Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 17.11-19
While heading to Jerusalem, Jesus passed through Samaria and Galilee. Upon entering a village, ten lepers met him, who stopped at a distance and they began to shout at him: “Jesus, Master, ten compassion on us!” When he saw them, Jesus told them: “Go and introduce yourself to the priests.” And along the way they will be purified. One of them, finding that he was cured, went back praising God out loud and threw himself at Jesus’ feet with his face on the ground, thanking him. He was a Samaritan. Jesus then said to him: “How will the ten not be purified? The other nine, where are they? No one thanked God again, but this foreigner? ” And he added: “Get up and leave”
Faith, Obedience, Gratitude
1 Faith
The lepers today we encounter have great faith and hope in Jesus. They know his name. They raise their voice, they shout out to Him, calling Him master.
They know he is the Lord who can heal them and so they ask for mercy. Do we have the same faith and hope in Jesus that if we cry out to him that He can help us today? Jesus will affirm that it is they’re very faith which saves them. They believe that Jesus is God and that God will help them and show them mercy. Mercy was once described as not getting the punishment you deserve and grace as getting the reward that you don’t deserve.
2 Obedience
These 10 lepers are not only believers but obedient to what Jesus asks them to do. Even before being cured they listen to Jesus who tells them to follow what is written in Leviticus in going to the priest and showing themselves to him. This was a great act of faith and obedience because the law spoke of those who were cured of leprosy to go to the priests. Their trust in God however is rewarded as they are healed on the way. This is a great lesson for us to walk in the right direction believing that God will do what He promises, Trusting that even though we do not see we can walk by faith. Obedience saves. It is the inner attitude of hearing gods voice and trusting in Him. It comes from the two Latins words ob audire which means to hear.
3 Gratitude
Only one returns to thank Jesus and it is the Samaritan. We are told he glorifies Jesus In a loud voice and falls at His feet to thank Him. This is the posture of humility and complete gratitude. St Ignatius of Loyola, more than any other saint I know, teaches us why gratitude is so important.
He wrote in a letter written in 1542: It seems to me in light of the divine goodness though others may think differently that in gratitude is one of the most worthy of detestation before our creator and Lord and before all creatures capable of his divine and everlasting glory. out of all the evils and sins which can be imagined. For it is a failure to recognize the good things the graces and the gifts received. As such it is the cause beginning and origin of all evils and sins. On the contrary recognition and gratitude for the good things and gifts received is greatly loved and esteemed both in heaven and on earth.
Today let us live out what Saint Gianna Beretta molar said was the secret of happiness: To live moment by moment and thank God for what he is sending us every day and his goodness.
May God bless you in the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit
Always remember heaven is our goal
