Gospel: Lk17:11-19 THE CLEANSING OF TEN LEPERS RETURNED, GLORIFYING GOD IN A LOUD VOICE. A leper is an outcast of Jewish society, exiled from family and community, enjoined to warn other people of his approach banned from temple and synagogue worship, and deemed punished by God. Jesus healed ten lepers, giving them new life and restoring them to family and community. At the least, they will be grateful. Instead only one returns to give thanks to God. Perhaps the nine are complying with Jesus instruction to show themselves to the priests. The prescriptions of the law regarding leprosy are complicated and severe (Lv 13-14). The nine Jewish lepers made clean may be busy attending to the demands of purification. After, perhaps they rush home, thrilled to share the good news with family and friends, to hug and kiss their children, and to celebrate. The Samaritan, who is not burdened by Jewish ritual prescriptions, returns and gives thanks. He realizes what the other nine have missed----the gift of faith and a deeper life: God loves him and Jesus is the concrete sign of that love and acceptance. To be honest, we are often as guilty as the nine because it is easy to take Gods many blessings for granted: the gift of life and a new day, of work and play, of family and friends. 365 DAYS WITH THE LORD
Posted on: Wed, 12 Nov 2014 00:35:37 +0000
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