Wednesday of the Thirty-second Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 493
Lectionary: 493
Beloved:
Remind them to be under the control of magistrates and authorities,
to be obedient, to be open to every good enterprise.
They are to slander no one, to be peaceable, considerate,
exercising all graciousness toward everyone.
For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, deluded,
slaves to various desires and pleasures,
living in malice and envy,
hateful ourselves and hating one another.
But when the kindness and generous love
of God our savior appeared,
not because of any righteous deeds we had done
but because of his mercy,
he saved us through the bath of rebirth
and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
whom he richly poured out on us
through Jesus Christ our savior,
so that we might be justified by his grace
and become heirs in hope of eternal life.
Remind them to be under the control of magistrates and authorities,
to be obedient, to be open to every good enterprise.
They are to slander no one, to be peaceable, considerate,
exercising all graciousness toward everyone.
For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, deluded,
slaves to various desires and pleasures,
living in malice and envy,
hateful ourselves and hating one another.
But when the kindness and generous love
of God our savior appeared,
not because of any righteous deeds we had done
but because of his mercy,
he saved us through the bath of rebirth
and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
whom he richly poured out on us
through Jesus Christ our savior,
so that we might be justified by his grace
and become heirs in hope of eternal life.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 23:1b-3a, 3bc-4, 5, 6
R. (1) The
Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
Beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
He guides me in right paths
for his name's sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
With your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
Beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
He guides me in right paths
for his name's sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
With your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Gospel Lk 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 voice, 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."
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 voice, 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."
www.usccb.org
Meditation:"He
fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks"
What can adversity teach us
about the blessing of thanksgiving and the healing power of love and mercy? The
Book of Proverbs states: A friend loves at all times; and a brother is born for
adversity (Proverbs 17:17). When adversity strikes you find out who truly is
your brother, sister, and friend. The gospel records an unusual encounter
between two peoples who had been divided for centuries. The Jews and Samaritans
had no dealings with one another even though Samaria was located in the central
part of Judaea. Both peoples were openly hostile whenever their paths crossed.
In this gospel narrative we see one rare exception – a Samaritan leper in
company with nine Jewish lepers. Sometimes adversity forces people to drop
their barriers or to forget their prejudices. When this band of Jewish and
Samaritan lepers saw Jesus they made a bold request. They didn't ask for
healing, but instead asked for mercy.
The word mercy literally means
"sorrowful at heart". But mercy is something more than compassion, or
heartfelt sorrow at another's misfortune. Compassion empathizes with the
sufferer. But mercy goes further; it removes suffering. A merciful person
shares in another's misfortune and suffering as if it were his or her own. And
such a person will do everything in his or her power to dispel that misery.
Mercy is also connected with justice. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274), a great
teacher and scripture scholar, said that mercy "does not destroy justice,
but is a certain kind of fulfillment of justice. ..Mercy without justice is the
mother of dissolution; (and) justice without mercy is cruelty." Pardon
without repentance negates justice. So what is the significance of these ten
lepers asking for mercy? They know they are in need of healing, not just
physical, but spiritual healing as well.
They approach Jesus with contrition and faith because they believe that
he can release the burden of guilt and suffering and make restoration of body
and soul possible. Their request for mercy is both a plea for pardon and
release from suffering. Jesus gives mercy to all who ask with faith and
contrition.
Why did only one leper out of
ten return to show gratitude? Gratefulness, another word which expresses
gratitude or thankfulness, is related to grace – which means the release of
loveliness. Gratitude is the homage of the heart which responds with
graciousness in expressing an act of thanksgiving. The Samaritan approached
Jesus reverently and gave praise to God. If we do not recognize and appreciate
the mercy shown us we will be ungrateful. Ingratitude is forgetfulness or a
poor return for kindness received. Ingratitude easily leads to lack of charity
and intolerance towards others. It easily leads to lack of charity and
intolerance towards others, as well as to other sins, such as discontent, dissatisfaction,
complaining, grumbling, pride and presumption. How often have we been
ungrateful to our parents, pastors, teachers, and neighbors? Do you express
gratitude to God for his abundant grace and mercy and are you gracious and
merciful towards your neighbor?
"Lord Jesus, may I never fail to recognize your
loving kindness and mercy. Fill my heart with gratitude and thanksgiving, and
free me from ingratitude and discontentment. Help me to count my blessings with
a gratefull heart and to give thanks in all circumstances."
www.dailyscripture.net
 The Highest of All Prayers |
|
Wednesday of the Thirty-Second Week in
Ordinary Time
|
|
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 voice, 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."
Introductory Prayer: I love you my Lord,
because you are love itself. Forgive all that is in me that does not come
from your love and does not reflect your love. If I am to become what you
want me to be, it will happen only if I allow you to act in me.
Petition: Lord, grant me the gift of gratitude towards
you.
1. From Receiver to Giver: These poor lepers are
outcasts, banned from communion with all society. Their only hope is Christ.
They have nothing to lose by asking, and so they make their plea. Standing at
a distance from Christ, according to the law, they acknowledge their own
helplessness and beg for mercy. They receive it: Christ heals them, and they
go on their way, satisfied with his gift. To our Lord’s dismay, however, only
one returns to give thanks. To give thanks in Greek is EuXaristia. Only one is Eucharistic; only one is
saved.
2. A Just Return: Our Lord rewards gratitude. Why is our
thanksgiving so important to God? In a way, by showing gratitude we justly
return to God what he deserves. Take the example of the lepers: They are
helpless outcasts. They can’t do anything for themselves except beg – much
like our situation before God. We, too, are spiritual lepers begging God’s
mercy. If we were to accept God’s gift without giving thanks, we would be reduced
to mere consumers of grace, incapable of giving anything back. But God wants
to save us from that predicament, and he asks our thanksgiving, euXaristia.
3. From Thanksgiving to Communion: What is the dynamic
of thanksgiving? When we give thanks, we are no longer passive recipients; we
become active givers, giving back to One who has given us what we do not
deserve. When we become active givers, God places us on another level –
another level capable of receiving even more from him. By giving thanks for
what he had received, the leper was capable of receiving more from God.
Indeed, he did receive more – he was saved. Saved by God’s mercy, he was now
capable of receiving still more, of growing in intimacy with God. God invites
us into a personal relationship today, into a Eucharistic relationship in
which we are no longer mere passive recipients of his grace, but coworkers of
his redemption. In living a life of thanksgiving, a Eucharistic life, we
attract many blessings for our own souls, our families, our parish, and for
souls in danger of being lost.
Conversation with Christ: Lord, make me aware
of the many gifts you have given me so that I may respond to them and give
you what you deserve: my heartfelt thanksgiving. May I be more thankful and
thus deepen my communion with you.
Resolution: I will make a visit to the Eucharist today
and consider the many gifts God has given me. In adoration I will thank him
with all my being.
|
www.regnumchristi.com
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14
LUKE 17:11-19
(Titus 3:1-7; Psalm 23)
KEY VERSE: "Stand up and go your way; your faith has been your salvation" (v 19).
READING: As Jesus journeyed to Jerusalem, he crossed the border of Samaria where he met ten lepers, one of them a Samaritan. The Samaritans were viewed as "unclean" heretics because of their intermarriage with pagan foreigners when the land was resettled after the Exile. By law, anyone infected with leprosy was also rendered unclean and excluded from the Israelite community (Lv 13:45-46). To reenter society, the individual had to be examined by a priest who would determine if the person had been healed. When the lepers cried to Jesus for pity, he gave them a simple command to show themselves to the priest, which implied that they were already restored to health (Lv 14:1-4). Although all ten were healed, only the Samaritan returned to worship at the feet of Jesus. Despite the difference in religious belief, it was this foreigner who was restored to health and saved by faith in Jesus.
REFLECTING: Do I serve all people, regardless of their race, creed or color?
PRAYING: Lord Jesus, help me to show gratitude for all the wonderful things you do for me.
LUKE 17:11-19
(Titus 3:1-7; Psalm 23)
KEY VERSE: "Stand up and go your way; your faith has been your salvation" (v 19).
READING: As Jesus journeyed to Jerusalem, he crossed the border of Samaria where he met ten lepers, one of them a Samaritan. The Samaritans were viewed as "unclean" heretics because of their intermarriage with pagan foreigners when the land was resettled after the Exile. By law, anyone infected with leprosy was also rendered unclean and excluded from the Israelite community (Lv 13:45-46). To reenter society, the individual had to be examined by a priest who would determine if the person had been healed. When the lepers cried to Jesus for pity, he gave them a simple command to show themselves to the priest, which implied that they were already restored to health (Lv 14:1-4). Although all ten were healed, only the Samaritan returned to worship at the feet of Jesus. Despite the difference in religious belief, it was this foreigner who was restored to health and saved by faith in Jesus.
