Of the ten leprosy patients healed, only, a Samaritan returns to thank Jesus.

“If the only prayer you ever make in your life is ‘thank you, Lord’, that is enough!”

 

St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, virgin

 ＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Titus 3:1-7

Remind the believer,

To be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, and to be ready for every good work. Tell them to insult no one; they must not be quarrelsome, but gentle and understanding with everyone.

 

We ourselves were once foolish, disobedient and misled. We were slaves of our desires, seeking pleasures of every kind. We lived in malice and envy, hateful, and hating each other. But God our Savior revealed his eminent goodness and love for humankind, and saved us, not because of good deeds we may have done, but for the sake of his own mercy, to the water of rebirth and renewal, by the Holy Spirit poured over us through Christ Jesus our Saviour, so that, having been justified by his grace, we should become heirs in hope of eternal life.

 

Ps 23:1b-3a, 3bc-4,5,6 The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊      

Gospel: Luke 17:11-19

On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus passed through Samaria and Galilee, and as he entered a village, ten lepers came to meet him. Keeping their distance, they called to him, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!" Jesus said to them, "Go, and show yourselves to the priests." Then, as they went on their way, they found they were cured. One of them, as soon as he saw that he was cleansed, turned back, praising God in a loud voice; and throwing himself on his face before Jesus, he gave him thanks. This man was a Samaritan.

 

Then Jesus asked him, "Were not all ten healed? Where are the other nine? Did none of them decide to return and give praise to God, but this foreigner?" And Jesus said to him, "Stand up and go your way; your faith has saved you."

 

Gospel Reflection ：

 Reflection:

"He gave him thanks."

We hear the phrase, "Gratitude is the memory of the heart." This memory is primarily an immediate one. Gratitude does not need a long time to be expressed. It is an instantaneous response to anyone through whom we might have received something good. Today's Gospel is teaching us to be grateful.

 

The pericope narrates the ten lepers healed by Jesus. Jesus entered a village, upon passing through Samaria and Galilee. In that village, from a distance, ten lepers pleaded with Jesus to heal them. The response of Jesus to their plea was an instruction to go and show themselves to the priests.

 

The instruction of Jesus is akin to the performance of the ritual prescribed in Leviticus 14. The entire Leviticus 14 speaks of the law of leprosy. Out of 57 verses, the first 32 verses tell of the instructions on the ritual that needs to be done for cleansing healed lepers.

 

The instructions appear to be tedious and would definitely take a long time to be accomplished. The Gospel passage narrates that when one of the ten, a Samaritan, noticed that he was cleansed, went back, praising God, and gave thanks to Jesus. Like the Samaritan, we are called to be always grateful.