Pentecost +20 Sunday – C1

Pentecost +20 Sunday – C1

Years C
Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7 or 2 Kings 5:1-3, 7-15c

Jeremiah counsels exiles to live where they are, rather than where they would rather be. It is in seeking the welfare of the enemy land, where you are, that you will find your own welfare. Isn't that the same as collaborating with the enemy? Those at home could call such cooperation, treason.

It is amazing how much good there is everywhere and that it may be easier for the conquered to experience it than the conqueror.

For instance, Naaman (in MoveOn lingo: Nay-Man - the great Sayer-of-No), who can find nothing worthwhile in his conquered land, particularly something so simple on the surface as a bath in the local trickling stream.

It is just as amazing how skeptical we are of everything that is not us (unless the hormones or adrenaline kicks in to make another attractive or one reactive to a situation).

So are you finding your behavior these days growing more out of the advice of Jeremiah or the reaction of Naaman?

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love your enemies
for your own sake