REFLECTING: Do I serve all people, regardless of their race, creed or color?
PRAYING: Lord Jesus, help me to show gratitude for all the wonderful things you do for me.
www.daily-word-of-life.com
Catholic Homily
A GRATEFUL HEART
Readings: Tit
3:1-7;Lk 17:11-19
Poet Rabindranath Tagore expressed it in this way: “I
have thanked the trees that have made my life fruitful, but have failed to
remember the grass that has ever kept it green.” We take so much of God’s
blessings in creation for granted. What of his blessings to each of us
personally given? There is an Irish proverb: “Get on your knees and thank God
you are on your feet.” It is incredible that the nine lepers who had been cured
failed to return to give thanks to the Lord. May we imitate the Samaritan (Lk
17:16) who returned to thank the Lord. The Mass is a constant reminder of our
need to thank God, for Eucharist is a worship of thanks and praise to God, for
all of the good things he has given to entire humanity. How do we express our
gratitude to God? It is not merely in words but by our life, a life that
responds to God’s goodness through our goodness to others. Still another
specific form of response to God’s goodness is, as St Paul writes to Titus (Tn
3:1), to be loyal citizens to our Government. In other words, our entire lives,
not just prayers, must be a thanksgiving to God. Helen Keller said, “So much
has been given to me that I have no time to ponder over that which has been
denied!” My own often repeated prayer is: “Oh God who has given so much,
mercifully grant me one more thing - a grateful heart!”
www.spreadjesus.org
The
Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want
As they
were going away, they were cleansed.Luke tells us that one of them, finding himself cured, turned back praising God and, prostrating himself, thanked Jesus. This passage is about gratitude. One side of the coin is showing gratitude, the other is failure to show it. In any relationship, recognising the need for gratitude and saying thanks enhances the connection.
The most important relationship for us to nurture is our relationship with our creator God through Jesus. Expressing gratitude brings joy to both the receiver and the giver. Gratitude is most important in bringing us closer to God through Jesus. Any failure on our part to express words of gratitude in this spiritual setting places us alongside the nine who disappointed Jesus.
www.churchresources.info
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
Providing for Others
Lord, we long to serve you and to provide for those persons entrusted to our care. Give us the strength and confidence to continue along the path you have prepared for us, and help us find the means to support ourselves.
— from The Blessing Cup
November 16
St. Gertrude
(1256?-1302)
St. Gertrude
(1256?-1302)
Gertrude, a Benedictine nun in Helfta
(Saxony), was one of the great mystics of the 13th century. Together with her
friend and teacher St. Mechtild, she practiced a spirituality called
"nuptial mysticism," that is, she came to see herself as the bride of
Christ. Her spiritual life was a deeply personal union with Jesus and his Sacred
Heart, leading her into the very life of the Trinity.
But this was no
individualistic piety. Gertrude lived the rhythm of the liturgy, where she
found Christ. In the liturgy and in Scripture, she found the themes and images
to enrich and express her piety. There was no clash between her personal prayer
life and the liturgy.
Comment:
Gertrude's life is another reminder that the heart of the Christian life is prayer: private and liturgical, ordinary or mystical, always personal.
Gertrude's life is another reminder that the heart of the Christian life is prayer: private and liturgical, ordinary or mystical, always personal.
Quote:
"Lord, you have granted me your secret friendship by opening the sacred ark of your divinity, your deified heart, to me in so many ways as to be the source of all my happiness; sometimes imparting it freely, sometimes as a special mark of our mutual friendship. You have so often melted my soul with your loving caresses that, if I did not know the abyss of your overflowing condescensions, I should be amazed were I told that even your Blessed Mother had been chosen to receive such extraordinary marks of tenderness and affection" (Adapted from The Life and Revelations of Saint Gertrude).
"Lord, you have granted me your secret friendship by opening the sacred ark of your divinity, your deified heart, to me in so many ways as to be the source of all my happiness; sometimes imparting it freely, sometimes as a special mark of our mutual friendship. You have so often melted my soul with your loving caresses that, if I did not know the abyss of your overflowing condescensions, I should be amazed were I told that even your Blessed Mother had been chosen to receive such extraordinary marks of tenderness and affection" (Adapted from The Life and Revelations of Saint Gertrude).
