Proper 23 C + Faith on earth + 10.12.25
M. Campbell-Langdell All Santos, Oxnard ( Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7; Psalm 66:1-11; 2 Timothy 2:8-15; Luke 17:11-19 ) “When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” Skipping forward to next week, we hear this question, which seems to resonate with today’s gospel lesson. The readings for today speak in various ways to the interactions between those of different backgrounds. In the reading from Jeremiah, the people of Israel are told to “seek the welfare of the city” in which they find themselves. They are foreigners dedicated to improving their adopted community's lives. In the reading from 2 nd Timothy, the believers may not be in an alien land, but they sometimes feel oppressed and are being counseled to remain true in the face of the lack of acceptance of Christianity. In the gospel reading, those that Jesus heals are lepers, probably not folks with Hansen’s disease, but people who have a disfiguring condition that makes them look almost dead- just in time for spoo...