Day 23 – Everyday Gospel
Reflect: “Notice how God works through people in homes, workplaces, prisons, and everyday relationships. Where are your ordinary places of mission?”
2 Kings 5:1-14
1Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the Lord had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy. 2Now bands of raiders from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. 3She said to her mistress, ‘If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.’ 4Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel had said. 5‘By all means, go,’ the king of Aram replied. ‘I will send a letter to the king of Israel.’ So Naaman left, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold and ten sets of clothing. 6The letter that he took to the king of Israel read: ‘With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you so that you may cure him of his leprosy.’ 7As soon as the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his robes and said, ‘Am I God? Can I kill and bring back to life? Why does this fellow send someone to me to be cured of his leprosy? See how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me!’ 8When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his robes, he sent him this message: ‘Why have you torn your robes? Make the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel.’ 9So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha’s house. 10Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, ‘Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.’ 11But Naaman went away angry and said, ‘I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. 12Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be cleansed?’ So he turned and went off in a rage. 13Naaman’s servants went to him and said, ‘My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, “Wash and be cleansed”!’ 14So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy.
Acts 16:11-15
11From Troas we sailed to Samothrace, and then the next day on to Neapolis.12From there we journeyed to Philippi, a Roman colony that was the leading city of Macedonia, where we stayed for several days.Lydia baptised at Philippi13-14We went outside the city gate to the riverside on the Sabbath, expecting to find others gathered there for prayer. We sat down and began to speak to some women, among whom was Lydia, who came from the city of Thyatira and traded in exclusive purple cloth. As she was a worshipper, the Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's preaching.15After she and the members of her household were baptised, Lydia invited us to her home. "If you accept that I am a true believer in the Lord, please come and stay at my house," she said. So, at her insistence, we agreed to this.
Acts 16:25-34
25Around midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing praises to God while the other prisoners listened.26Suddenly a violent earthquake shook the foundations of the prison; all the prison doors flew open and everyone's chains were unfastened.27The jailer awoke and seeing the prison doors open was about to kill himself, because he assumed all the prisoners had escaped.28But Paul shouted: "Stop! Don't kill yourself. We are all here!"The jailer and his household are baptised29The jailer called for lights, rushed into their cell and fell to the ground before Paul and Silas, trembling with fear.30He then led them out of the cell and asked them: "Sirs, how can I be saved?"31They told him: "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you and your whole household will be saved."32Then they revealed the Word of the Lord to the jailer and his whole household.33Even though it was the middle of the night, they were all baptised, once the jailer had washed Paul and Silas' wounds.34He welcomed them into his house and set a meal before them and was filled with such joy because he and his whole family had now become believers.
Thank you Jesus, that You make us a people who know and live in Your love, proclaim Your good news, welcome the stranger, serve our neighbours and participate together in Your mission. Show us those You are reaching, and give us eyes to see, ears to hear, courage to respond and love for the people around us.