Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Progressive Christian
The Healing You Need is Here – Commentary for October 12

The Healing You Need is Here – Commentary for October 12

Last updated on: October 4, 2025 at 8:03 pm by Bruce Epperly

0 Comments

The Healing You Need is Here – Commentary for October 12 2025-10-04T20:03:06-04:00 Bruce Epperly

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Adventurous Lectionary – The Healing You Need is Here – October 12, 2025

2 Kings 5:1-3, 7-15c and Psalm 111, 2 Timothy 2:8-15, Luke 17:11-19

I have chosen the secondary Hebraic/First Testament passage for this Sunday because I believe it more relevant and universal than the Jeremiah passage in its reflection on the nature of healing and the impediments we put in the way. Sometimes we would do we to follow the counsel, “Keep it simple, stupid,” than get in the weeds of complex and expensive solutions, whether we are speaking of the politics health, relationships, spirituality, or congregational life. As I write, we are in the midst of a government shutdown: while the long term solutions are challenging – efficient, effective, and fiscally responsible government. For self-proclaimed Christians, the answer is simple – feed the hungry and heal the sick, that is, protect children’s food programs and ensure that health care is universal and affordable, if not free, for some members of society.

The story of Naaman is our story. He has a skin disease that is driving him crazy. He wants relief but he wants it on his terms. When the prophet says to dip in the Jordan, he’s outraged. He wants a miracle cure, a spa, a high-priced treatment worthy of his station, and he gets an ordinary remedy anyone get. He rejects Elisha’s counsel, “Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” He turned and went away in a rage.

Still dealing with his excruciating itch, he is challenged by his servants, “Father, if the prophet had commanded you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? How much more, when all he said to you was, ‘Wash, and be clean’?”

The healing he needs is right in front of him. And the healing we need is right in front of us. I tell my grandchildren, “you’re smart, but if you want to get good grades, you have to study, and if you still have problems, swallow your pride and ask the teacher.” As a parent, I’ve learned that good parenting is straight forward, “If you want quality time, spend quantity time, and listen to your child in ordinary settings.” For some of us, it is “take your medicine,” “exercise more,” “eat less,” “listen to your partner.” For our “Christian” leaders, it is ”listen to Jesus, read Matthew 25:31-46 and Luke 4:18-19 and follow the directions.”

God wants to heal us, not harm us. We don’t need supernaturalism. The keys to healing and wholeness of body, mind, spirit, and relationships are right in front of us. The path to a Great Society is found in liberty and justice for ALL and concern for the vulnerable and poor as well as the wealthy and privileged.

In the Gospel reading, ten men with skin disease, which has rendered them ritually and socially unclean, are healed by Jesus. They cry for Jesus’ mercy, and he sends them on their way with the message to show themselves to the priests and get their seal of approval to return to society and temple. One returns, a foreigner. Perhaps he recognizes that he can’t go to the priest because he is an outsider. He has only one place to go, back to Jesus. Jesus responds: hen Jesus asked, “Were not ten made clean? So where are the other nine?8Did none of them return to give glory to God except this foreigner?”

Jesus singles out the foreigner, the immigrant, the undocumented worker, the outsider for his affirmation. The others followed directions, but they failed to acknowledge the ultimate source of healing. In this time of state-sponsored trauma of undocumented residents, every self-proclaimed Christian from Speaker Mike Johnson and down the list, best read this. God is unconcerned with citizenship when it comes to healing and hospitality. The war on immigrants is, according to this scripture, a war on Jesus, who extends his healing to all and wants us to do likewise in our personal and political lives.

Jesus’ final words to the grateful foreigner describe a healing that joins body, mind, spirit, and relationships, “Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.” That is God’s word to us: there is healing right in front of us and when we follow God’s path to healing, we will find wholeness, and our wholeness is completed by gratitude.

Where do you need healing? Where does your congregation need healing? Perhaps, start simply with what’s right in front of you and obvious and then as you move forward thank God every step of the way.

+++

Bruce Epperly is Theologian in Residence at Westmoreland Congregational United Church of Christ, Bethesda, MD (https://www.westmorelanducc.org/) and a professor in theology and spirituality at Wesley Theological Seminary. He is the author of over 80 books including: “Homegrown Mystics: Restoring the Soul of Our Nation through the Healing Wisdom of America’s Mystics” (Amazon.com: Homegrown Mystics: Restoring Our Nation with the Healing Wisdom of America’s Visionaries: 9781625249142: Epperly, Bruce: Books) “Jesus: Mystic, Healer, and Prophet “(Jesus: Mystic, Healer, and Prophet: Epperly, Bruce: 9781625248732: Amazon.com: Books Bruce Epperly is Theologian in Residence at Westmoreland Congregational United Church of Christ, Bethesda, MD (https://www.westmorelanducc.org/) and a professor in theology and spirituality at Wesley Theological Seminary. He is the author of over 80 books including: “Homegrown Mystics: Restoring the Soul of Our Nation through the Healing Wisdom of America’s Mystics” (Amazon.com: Homegrown Mystics: Restoring Our Nation with the Healing Wisdom of America’s Visionaries: 9781625249142: Epperly, Bruce: Books) “Jesus: Mystic, Healer, and Prophet “(Jesus: Mystic, Healer, and Prophet: Epperly, Bruce: 9781625248732: Amazon.com: Books. His latest book is “Healing the World: Whitehead, Francis, Clare, and Bonaventure on Spirituality and Planetary Transformation” (Healing the World: Whitehead, Francis, Clare, and Bonaventure on Spiritual and Planetary Transformation: Epperly, Bruce G: 9781631999468: Amazon.com: Books)

Uncategorized

Elisha

healing and wholeness

Naaman

the ten lepers

Previous Post

September 28, 2025

Faithful Challenge - Lectionary Commentary - October 5, 2025

Next Post

October 12, 2025 Divine Law Within and Beyond - October 19 Lectionary

Recent Comments

0 | Leave a Comment

"https://www.antalyaescortsi... siz siz olun gelin"

antalyaescortsizin.com

Caesar or Jesus: A Palm Sunday ..."

"https://www.antalyaescortsi... harikalar diyarı"

antalyaescortsizin.com

Palm Sunday’s Tragic Beauty – March ..."

"Power of love is far more beautiful and effective than the love of power. "The ..."

Dr.Cajetan Coelho

Palm Sunday’s Tragic Beauty – March ..."

"Ash Wednesday, 2026The 40 Days and Three Tests of Jesus in the DesertThe joy these ..."

Joris Heise

The First Sunday in Lent – ..."

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Book Reviews The Adventurous Lectionary Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 December 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz