Put On Your Nikes – 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Oct. 12, 2025)  by Father David Neuschwander

This Sunday’s reflection, “Put On Your Nikes,” invites us to see how God’s greatest miracles often unfold through the simplest acts of obedience. In the first reading, Naaman the leper seeks a dramatic miracle from the prophet Elisha. He expects spectacle — raised hands, loud prayers, something unmistakably “miraculous.” Instead, Elisha doesn’t even meet him in person. He simply sends word: “Go wash seven times in the Jordan River.”

Naaman is offended. The river is muddy, the instructions seem too ordinary — surely God wouldn’t work through something so small. But after some persuasion, Naaman obeys, takes the step of faith, and is healed. The miracle didn’t come through drama or grandeur; it came through obedience.

In the Gospel, we meet ten other lepers crying out to Jesus for mercy. They, too, are given a simple instruction: “Go show yourselves to the priests.” No physical touch, no thunderous command — just a quiet directive. And as they go, on the way, their healing takes place. Once again, the power of God meets their obedience.

Fr. David draws the parallel to our daily lives. God’s invitations often come through small promptings — the nudge to reach out to someone, the thought to say a kind word, the whisper to forgive, or to invite someone to pray. It’s easy to overthink or ignore those moments, expecting something “bigger” or more impressive. But the truth is, God delights in doing extraordinary things through ordinary faithfulness.

Across our parishes, that obedience is already bearing fruit — people returning to Mass, families joining RCIA, and hearts opening to serve. The message is clear: when God stirs your heart, don’t reason it away. Lace up your spiritual sneakers, step out in faith, and just do it.

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Listen to Father David’s Previous homily HERE.