Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 17, 11-19
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.”
Gratitude
1. Lepers. You can experience a kind of spiritual leprosy when you have been hurt by life or by other people. These wounds might cause you to isolate yourself and lose your sense of self. You can feel lost because others have taken away your individuality, and that can make you feel resentful because you feel judged.
2. Purified. Faith can cleanse you. Spiritual life reminds you that everything can change and that there is an opportunity for everyone and every situation. Life itself reminds you that no one is truly gone as long as they are still living. There’s always a chance to turn things around, and those who believe and trust in God can achieve anything. Today, you can be cleansed of the stains that others or even you have put on yourself. Take courage, you can always change your situation, and I’m certain you can do it.
3. Grateful. It’s so important to be grateful in life. We must remember to be thankful for life and for everything we do. Be grateful for everything, even negative situations, because you will learn from them, too. Live with Christ. He helps you understand your life.
May the Virgin of Pilar, who we celebrate today, help us discover the pillars of our own lives so we can have faith even when everything feels like it’s falling apart.
Remember that something good is on the way! God bless you and be with you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
