"If the prophet had told you to do something extraordinary, would you not have done it?" The simple wisdom of Naaman's servants reaches out to us as the word of God, inviting us to reflect on our relationship with God. Most frequently, God asks very simple things of us. If God were to ask extraordinary things of us, He would give us extraordinary graces. By the same token, when God asks ordinary things of us, He gives us the ordinary graces we need to respond to His invitation.

Through simple obedience to the word of a prophet, the non-Israelite Naaman found healing in Israel. Within Israel itself, Jesus was more than a prophet. His words contained healing power for those who sought it. The Gospels speak of people who desired to receive healing at Jesus' hands in obedience to His word. But, tragically many did not receive Him: "No prophet gains acceptance in his native place."

The events of history are a vehicle for God's revelation and His call to us to reflect on our lives and to repent of whatever sins we commit. Thus Jesus turns to the stories about the prophet Elijah to help His audience reflect on their encounter with Him.