Patron
Saint of:
West Indies
West Indies
www.americancatholic.org
St. Lawrence
O'Toole*
St. Lawrence,
it appears, was born about the year 1125. When only ten years old, his father
delivered him up as a hostage to Dermod Mac Murehad, King of Leinster, who
treated the child with great inhumanity, until his father obliged the tyrant to
put him in the hands of the Bishop of Glendalough, in the county of Wicklow.
The holy youth, by his fidelity in corresponding with the divine grace, grew to
be a model of virtues. On the death of the bishop, who was also abbot of the
monastery, St. Lawrence was chosen abbot in 1150, though he was only
twenty-five years old, and governed his numerous community with wonderful virtue
and prudence. In 1161 St. Lawrence was unanimously chosen to fill the new
metropolitan See of Dublin. About the year 1171 he was obliged, for the affairs
of his diocese, to go over to England to see the king, Henry II, who was then
at Canterbury. The Saint was received by the Benedictine monks of Christ Church
with the greatest honor and respect. On the following day, as the holy
archbishop was going to the altar to officiate, a maniac, who had heard much of
his sanctity, and who was led on by the idea of making so holy a man another
St. Thomas, struck him a violent blow on the head. All present concluded that
he was mortally wounded; but the Saint came to himself, asked for some water,
blessed it, and having his wound washed with it, the blood was immediately
stopped, and the Archbishop celebrated Mass. In 1175 Henry II of England became
offended with Roderic, the monarch of Ireland, and St.Lawrence undertook
another journey to England to negotiate a reconciliation between them. Henry
was so moved by his piety, charity, and prudence that he granted him everything
he asked, and left the whole negotiation to his discretion. Our Saint ended his
journey here below on the 14th of November, 1180, and was buried in the church
of the abbey at Eu, on the confines of Normandy. His feast day is November
14th.
*Lorcán
Ua Tuathail, also known as St Laurence O'Toole, was born
at Castledermot, Ireland, in 1128, and died at Eu, Normandy,
on 14 November 1180; he was canonized in 1225 by Pope Honorius III.
www.catholic.org
St.
Etienne-Theodore Cuenot
1802 - 1861
The family of
Etienne-Theodore Cuenot, of Beaulieu, France, was so poor that when Etienne
decided in his teenage years to begin seminary studies, his mother could only
obtain the fabric needed to make him a fitting suit of clothes by cutting up
her wedding gown. Etienne saw his mother weeping as she prepared to sacrifice
this cherished memento of her wedding day for his sake. When years later
Etienne was ordained a priest, he showed his gratitude by giving his mother a
new dress. Father Cuenot subsequently entered the Paris Society for Foreign
Missions, and set out for the Far East in January of 1828. After arriving at
Macao, he continued on to Vietnam to begin his missionary labors there. In
1835, Father Cuenot was consecrated an auxiliary bishop of the Vietnamese
missions. Over the twenty-six years of his episcopate, he ordained fifty-six
native priests and procured Vietnamese translations of The Imitation of Christ
and portions of the Bible. In 1861 Bishop Cuenot was captured by troops of the
pagan emperor Tu-Duc. But before he could be executed, he died in prison. He
was canonized in 1988 by Pope John-Paul II. His feast day is November 14.
www.catholic.org
ALL
CARMELITE SAINTS (FEAST)
Liturgy:
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
"Like the prophet
Elijah, all the Saints of Carmel have been shaped through a school of spiritual
fire. They also intimated the example of Mary and made their truest expression
in the experience of love and that love makes the history of the Order. They
became a hymn of praise to offer to our God."
We receive the great
gift from our brothers and sisters who have consecrated their lives to God.
They embraced the teachings of the Divine Master and lived their lives in
“allegiance to Jesus Christ”. They gave themselves to the service of God in
prayer, in evangelical self-denial, and in loving for souls. At times, they
have shed their own blood to testify this love.
Who are the saints of
Carmel? They are hermits of Mount Carmel who “lived in small cells, similar to
the cells of a beehive, they lived as God’s bees, gathering the divine honey of
spiritual consolation.” They are mendicants of the first medieval communities,
who discovered the presence of God in the events of ordinary daily life and especially
seeing God in his brothers and sisters. They are teachers and preachers,
missionaries and martyrs who searched for the face of God among the people.
