Jesus confronts being rejected by many of His hearers. And this leads Him to proclaim that no prophet is accepted in his native place. He cites the examples of Elijah, received by the Gentile widow of Zarephath, and Elisha's healing of the pagan Naaman of Syria.

Our first reading recounts the story of Naaman, whom the prophet commanded to wash in the Riven Jordan. The point is that Naaman (like the widow) despite his initial resistance, had faith in the prophet and in his God. Jesus is saying, as He so often did, that the true Israelite, the true Christian, is not the one who happens to belong to the chosen people, but the one who professes his faith in the Son of God - and who incarnates that profession in the way he or she lives. "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord!' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father in Heaven." As we come towards the end of the first part of this season of conversion, it is good to ask ourselves whether Jesus, if He appeared today, would recognize us as true disciples. Are we willing to swallow our pride, like Naaman, and to submit our wills to the will of the Holy One of God? Has our Lenten season thus far made us more open to His Will?