All of us come before the Lord in need of healing.  But do we realize that humility was the pre-requisite to the healings in today’s readings?  Naaman, the Syrian, was told to wash seven times in the Jordan River to heal his leprosy.  The treatment made no sense to Naaman.  Eventually, he humbled himself, did as he was told, and he was cured.  In the gospel passage Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, to his passion, death, and resurrection, when ten lepers cried out to him for a healing.  All ten were cured, but only one of them, a Samaritan, returned to give thanks.  What about the other nine?  Did they think it unnecessary to thank the Lord for his blessing?  Were they caught up in the excitement of the cure?  Did they simply forget?  The humility and gratitude of the Samaritan leper is the point of the story.  How many times has God responded to our prayers and supplications?  And how often have we taken his providence for granted? 

St. Paul reminds Timothy and us that there will be suffering involved is sharing the word of God.  But remember that we have died with Christ and therefore we shall also live with him; and if we persevere we shall also reign with him.  But if we deny him, he will deny us.  But he always remains faithful.