They are nuns who have contributed to the growth of God's people by their
mystical experience and especially through their fervent prayer and
contemplative life. They are religious, who showed us the face of Christ
through their apostolate in hospitals or schools, especially in the mission
lands. They are laity, who were able to embody the spirit of Carmel and lived
that spirit in the midst of the people. Simon Stock, Andrew Corsini, Albert of
Trapani, John of Cross, Teresa of Ávila, Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Edith
Stein, Titus Brandsma, Angelo Paoli and countless saints and blesseds of Carmel
together with Mary, the Mother of Carmel, are now singing a song of praise to
the Father in Heaven.
They can be great saints that the whole Church venerates and invokes in the liturgy, or they are humble saints, who are known and venerated by only a few outside the Order. But all of them, through their lives, have offered us a secret of holiness to become saints. They can teach us how to live virtues of hope, love and faith and how to make our daily commitment to God. And they show us how to dedicate their whole heart to Christ.
All Carmelite Saints let themselves be shaped according to the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who lived in intimacy with her Son. It is from her that they have learned to live in Christ and to live the love of Christ. From her they were inspired to consecrate their lives for the Church and for souls. In short, the life of the Virgin has an absolute importance in the experience of all the Carmelite Saints.
We pray that the example of these saints will continue to inspire holiness in a new generation of our brothers and sisters. Like them, we can live in allegiance to Jesus Christ and serve Him with a pure heart and a good conscience. Like them, we can know how to devote ourselves day and night to the contemplation of the Word and to generous service for the humanity. Finally, we ask that the examples of Carmelite saints may impact us immensely and concretely and make us have a deeper love for Christ, for the Church and for the whole world.
They can be great saints that the whole Church venerates and invokes in the liturgy, or they are humble saints, who are known and venerated by only a few outside the Order. But all of them, through their lives, have offered us a secret of holiness to become saints. They can teach us how to live virtues of hope, love and faith and how to make our daily commitment to God. And they show us how to dedicate their whole heart to Christ.
All Carmelite Saints let themselves be shaped according to the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who lived in intimacy with her Son. It is from her that they have learned to live in Christ and to live the love of Christ. From her they were inspired to consecrate their lives for the Church and for souls. In short, the life of the Virgin has an absolute importance in the experience of all the Carmelite Saints.
We pray that the example of these saints will continue to inspire holiness in a new generation of our brothers and sisters. Like them, we can live in allegiance to Jesus Christ and serve Him with a pure heart and a good conscience. Like them, we can know how to devote ourselves day and night to the contemplation of the Word and to generous service for the humanity. Finally, we ask that the examples of Carmelite saints may impact us immensely and concretely and make us have a deeper love for Christ, for the Church and for the whole world.
LECTIO: LUKE 17,11-19
Lectio:
Wednesday, November
14, 2012
.jpg)
Ordinary Time
1) Opening prayer
God of power and mercy,
protect us from all harm.
Give us freedom of spirit
and health in mind and body
to do your work on earth.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
protect us from all harm.
Give us freedom of spirit
and health in mind and body
to do your work on earth.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2) Gospel reading -
Luke 17,11-19
Now it happened that on the way to Jerusalem
Jesus was travelling in the borderlands of Samaria and Galilee.
As he entered one of the villages, ten men suffering from a virulent skin-disease came to meet him. They stood some way off and called to him, 'Jesus! Master! Take pity on us.'
When he saw them he said, 'Go and show yourselves to the priests.' Now as they were going away they were cleansed.
Finding himself cured, one of them turned back praising God at the top of his voice and threw himself prostrate at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. The man was a Samaritan.
This led Jesus to say, 'Were not all ten made clean? The other nine, where are they? It seems that no one has come back to give praise to God, except this foreigner.' And he said to the man, 'Stand up and go on your way. Your faith has saved you.'
As he entered one of the villages, ten men suffering from a virulent skin-disease came to meet him. They stood some way off and called to him, 'Jesus! Master! Take pity on us.'
When he saw them he said, 'Go and show yourselves to the priests.' Now as they were going away they were cleansed.
