By Msgr. Joseph Prior • Posted October 10, 2025

(See the readings for the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time)

“Go on your way, your faith has saved you,” Jesus says to the former leper who came back to give thanks. The man’s faith allowed him to see what the nine other persons who were healed failed to see. He saw the Kingdom of God present in his life through Christ Jesus.

Jesus’ proclamation of the Kingdom begins with the opening of the public ministry. Perhaps the Gospel of Mark witnesses this most directly when Jesus says: “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15).

Luke recalls Jesus’ visit to the synagogue in Nazareth. Here Jesus enters the synagogue, opens the Isaiah scroll and reads this passage: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord” (Luke 4:18-19). After this he tells his hearers, “Today, this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” Different words, a different setting but the same message: The Kingdom of God is at hand.

Trying to describe succinctly the Kingdom of God can be a challenge. One way might be “the perfect communion of love.” In this communion, the King is God who, as St. John reminds us, “is love.” The Kingdom in the present, is manifest when authentic love is present. It is realized when that love is recognized.

In another setting, Jesus says: “The coming of the kingdom of God cannot be observed, and no one will announce, ‘Look, here it is,’ or, ‘There it is.’ For behold, the kingdom of God is among you” (Luke 17:20b-21). The appropriate response to that love is thanksgiving and praise coupled with a desire to share that gift of love.

In the Gospel passage for this Sunday’s liturgy, the 10 lepers called out to Jesus as he was entering their village. They were outside of the village as they would not have been permitted inside due to their illness, which was deemed contagious. “Jesus, Master, have pity on us,” they cry out for help. Jesus sees them, hears them, and tells them to go show themselves to the priest. They leave and on their way they are cleansed. One realizes he has been healed and returns to Jesus. He does so praising God and falling at the knees of Jesus. He recognizes that God has had pity on him.

God’s compassionate love has been poured out on him. God’s healing love has restored his body to health. He recognizes this love and who it is who offered it to him – the Lord Jesus. He recognizes that the Kingdom of God is present and so he offers praise and thanksgiving to Him.

The surprise to the early readers of this story, and perhaps to many of Jesus’ companions, was that this man, the one in 10 who came back, was a Samaritan. The Kingdom of God is not limited to any one people or nation. All are invited. In this case it was a foreigner who recognized it.

This story is similar to the account of the healing of Naaman the Syrian in the first reading from the Second Book of Kings. The God of Israel is not bound by one nation. He offers His healing touch to anyone who calls on Him for, in the words of the responsorial verse: “The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.”

Perhaps this week we might take the time to reflect on God’s healing power in the everyday lives we live. When we are touched by a kindness, the healing of a broken relationship, an offer of help, a word of encouragement, a consolation in prayer, a prayer answered, or an act of mercy we encounter the Kingdom.

Surely the great miracles occur but we should never miss the more frequent and ordinary manner in which God’s healing hand touches us – many times through our families, friends, neighbors even strangers or so called “foreigners.” Recognizing the gift, we can follow the example of the healed leper, or that of Naaman the Syrian, and give thanks to the source of love: Love itself.

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Msgr. Joseph Prior is pastor of Our Lady of Grace Parish, Penndel, and a former professor of Sacred Scripture and rector of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary. Read more reflections by Msgr. Joseph Prior here.