Sunday Reflections
Have you gone back to give thanks?
1. 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”(Lk17:11-19). Taken from today’s Sunday gospel for Sunday week 28C.
2. When people are in distress they are normally ready to go extra mile to get solutions to their problems. Often when solutions are found some forget to go back and show gratitude to those who helped them out in their time of need. Today’s readings present people who were afflicted with leprosy, who sought for healing and were miraculously healed. The first reading 2Kgs5:14-17 shows a Syrian army official who after his healing came back to show gratitude to God and his prophet. He made an open declaration to forever worship God for his mercy upon him. This double attitude of cry for help and expression of gratitude for prayers heard set the tone for this Sunday.
3. In the gospel, a similar episode occurred. Ten lepers pleaded with Jesus to heal them. Jesus asked them to go and show themselves to the priests. As they were going they regained their health and one of them came back to thank Jesus for the healing. Leprosy, then a deadly disease, is now curable. Biblically this sickness which eats up one’s toes and fingers, disfiguring the facial look and causing the skin to decay progressively, symbolizes the effect of sin on human soul. Sin disfigures the image of God in man. By healing the ten lepers Jesus presents himself as one who comes to restore the image of God in man. This restoration comes through faith in God. By asking the lepers to go and show themselves to the priests, Jesus merely tested their faith. They were not found wanting.
4. But faith is not enough for full restoration in God. We need good work as well. The ten lepers had faith but only one had good work, in this case the virtue of gratitude. Just like Naaman the leper, in the first reading, the Samaritan came back to thank God for his healing. He did not forget to give thanks for favour received. Jesus noticed that he was not a Jew but a foreigner who ordinarily should know less about God. He alone came back to thank and worship God like the Syrian. Jesus told him to go because his faith has healed him, a living faith which manifests itself in good action.
5. Today, people are besieged with a lot of difficulties. Houses of prayers are springing up everywhere and people are making commitments in those places hoping to find solutions to their problems. Unfortunately, some men of God are exploiting the situation to enrich themselves at the expense of the unfortunate fellows. The request of Jesus to the lepers should guide our level of obedience to the exploitative demands of the so called men of God. Jesus did not tell the unfortunate lepers to sow seed so that God will in return restore their health. Elisha did not tell Naaman to build an altar for him so that God will in return heal him. Both Jesus and Elisha demanded a simple proof of faith which does not in any way cost any material thing to the lepers nor provided a material gain for the Jesus or Elisha. This should form a criteria for discernment in matters of faith for anyone seeking a remedy from God through the modern day men of God.
6. You have certainly been through one difficult or the other. You have certainly received one or more unmerited favours from people or from God. Have gone back to give thanks? Have you expressed your gratitude to your benefactor or do you continue to think that he or she does not need anything from you? God certainly needs nothing from you for him to feel better but the remark of Jesus to the Samaritan that came back to give thanks (“Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine?Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?”) shows that God expects you to show gratitude not only to him but also to your fellow humans whenever you receive a favour. Always remember to go back and give thanks. ©Vita, 09/10/22
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