2 Kings 5:1-17

Epiphany 6 - Year B

2 Kings 5:1-17

“I will accept nothing!”

This is a strong and difficult response. Who among us is capable of a “nothing” response when our life has significantly changed? We will find a way, subtle or overt, to claim the change and affirm the process.

We have a difficult time simply accepting a new path and beginning to walk it without a moment of conversion to talk about, again and again. It is as if a particular response ties us to a moment of change that we can talk about and talk about, but not proceed from - we get caught in our conversion experience and can’t let it go. The strongest believers are recent converts, the newest in love are blind - so much is riding on their experience being equated with life itself.

Naaman’s final request gives credence to the difficulty of doing “nothing”. If nothing else, we will signify our own cleansing by hauling dirt along, perverse creatures that we are.

Don’t just stand there, do “nothing” and get on with it.