Today’s readings talk about faith – faith in what the Lord says, as in the first reading, and faith in the Lord’s words to cure, as in the second reading. Abraham was a man of deep faith. He believed and followed everything that God told him to do. There were three things that the Lord told Abraham: 1) His promise of a lasting covenant, as evidenced by a change in name from Abram to Abraham; 2) His promise of descendants through a son, even if his wife was already over ninety years old; and 3) His promise to take care of Ishmael. As we know, all these promises were fulfilled.

In the gospel, again, it is the same story of God’s Word that cures the leper. The leper truly believed that Jesus would be able to cure him, and the Lord wanted to, so he was cured.

In our lives today, what are those issues of faith that we are faced with? Do we really believe what the Lord wants us to believe?