Finding himself cured, one of them turned back praising God at the top of his voice and threw himself prostrate at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. The man was a Samaritan.
This led Jesus to say, 'Were not all ten made clean? The other nine, where are they? It seems that no one has come back to give praise to God, except this foreigner.' And he said to the man, 'Stand up and go on your way. Your faith has saved you.'
3) Reflection
• In today’s Gospel, Luke gives an account of
the cure of the ten lepers, of whom only one thanked Jesus. And he was a
Samaritan! Gratitude is another theme which is very typical of Luke: to live in
an attitude of gratitude and to praise God for everything which we receive from
Him. This is why Luke says many times that people were admired and praised God
for the things that Jesus did (Lk 2, 28.38; 5, 25.26; 7, 16; 13, 13; 17, 15.18;
18, 43; 19, 37; etc). The Gospel of Luke gives us several canticles and hymns
which express this experience of gratitude and of thanksgiving (Lk 1, 46-55; 1,
68-79; 2, 29-32).
• Luke 17, 11: Jesus on his way to Jerusalem. Luke recalls that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, passing through Samaria to go to Galilee. From the beginning of his journey (Lk 9, 52) up until now (Lk 17, 11), Jesus walks through Samaria. It is only now that he is leaving Samaria, passing through Galilee in order to reach Jerusalem. That means that the important teachings given in these last chapters from the 9th to the 17th were all given on a territory which was not Jewish. To hear that must have been a great joy for Luke’s communities, which were from Paganism. Jesus the pilgrim continues his journey toward Jerusalem. He continues to eliminate the differences or inequalities which men have created. He continues on the long and painful road of the periphery toward the capital city, from a religion closed up in itself toward an open religion which knows how to accept others as brothers and sisters, sons and daughters of the same Father. This openness is manifested also in the acceptance given to the ten lepers.
• Luke 17, 12-13: The calling out of the lepers. Ten lepers went close to Jesus; they stopped at a distance and called out: “Jesus, Master! Take pity on us!" The leper was a person who was excluded; was marginalized and despised; and had no right to live with the family. According to the law of purity, lepers had to go around with torn clothes and uncombed hair, calling out: “Impure! Impure!” (Lv 13, 45-46). For the lepers to look for a cure meant the same thing as to seek purity in order to be able to be integrated again into the community. They could not get close to others (Lv 13, 45-46). Anyone who was touched by a leper became unclean and that prevented him from being able to address himself to God. By means of crying out they expressed their faith in Jesus who could cure them and give them back purity. To obtain purity meant to feel again accepted by God and be able to address him to receive the blessings promised to Abraham.
• Luke 17, 14: The response of Jesus and the cure. Jesus answered: "Go and show yourselves to the priest!” (cf. Mk 1, 44). The priest had to verify the cure and bear witness to the purity of the one who had been cured (Lv 14,1-32). The response of Jesus demanded great faith on the part of the lepers. They had to go to the priest as if they had already been cured, when in reality their bodies continued to be covered with leprosy. But they believed in Jesus’ word and went to the priest. And it happened that, along the way, the cure took place. They were purified. This cure recalls the story of the purification of Naaman from Syria (2 K 5, 9-10). The prophet Elisha orders the man to go and wash in the Jordan. Namaan had to believe in the word of the prophet. Jesus orders the ten lepers to present themselves to the priests. They should believe in the word of Jesus.
• Luke 17, 11: Jesus on his way to Jerusalem. Luke recalls that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, passing through Samaria to go to Galilee. From the beginning of his journey (Lk 9, 52) up until now (Lk 17, 11), Jesus walks through Samaria. It is only now that he is leaving Samaria, passing through Galilee in order to reach Jerusalem. That means that the important teachings given in these last chapters from the 9th to the 17th were all given on a territory which was not Jewish. To hear that must have been a great joy for Luke’s communities, which were from Paganism. Jesus the pilgrim continues his journey toward Jerusalem. He continues to eliminate the differences or inequalities which men have created. He continues on the long and painful road of the periphery toward the capital city, from a religion closed up in itself toward an open religion which knows how to accept others as brothers and sisters, sons and daughters of the same Father. This openness is manifested also in the acceptance given to the ten lepers.
• Luke 17, 12-13: The calling out of the lepers. Ten lepers went close to Jesus; they stopped at a distance and called out: “Jesus, Master! Take pity on us!" The leper was a person who was excluded; was marginalized and despised; and had no right to live with the family. According to the law of purity, lepers had to go around with torn clothes and uncombed hair, calling out: “Impure! Impure!” (Lv 13, 45-46). For the lepers to look for a cure meant the same thing as to seek purity in order to be able to be integrated again into the community. They could not get close to others (Lv 13, 45-46). Anyone who was touched by a leper became unclean and that prevented him from being able to address himself to God. By means of crying out they expressed their faith in Jesus who could cure them and give them back purity. To obtain purity meant to feel again accepted by God and be able to address him to receive the blessings promised to Abraham.
• Luke 17, 14: The response of Jesus and the cure. Jesus answered: "Go and show yourselves to the priest!” (cf. Mk 1, 44). The priest had to verify the cure and bear witness to the purity of the one who had been cured (Lv 14,1-32). The response of Jesus demanded great faith on the part of the lepers. They had to go to the priest as if they had already been cured, when in reality their bodies continued to be covered with leprosy. But they believed in Jesus’ word and went to the priest. And it happened that, along the way, the cure took place. They were purified. This cure recalls the story of the purification of Naaman from Syria (2 K 5, 9-10). The prophet Elisha orders the man to go and wash in the Jordan. Namaan had to believe in the word of the prophet. Jesus orders the ten lepers to present themselves to the priests. They should believe in the word of Jesus.
• Luke 17, 15-16: Reaction of the Samaritan. “One of them, seeing himself cured, turned back praising God at the top of his voice; and threw himself prostrate at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. The man was a Samaritan”. Why did the others not return? Why only the Samaritan? According to the opinion of the Jews of Jerusalem, the Samaritan did not observe the law as he should. Among the Jews there was the tendency to observe the law in order to be able to merit or deserve or acquire justice. Thanks to the observance, they already had accumulated merits and credit before God. Gratitude and gratuity do not form part of the vocabulary of the persons who live their relationship with God in this way. Perhaps this is the reason why they do not thank God for the benefits received. In the parable of yesterday’s Gospel, Jesus had formulated the same question: “Must he be grateful to the servant for doing what he was told?” (Lk 17, 9) And the answer was: “No!” The Samaritan represents the persons who have a clear conscience that we, human beings, have no merits or rights before God. Everything is grace, beginning from the gift of one’s own life!
• Luke 17, 17-19: The final observation of Jesus. Jesus observes: “Were not all ten made clean? The other nine, where are they? It seems that no one has come back to give praise to God except this foreigner?” For Jesus, to thank the others for the benefit received is a way of rendering praise that is due to God. On this point, the Samaritans gave a lesson to the Jews. Today the poor are those who carry out the role of the Samaritan, and help us to rediscover this dimension of gratuity of life. Everything that we receive should be considered as a gift from God who comes to us through the brother and the sister.
• The welcome given to the Samaritan in the Gospel of Luke. For Luke, the place which Jesus gave to the Samaritans is the same as that which the communities had to reserve for the pagans. Jesus presents a Samaritan as a model of gratitude (Lk 17, 17-19) and of love toward neighbour (Lk 10, 30-33). This must have been quite shocking, because for the Jews, the Samaritans or pagans were the same thing. They could have no access inside the Temple of Jerusalem, nor participate in the worship. They were considered as bearers of impurity, they were impure from birth, from the cradle. For Luke, instead the Good News of Jesus is addressed in the first place to the persons of these groups who were considered unworthy to receive it. The salvation of God which reaches us through Jesus is purely a gift. It does not depend on the merits of any one.
4) Personal
questions
• And you, do you generally thank persons? Do
you thank out of conviction or simply because of custom? And in prayer: do you
give thanks or do you forget?
• To live with gratitude is a sign of the presence of the Kingdom in our midst. How can we transmit to others the importance of living in gratitude and in gratuity?
• To live with gratitude is a sign of the presence of the Kingdom in our midst. How can we transmit to others the importance of living in gratitude and in gratuity?
5) Concluding prayer
Yahweh is my shepherd,
I lack nothing.
In grassy meadows he lets me lie.
By tranquil streams he leads me. (Ps 23,1-2)
I lack nothing.
In grassy meadows he lets me lie.
By tranquil streams he leads me. (Ps 23,1-2)
www.ocarm.org
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét