2019년 10월 13일 연중 제28주일
오늘의 복음 : http://info.catholic.or.kr/missa/default.asp
제1독서
열왕기 하 .5,14-17
그 무렵 시리아 사람 14 나아만은 하느님의 사람 엘리사가 일러 준 대로, 요르단 강에 내려가서 일곱 번 몸을 담갔다. 그러자 나병 환자인 그는 어린아이 살처럼 새살이 돋아 깨끗해졌다.
15나아만은 수행원을 모두 거느리고 하느님의 사람에게로 되돌아가, 그 앞에 서서 말하였다. “이제 저는 알았습니다. 온 세상에서 이스라엘 밖에는 하느님께서 계시지 않습니다. 이 종이 드리는 선물을 부디 받아 주십시오.”
16그러나 엘리사는 “내가 모시는 주님께서 살아 계시는 한, 결코 선물을 받을 수 없습니다.” 하고 거절하였다. 그래도 나아만이 그것을 받아 달라고 거듭 청하였지만, 엘리사는 거절하였다.
17그러자 나아만은 이렇게 말하였다. “그러시다면, 나귀 두 마리에 실을 만큼의 흙을 이 종에게 주십시오. 이 종은 이제부터 주님 말고는 다른 어떤 신에게도 번제물이나 희생 제물을 드리지 않을 것입니다.”
제2독서
티모테오 2서.2,8-13
사 랑하는 그대여, 8 예수 그리스도를 기억하십시오. 그분께서는 다윗의 후손으로, 죽은 이들 가운데에서 되살아나셨습니다. 이것이 나의 복음입니다. 9 이 복음을 위하여 나는 죄인처럼 감옥에 갇히는 고통까지 겪고 있습니다. 그러나 하느님의 말씀은 감옥에 갇혀 있지 않습니다.
10그러므로 나는 선택된 이들을 위하여 이 모든 것을 견디어 냅니다. 그들도 그리스도 예수님 안에서 받는 구원을 영원한 영광과 함께 얻게 하려는 것입니다.
11 이 말은 확실합니다. 우리가 그분과 함께 죽었으면, 그분과 함께 살 것이고, 12 우리가 견디어 내면, 그분과 함께 다스릴 것이며, 우리가 그분을 모른다고 하면, 그분도 우리를 모른다고 하실 것입니다. 13 우리는 성실하지 못해도 그분께서는 언제나 성실하시니, 그러한 당신 자신을 부정하실 수 없기 때문입니다.
복음
루카.17,11-19
11 예수님께서 예루살렘으로 가시는 길에 사마리아와 갈릴래아 사이를 지나가시게 되었다. 12 그분께서 어떤 마을에 들어가시는데, 나병 환자 열 사람이 그분께 마주 왔다. 그들은 멀찍이 서서 13 소리를 높여 말하였다. “예수님, 스승님! 저희에게 자비를 베풀어 주십시오.”
14예수님께서는 그들을 보시고, “가서 사제들에게 너희 몸을 보여라.” 하고 이르셨다. 그들이 가는 동안에 몸이 깨끗해졌다.
15그들 가운데 한 사람은 병이 나은 것을 보고 큰 소리로 하느님을 찬양하며 돌아와, 16 예수님의 발 앞에 엎드려 감사를 드렸다. 그는 사마리아 사람이었다.
17 그러자 예수님께서 말씀하셨다. “열 사람이 깨끗해지지 않았느냐? 그런데 아홉은 어디에 있느냐? 18 이 외국인 말고는 아무도 하느님께 영광을 드리러 돌아오지 않았단 말이냐?” 19 이어서 그에게 이르셨다. “일어나 가거라. 네 믿음이 너를 구원하였다.”
October 13, 2019
Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Daily Mass : http://www.catholictv.com/shows/daily-mass
Reading 1
Naaman went down and plunged into the Jordan seven times
at the word of Elisha, the man of God.
His flesh became again like the flesh of a little child,
and he was clean of his leprosy.
Naaman returned with his whole retinue to the man of God.
On his arrival he stood before Elisha and said,
"Now I know that there is no God in all the earth,
except in Israel.
Please accept a gift from your servant."
Elisha replied, "As the LORD lives whom I serve, I will not take it;"
and despite Naaman's urging, he still refused.
Naaman said: "If you will not accept,
please let me, your servant, have two mule-loads of earth,
for I will no longer offer holocaust or sacrifice
to any other god except to the LORD."
Responsorial Psalm
R. (cf. 2b) The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
his right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
The LORD has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands:
break into song; sing praise.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
Reading 2
Beloved:
Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David:
such is my gospel, for which I am suffering,
even to the point of chains, like a criminal.
But the word of God is not chained.
Therefore, I bear with everything for the sake of those who are chosen,
so that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus,
together with eternal glory.
This saying is trustworthy:
If we have died with him
we shall also live with him;
if we persevere
we shall also reign with him.
But if we deny him
he will deny us.
If we are unfaithful
he remains faithful,
for he cannot deny himself.
Gospel
As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem,
he traveled through Samaria and Galilee.
As he was entering a village, ten lepers met him.
They stood at a distance from him and raised their voices, saying,
"Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!"
And when he saw them, he said,
"Go show yourselves to the priests."
As they were going they were cleansed.
And one of them, realizing he had been healed,
returned, glorifying God in a loud voice;
and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him.
He was a Samaritan.
Jesus said in reply,
"Ten were cleansed, were they not?
Where are the other nine?
Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?"
Then he said to him, "Stand up and go;
your faith has saved you."
http://evangeli.net/gospel/tomorrow
«Jesus, Master, have pity on us!»
Fr. Antoni CAROL i Hostench
(Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain)
Today, once again, we may substantiate how our attitude of faith may stir up Jesus Christ's heart. The fact is that some lepers, overcoming the social dislike they all suffered, and quite boldly too, came to meet Jesus and —we could say in quotation marks— coerced him with their trustworthy petition: «Jesus, Master, have pity on us!» (Lk 17:13).
Jesus' reaction is immediate and sudden: «Go and show yourselves to the priests» (Lk 17:14). He, who is the Lord, shows his power, for «as they went their way, they found they were cured» (Lk 17:14).
This attests that the measure of Christ's miracles is, precisely, the measure of our faith and confidence in God. What else are we to do —poor creatures— in front of God, but trust him? But with an operative faith, that forces us to abide by God's wishes. A minimum of common sense will suffice to understand that «nothing is too difficult to believe in if referring to He, whom nothing is too difficult for» (Blessed J. H. Newman). If do not see more miracles is because we do not really “obligate” our Lord, lacking confidence and obedience to him. As St. John Crysostom said, «little faith can achieve a lot».
And, a flood of joy and gratitude crowned that faith in God when, «one of them, as soon as he saw he was cleansed, turned back praising God in a loud voice, and throwing himself on his face before Jesus, he gave him thanks» (Lk 17:15-16).
But..., what a shame! Out of ten benefiting from that great miracle, only one came back. How ungrateful are we when we so easily forget that all we have comes from God and that we owe everything to him! Let us resolve to oblige him from now on while demonstrating our gratitude and faith in him.
http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
In today’s Gospel, Jesus heals ten lepers, but only one returns to thank him. In the first reading when Naaman is cured of leprosy he is so grateful he wants to give a big gift. Leprosy was an incurable and isolating condition. It was a big deal. Of the ten who were healed, only one came back to thank him. And that one was a foreigner, a Samaritan. Jesus wonders why the others didn’t return. Were they not grateful? This was seriously a big deal. And why did the foreigner come back, not his own countrymen? He might have expected his own people to show their gratitude, and might have thought the stranger would not. They had all asked for healing. When he passed they cried out to him to have pity on them. They called him by name. They called him Master. They were asking specifically for a favor. But then when they received it, they did not give thanks, they just went on their way. When I teach World Literature, I teach the French classic Candide. In the novel, Candide finds himself in El Dorado, a Utopia set apart from the rest of the world. He is curious about their life and culture and asks about their religion – if they have religion, if there are various sects and if they fight about religion. The priest tells him that of course they have religion, and they only have one, the only one possible – they thank God constantly for everything they are given. The priest seems confused that anyone could even conceive of any other religion. What else should people do but thank God constantly for everything they are given. In the Gospel verse today we are told to give thanks to God in all circumstances. In the first reading Naaman gives thanks and gifts for his cure. In the Gospel the Samaritan leper who thanks Jesus is told that his faith has saved him. Every day we enjoy the miracle of life. Every day we wake up we should thank God for everything we are given. What else should we do? |
http://www.presentationministries.com/obob/obob.asp
LOVE'S GROUND-BREAKING | ||
| "Please let me, your servant, have two mule-loads of earth, for I will no longer offer holocaust or sacrifice to any other god except to the Lord." �2 Kings 5:17 | ||
When Naaman, the healed Syrian general and leper, took two mule-loads of Jewish dirt back home with him, he was literally breaking new ground in his relationship with the Lord. We too must guard against "getting in a rut" in our love for the Lord. We must always be seeking to grow more deeply in love with Him, or we put ourselves in danger of falling away from loving Him with all our hearts and becoming lukewarm (see Rv 3:16). Hosea prophesied: "Break up for yourselves a new field, for it is time to seek the Lord, till He come and rain down justice upon you" (Hos 10:12). "Our God is a consuming Fire" (Heb 12:29), and we who are in love with Him want to be consumed by Him more and more. The Lord commands us: "Grow rather in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Pt 3:18). The Lord has taught us to pray to "experience this love which surpasses all knowledge" so that we "may attain to the fullness of God" (Eph 3:19). The nature of love is always to seek a deeper love. May we pray: "O God, You are my God Whom I seek; for You my flesh pines and my soul thirsts" (Ps 63:2), and "Your kindness is a greater good than life" (Ps 63:4). By His grace, enter a new dimension of the mystery of God, Who is Love (1 Jn 4:8). | ||
| Prayer: Father, I surrender myself to You and worship You, Who are Love (1 Jn 4:8). | ||
| Promise: one of them, realizing that he had been cured, came back praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself on his face at the feet of Jesus and spoke His praises." —Lk 17:15-16 | ||
| Praise: "They took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb. Yet God raised him from the dead" (Acts 13:29-30). Praise You, Jesus! | ||
http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/readings/
"He fell at Jesus' feet giving thanks"
What can adversity teach us about the blessing of thanksgiving and the healing power of love and mercy? The Book of Proverbs states: A friend loves at all times; and a brother is born for adversity (Proverbs 17:17). When adversity strikes you find out who truly is your brother, sister, and friend. The Gospel records an unusual encounter between two peoples who had been divided for centuries. The Jews and Samaritans had no dealings with one another even though Samaria was located in the central part of Judea. Both peoples were openly hostile whenever their paths crossed. In this Gospel narrative we see one rare exception - a Samaritan leper in company with nine Jewish lepers. Sometimes adversity forces people to drop their barriers or to forget their prejudices. When this band of Jewish and Samaritan lepers saw Jesus they made a bold request. They didn't ask for healing, but instead asked for mercy.
Mercy is heartfelt sorrow at another's misfortune
The word mercy literally means "sorrowful at heart". But mercy is something more than compassion, or heartfelt sorrow at another's misfortune. Compassion empathizes with the sufferer. But mercy goes further - it removes suffering. A merciful person shares in another's misfortune and suffering as if it were his or her own. And such a person will do everything in his or her power to dispel that misery.
Mercy is also connected with justice. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274), a great teacher and scripture scholar, said that mercy "does not destroy justice, but is a certain kind of fulfillment of justice. ..Mercy without justice is the mother of dissolution; (and) justice without mercy is cruelty." Pardon without repentance negates justice.
God's mercy brings healing of mind, heart, and body
So what is the significance of these ten lepers asking for mercy? They know they are in need of healing, not just physical, but spiritual healing as well. They approach Jesus with contrition and faith because they believe that he can release the burden of guilt and suffering and make restoration of body and soul possible. Their request for mercy is both a plea for pardon and release from suffering. Jesus gives mercy to all who ask with faith and contrition.
Why did only one leper out of ten return to show gratitude? Gratefulness, another word which expresses gratitude of heart and a thankful disposition, is related to grace - which means the release of loveliness. Gratitude is the homage of the heart which responds with graciousness in expressing an act of thanksgiving. The Samaritan approached Jesus reverently and gave praise to God.
Ingratitude leads to lack of love and kindness, and intolerance towards others
If we do not recognize and appreciate the mercy and help shown to us we will be ungrateful and unkind towards others. Ingratitude is forgetfulness or a poor return for kindness received. Ingratitude easily leads to lack of charity and intolerance towards others, as well as to other vices, such as complaining, grumbling, discontentment, pride, and presumption. How often have we been ungrateful to our parents, pastors, teachers, and neighbors? Do you express gratitude to God for his abundant help and mercy towards you and are you gracious, kind, and merciful towards your neighbor in their time of need and support?
"Lord Jesus, may I never fail to recognize your loving kindness and mercy towards me. Fill my heart with compassion and thanksgiving, and free me from ingratitude and discontentment. Help me to count my blessings with a grateful heart and to give thanks in all circumstances."
Psalm 98:1-4
1 O sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His right hand and his holy arm have gotten him victory.
2 The LORD has made known his victory, he has revealed his vindication in the sight of the nations.
3 He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.
4 Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises!
Daily Quote from the early church fathers: Cleansing of the ten lepers, by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD)
"Why did [Jesus] not say, 'I will, be cleansed,' as he did in the case of another leper (Luke 5:13), instead of commanding them to show themselves to the priests? It was because the law gave directions to this effect to those who were delivered from leprosy (Leviticus 14:2). It commanded them to show themselves to the priests and to offer a sacrifice for their cleansing. He commanded them to go as being already healed so that they might bear witness to the priests, the rulers of the Jews and always envious of his glory. They testified that wonderfully and beyond their hope, they had been delivered from their misfortune by Christ's willing that they should be healed. He did not heal them first but sent them to the priests, because the priests knew the marks of leprosy and of its healing." (excerpt from COMMENTARY on LUKE, HOMILIES 113-16)
http://www.homilies.net/
28 Ordinary Time
28 Sunday in Ordinary Time - Cycle C
Luke 17:11-19
The rabbi asked the prophet, "Where shall I find the Messiah?" He responded, "At the city gates among the lepers." The rabbi queried, "What is he doing there?" The prophet answered, "He changes their bandages." (Laurence Kushner)
The Nazarene was on His final trip to Jerusalem. He was an outlaw. There was an all points bulletin out for Him. He was avoiding the main roads and moving only at night. He was eating cold food. He was afraid to light a fire. Bounty hunters were everywhere. He had to be spent.
He came to an unnamed village. Scholars feel it was probably El Gannim. The town still exists. The ruins of an ancient church built to commemorate this miracle are there.
He dared to stay in the village openly because it is believed the inhabitants were friendlies. Probably He had already worked miracles there. He would be able to sleep indoors between sheets in a clean bed and enjoy a home-cooked meal.
The lepers of this tale used His name. This supports the theory that He was well known in the area. Leprosy or Hansen's disease was then commonplace. It is not a pretty disease. It can destroy one's features. What AIDS is to our culture, leprosy was to theirs. Leprosy resisted all cures until 1960.
These lepers must have had a tremendous faith in Him. They were asking for the cure of a disease they themselves considered incurable. We need such faith.
They met Him on the town outskirts. By law lepers were not allowed into the town proper. They were forced to wear shredded clothing and go without head cover despite the fierce sun. The object of all this was to make it easier for healthy people to give them wide berth. They had become non-persons. They were the walking dead.
It was amazing that they approached the Teacher. They would never have attempted that with another rabbi. Most rabbis of that period ran and hid when confronted by lepers. one confessed he threw rocks at them to clear his path. His actions were legal. What did these people see in the Messiah? He must have been a person most easy to walk up to. They sensed that he "had trained His heart to give sympathy and His hands to give help."
When the lepers came up to Him, the crowd about Him began looking for holes in the ground to crawl into. But, as the lepers suspected, Jesus held His ground. one can see why a Rembrandt is needed to paint such a picture.
Jesus introduced other healing miracles with certain preliminaries. Confer Mark 7: 31-37. Here He did no such thing. These people He felt had suffered long enough. He cleaned them of their foul disease on the spot. God is, as one pilgrim has told me, an active verb. Again we receive a rich insight into what makes the Christ tick. His precipitate action speaks pages about Him. Would that we might borrow His technique in our actions with others in pain.
He did more than cure these former lepers. He chatted with them. This was the first conversation they had with a non-leper in years. And in most probability He touched them and even stroked them. He did so in another such Gospel miracle. Check Matthew 8,1-4. Recall that line from the old negro spiritual, "What a friend we have in Jesus!" It no doubt sums up the attitude of the former lepers.
But only one leper, as we know, had the class to return after the miracle to thank Him. "He fell on his face at Jesus' feet," writes Luke, "and kept on thanking Him." The Nazarene was exhilarated by this fellow and crushed by the ingratitude of the others. Meister Eckhart wrote wisely, "The most important prayer in the world is just two words long: Thank you." Yet, we live in a society in which those words are coming to be used less frequently not only to God but to one another. May we copy the style of the grateful leper who returned! We should all reflect on the line that teaches, "God has two homes - one in heaven and the other in a thankful heart." The sage says we shall be Christians when we weep not because we have lost something but because we have been given so much.
Frjoeshomilies.net
28 Ordinary Time
Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time:Are We one of the Nine or the one Out of the Ten?
The Gospel reading presents the healing of the ten lepers. Let's begin by picturing these ten men walking up to Jerusalem. They had gone to Jesus, but left, still lepers, with nothing more than his assurance that they were to present themselves to the priests as healed. He didn't heal them immediately. What must that walk up to the Temple Hill in Jerusalem been like? Some of them must have been limping with deformed legs, most likely relying on crutches. Some had lost fingers and even parts of their face. Many had horrible sores all over their bodies. They were hideous. All of them had bells. All were required to call out continually, "Unclean, unclean." The healthy would do everything possible to avoid them. That is why at the beginning of the Gospel the lepers stood off at a distance and called to Jesus to heal them.
But back to their journey to the priests, the very unlikely parade, walking, dragging probably, approaching the Temple. Did they all have faith, or were some of them going to the Temple because they thought they had nothing to lose? Their lives were horrible. What worse could happen to them? Did all believe, or were some of them just joining in with the others? We don't know. So they plodded on. I wonder when it was that they realized that they could walk easier. When was it that they saw that they were no longer deformed? When was it that their skin had healed? It had to be before they got to the Temple, because by the time the reached the Temple priests they were healed.
So why didn't all ten return to the Lord to give thanks to God? Why was it that nine never bothered? Perhaps some of them were angry. Angry that they had gotten so sick in the first place. Maybe they were so angry that they couldn't see their healing as a gift. They could only see their sickness as a curse. Maybe they were upset that they had missed so much in life. They were people who saw the glass as half empty, not half full. Or, maybe some of them were completely self-absorbed. Perhaps some were like little children who were never taught to say, "Thank you," as though they had a right to all good things in the world.
It is rather shocking to think that some people could be so angry, or so self-centered that they do not appreciate the gifts of the Lord. Sadly, that is exactly what happens. People who can only see the negatives in life, cannot appreciate the gifts of God. People who think they are the center of the world, cannot fathom why they should be grateful to anyone for what they think they have coming.
We should ask ourselves: Am I a positive person or a negative person? Do I usually see the good in life, or am I absorbed by the negative? When I recover from the flu or any sickness, do I thank God that I am feeling better, or am I upset that I felt so poorly before? When a former friend or an estranged relative wants to reconcile, am I willing to move on with the future, or do I stay mired in the past? When the pain of life has been removed, do I keep it alive in my mind by dwelling on the past?
We have been sick, and we have been healed. We have been estranged, and we have been re-united. We have been lost, and we have been found. Christians are optimists. If we are negative in certain areas of life, then we need to bring this very negativity to God. We need to ask Him for faith.
We have all had times of immaturity in our lives when we've convinced ourselves that we are the center of the universe. Now, it is perfectly acceptable for a baby to be self-absorbed. The baby's cries are the only way that we can be made aware of his or her needs. It is not acceptable for the rest of us to be self-absorbed. Does God owe us healing? Did God allow His Son to become one of us and then die for us because we had a right to salvation? Of course not. We are benefactors of a kind and compassionate God who really does love us, who really is "Our Father." We need to recognize His Gifts and thank Him.
one of those former lepers, a Samaritan, returned to the Lord. He was out of the mainstream, not even Jewish. He wasn't part of the chosen people. But he knew that God had chosen him. He knew that he received a grace from God. He knew that he didn't do anything to deserve this gift, but was the recipient of God's compassion. He wanted others to rejoice with Him. He wanted Jesus to know how grateful he was. He returned to thank the Lord.
Many times a child, particularly an older child, a Teen or a young adult, receives a great gift from his or her Mom or Dad, and then says, "What can I do to pay you back?" Inevitably, the parent responds, "I didn't do this for you because I want repayment. I did this because I love you. All I want is that you be good to your brothers and sisters," or perhaps, "All I want is that you be good to others like we were good to you."
That is all God wants from us. He wants us to show our gratitude by being good to our brothers and sisters, by being good to others as He has been good to us. You see, thanking God is not a matter of words or recited prayers. To thank God we have to treat others as He treated us, with compassion, mercy and love.
Were not all ten made clean? Where are the other nine? Where do we go when we realize that we have experienced Divine Love? Do we stay where we are? Do we walk backwards to where we were out of anger for our past? Or do we spread the Grace that we have received to others by our care and compassion? Are we one of the nine? Or are we the one out of the ten, the one who returned glorifying God with His life?
Stmaryvalleybloom.org
* Available in Spanish - see Spanish Homilies
28 Ordinary Time
Increase Our Gratitude
Bottom line: By gratitude faith increases.
In today's Gospel Jesus heals ten lepers. one of them, a Samaritan, returns to thank him. Jesus says:
"Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine? Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?"
So, one in ten. It seems about the same proportion today. People like myself remember the high attendance at Mass in the 50's. Since then we (and other religions) have experienced decline. For sure, some congregations have seen growth. We can learn from them. Still, we have to recognize the human tendency to take God for granted even after powerful experiences of grace.
To get people back to Mass we first need to face our own lack of gratitude. Eucharist after all means "to give thanks". Last year I started a gratitude journal. It contains a long list but I have to admit I can go days without reflecting on blessings I have received. I take them for granted. Not good.
I want to mention two blessings. They relate to the Called to Serve as Christ campaign. I mention them because for me the campaign is not about fund raising. It's about gratitude.
In the packet you received from Archbishop Etienne, it has an insert relating to our parish project - rectory renovation. St Mary of the Valley rectory is the best living situation I have had in my years as a priest. Out of gratitude I want to make some changes so I will be able to continue there as I age. I want to hand it on in good condition for a future priest. Probably half of each day I spend in the rectory: the chapel, bedroom, kitchen, even the exercise room. I am blessed to have a good living situation.
I am blessed also to be a member of the Seattle presbyterate. We have our problems including the competiveness that marks groups of men. Still, they have both encouraged and inspired me. I want them to have the best care as they, like me, face the challenge of aging. I am also concerned that our young priests will have a retirement and medical fund they can count on. And I am thankful Archbishop Sartain included religious sisters in this campaign.
It all comes down to gratitude. If we have grateful hearts the Mass, the Eucharist becomes joy, not drudgery. Our trials do not disappear but they take on meaning. Last week we said to Jesus, "Increase our faith". We could just as well say, "Increase our gratitude". By gratitude faith increases.
Jesus says as much to the Samaritan who returned to thank him. "Stand up," he says, "and go; your faith has saved you." Amen.
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28 Ordinary Time
Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
It is often interesting when reading about one or other of Christ's healings to note that he very often forgives the sins of the sick person and this forgiveness seems to bring about their physical healing. At other times Jesus his puts out his hand or makes some other sign like putting paste on a blind man's eyes. In most cases we can identify a particular moment when the healing takes place.
However, this does not seem to be so in the case of these ten lepers which are the subject of the Gospel text today. Of course, according to the law these lepers could not come near to Jesus so there was no possibility of him touching them. And for the same reason we can imagine that the words they spoke to him and the words Jesus spoke to them were most probably shouts rather than ordinary speech.
Anyway, all Jesus says to them is to go and show themselves to the priests. This was in order to prove that they had been healed. They go on their way, and only after they have left Jesus do they discover that they have actually been healed. It is very interesting that the word used here for healing is 'cleansed.' It is as if the disease of leprosy is some kind of pollution which has now been purified. To be cleansed implies washing and we immediately realise the connection with Baptism which washes our souls and frees us from sin.
In the Hebrew mind leprosy and sin are very much wrapped up together. We can see then that the separation of the leper from the rest of the people imposed by the law obviously has two purposes. First it separates the mass of the people from possible infection from disease but then it also separates the community from what is perceived to be a sinful person. A subsidiary factor is that this separation from the community of the leper is a real punishment for those who are effectively deemed to be sinners.
Nine of the lepers finding themselves healed simply follow Jesus' instruction and presumably go off to the priests to be officially declared cleansed. only one of them before going to the priests first returns to Jesus to express his gratitude. This gratitude was obviously very deeply felt; as it says in the text, 'he turned back praising God at the top of his voice and threw himself at the feet of Jesus and thanked him.'
We can only imagine what a relief it was to that poor leper to be freed from his affliction. He could now return to his family and loved ones, he could wear decent clothes and resume his livelihood. It meant a return to normality as well as freedom from poverty and a life of absolute misery. He could now hold his head up high and take his place in society after what was probably months and perhaps years of ostracism.
Luke observes in the text that this man was a Samaritan, which presumably meant that the other nine were Jews. It is interesting to note that the great division between Jews and Samaritans which was observed in the society of that time means nothing to lepers. They are so poor and so isolated that religious differences mean nothing to them; they are glad of each other's company deprived as they are of the companionship of anyone else.
The fact that the man was a Samaritan is important because it is an indication that Jesus' mission was not only to the Jews but to every person in the world. The fact that the Jews despised the Samaritans and that this man who was grateful was a Samaritan is a way of Jesus rubbing it in that while the Jews may be the Chosen People this does not mean that they are privileged above all other people in the world. There are other examples of this, most notably in the Parable of the Good Samaritan.
This passage set before us today underlines the importance of gratitude in our lives. All too frequently we fail to express gratitude to those who help and support us. Young people especially tend to take their parents and brothers and sisters for granted. They don't always realise the great sacrifices that other people make on their behalf.
Raising a family in today's world is no easy task, it inevitably involves huge sacrifices of time and energy and it can often mean deep heartache. When I was chaplain to a women's prison, I met a number of women who had admitted to a crime which was actually committed by their daughter. So that their daughter would not be separated from her own children the mother went to jail on her behalf. This was indeed a very great sacrifice.
But, of course, the one that we all need to be grateful to is God himself. Everything that we have comes from him and most especially the gift of life itself. He is the author of creation and so he is the one from whom all life flows. So, we should certainly not neglect to express our thanks to him for all that he has done on our behalf. If God was not there, constantly bestowing his love and goodness on us, we would not even exist.
From this there is only one conclusion to come to and it is that thanksgiving ought to be a very important part of our prayer life. Of course, there are many components to prayer such as the ｅxpression of sorrow, making offerings to God, listening to his Word, asking for the things we need, praising God's greatness and so on. But we must not ever omit thanksgiving from this list. You will note that all these varieties of prayer are to be found in the mass and indeed the long Eucharistic prayer is often regarded as a great prayer of praise and thanks to God.
I think too that when we return to our seats after receiving Holy Communion it is a very special time for us to express our thanksgiving to God for the gift of his Son who we have just received under the forms of bread and wine. And at this quiet moment we can offer him our gratitude for all that he has done in our lives, for all the gifts and joys that he has given us, for the guidance and protection that we have received from him.
Like that leper, before we receive the validation of the world we turn to offer our gratitude to the one to whom we owe absolutely everything.
More Homilies
October 9, 2016 Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
