselves as the people of God. Have we turned and missed him altogether? Jesus, help us remember that we do not know you except in your Word and community and in how we treat our enemies. Make us who are really lepers in your sight, whole and like your children washed in baptism. Amen.

General Intercessions

- For those who are preparing for baptism, that he word of God may become their guide in life and that baptism may renew them, we pray:

- For the Christian community, that they may prepare a hearty welcome and support for the newly baptized, we pray:

- For those who have joined us in the faith, that they may experience us as joyful, redeemed people who know how to love and to serve, we pray:

Prayer over the Gifts

Lord our God,
may we have enough faith
to welcome your Son among us
in these simple signs of bread and wine.
May we and people everywhere
accept that you come to us all
with a human approach
through the humanity of Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Prayer after Communion

Lord our God,
Father of all people everywhere
strengthen with your word and your body and blood
all those who have left
country and culture
to bring your Good News
to different countries and other cultures.
May they humbly serve their new people,
receive their love and gifts of mind and heart,
and help the local Church
to grow in Jesus Christ,
your Son and our Lord.

Blessing

We should also think during Lent of converts who will be accepted into the Church through baptism, the great Lenten sacrament. It is not merely that individuals join us in the Church, but that the community of the Church must be ready to receive these people and to make them feel at home. May almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.