Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 144
Lectionary: 144
Naaman went down and plunged into the Jordan seven times
at the word of Elisha, the man of God.
His flesh became again like the flesh of a little child,
and he was clean of his leprosy.
Naaman returned with his whole retinue to the man of God.
On his arrival he stood before Elisha and said,
“Now I know that there is no God in all the earth,
except in Israel.
Please accept a gift from your servant.”
Elisha replied, “As the LORD lives whom I serve, I will not take it;”
and despite Naaman's urging, he still refused.
Naaman said: “If you will not accept,
please let me, your servant, have two mule-loads of earth,
for I will no longer offer holocaust or sacrifice
to any other god except to the LORD.”
at the word of Elisha, the man of God.
His flesh became again like the flesh of a little child,
and he was clean of his leprosy.
Naaman returned with his whole retinue to the man of God.
On his arrival he stood before Elisha and said,
“Now I know that there is no God in all the earth,
except in Israel.
Please accept a gift from your servant.”
Elisha replied, “As the LORD lives whom I serve, I will not take it;”
and despite Naaman's urging, he still refused.
Naaman said: “If you will not accept,
please let me, your servant, have two mule-loads of earth,
for I will no longer offer holocaust or sacrifice
to any other god except to the LORD.”
Responsorial
PsalmPS 98:1, 2-3, 3-4
R. (cf. 2b) The
Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
his right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
The LORD has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands:
break into song; sing praise.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
his right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
The LORD has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands:
break into song; sing praise.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
Reading 22 TM 2:8-13
Beloved:
Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David:
such is my gospel, for which I am suffering,
even to the point of chains, like a criminal.
But the word of God is not chained.
Therefore, I bear with everything for the sake of those who are chosen,
so that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus,
together with eternal glory.
This saying is trustworthy:
If we have died with him
we shall also live with him;
if we persevere
we shall also reign with him.
But if we deny him
he will deny us.
If we are unfaithful
he remains faithful,
for he cannot deny himself.
Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David:
such is my gospel, for which I am suffering,
even to the point of chains, like a criminal.
But the word of God is not chained.
Therefore, I bear with everything for the sake of those who are chosen,
so that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus,
together with eternal glory.
This saying is trustworthy:
If we have died with him
we shall also live with him;
if we persevere
we shall also reign with him.
But if we deny him
he will deny us.
If we are unfaithful
he remains faithful,
for he cannot deny himself.
Alleluia1 THESS 5:18
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
In all circumstances, give thanks,
for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
In all circumstances, give thanks,
for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelLK 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.”
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.”
28th
Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle C
Note: Where a Scripture text is underlined in the body of this discussion, it is recommended that the reader look up and read that passage.
1st Reading - 2 Kings 5:14-17
The books of Kings chronicle the period of time between roughly 970 B.C. through 587 B.C.; the reign of Solomon, through the division of the kingdom into Judah and Israel, and then the Babylonian occupation and the destruction of the temple and the exile of the people of God. 1st and 2nd Kings in fact form one continuous work with the division arbitrarily disrupting the account of the reign of Ahaziah of Israel. Although it spans almost 400 years in a chronological manner, it is not a work of political or social history, but one of theological history. It recounts from a consistent theological point of view, Israel’s life in its own land from the end of David’s reign to the Babylonian exile. It is less interested in accurately chronicling events, no matter how important they may seem to the modern historian, than in explaining the tragic fate of Yahweh’s people. The sources used by the sacred author are many and varied, ranging from popular tales (1 Kings 3:16-27) and miracle stories (2 Kings 2) to archival records (1 Kings 4:7-19). In Kings, the sacred author repeatedly refers the reader to three sources by name for further information: The Acts of Solomon (1 Kings 11:41), The Chronicles of the Kings of Judah (1 Kings 14:29), and The Chronicles of the Kings of Israel (1 Kings 14:19). Unfortunately, all three are now lost, although references to them are in 40 verses of Holy Scripture.
Today’s reading takes place sometime around 850 B.C. when Elisha is the prophet and describes Elisha as the master of leprosy. Naaman, king of Damascus and captain of the army of the King of Syria, has contracted leprosy. Some time earlier, his army had taken a young Israelite girl as captive and she is now Naaman’s wife’s servant. This girl advises her mistress to have Naaman go to see the prophet in Samaria (Elisha) for a cure. Naaman got permission from his king and a letter of introduction to the King of Israel, and departed taking with him ten talents of silver (about 750 pounds), 6000 shekels of gold (about 150 pounds) and ten sets of clothes. The letter of introduction read “I am sending my servant Naaman to you so that you may cure him of leprosy.” Upon reading the letter, the Israelite king became very upset because he thought the Syrian king was trying to pick a quarrel with him by giving him an impossible task – one only God could perform. Upon hearing of the king’s distress, Elisha sent him a note to have Naaman “come to him so he will know there is a prophet in Israel.” Upon meeting Elisha, Naaman is told to go wash himself seven times in the Jordan and he will be cured. Naaman went away angry. He had expected to have the prophet invoke the name of God, wave his hand over the affected area, and he would be cured. Instead, he is told to wash in a dirty river – surely the rivers of Damascus are cleaner. Naaman’s servants however convinced him to try the cure; after all, if the prophet had told him to do some great thing he would have done it.
14 So Naaman went down and plunged into the Jordan seven times at the word of the man of God.
Seven is the number of the covenant. A complete washing.
His flesh became again like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. 15 He returned with his whole retinue to the man of God. On his arrival he stood before him and said, “Now I know
Before this event, he had doubted – to the point of beginning to return to the land of Damascus.
that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel.
The dirty waters of Israel have effected a cure.
Please accept a gift from your servant.”
Presumably the gold and silver (about $750,000 worth at today’s prices)
16 “As the LORD lives whom I serve, I will not take it,” Elisha replied; and despite Naaman’s urging, he still refused.
Acceptance would suggest that it was Elisha’s own powers that had effected the cure.
17 Naaman said: “If you will not accept, please let me, your servant, have two mule-loads of earth, for I will no longer offer holocaust or sacrifice to any other god except to the LORD.
Naaman states a common ancient conception that linked and limited a deity to some particular territory (see Psalm 137:4). If Naaman is to worship Yahweh in Damascus, he must take some of Yahweh’s domain with him, hence the two mule-loads of earth. This way, he can build his altar on Yahweh’s domain when he worships the true God in Damascus, his home city.
2nd Reading - 2 Timothy 2:8-13
As we continue with our study of 2nd Timothy, we find Saint Paul describing the sufferings of the Christian apostle and the hope that he has.
8 Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David:
Emphasizes the messianic kingship of Jesus
such is my gospel,
The good news. By His victory over death He has shown Himself to be the Son of God (see Romans 1:4).
9 for which I am suffering, even to the point of chains, like a criminal. But the word of God is not chained.
Because there are other preachers. Also, Paul has been able to spread the word even as a prisoner.
“But now God has made us such that nothing can subdue us. Our hands are bound but not our tongue, since nothing can bind the tongue but cowardice and unbelief. Where these are not, though you fasten chains upon us, the preaching of the gospel is not bound.” [Saint John Chrysostom (between A.D. 393-397), Homilies on the Second Epistle to Timothy 4]
10 Therefore, I bear with everything for the sake of those who are chosen,
His sufferings are of value for those chosen for Christianity, both those already Christians and those not yet converted.
so that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, together with eternal glory. 11 This saying is trustworthy:
The saying is sure. Paul draws attention to the fundamental truth.
If we have died with him we shall also live with him;
Refers back to verse 8. When Paul speaks of dying with Christ and rising with Him, he has in mind not only the mystical death and resurrection of baptism, but also the development of this experience in the Christian life, with special emphasis on the physical sufferings and dangers of the apostolate, the final stage of this assimilation with Christ taking place at the parousia.
“The Savior, too, first granted you this very thing – that you should fall. You were a Gentile. Let the Gentile in you fall. You loved prostitutes. Let the lover of prostitutes in you perish first. You were a sinner. Let the sinner in you fall. Then you can rise again and say, ‘If we have died with Him, we shall also live with Him,’ and, ‘If we have been made like Him in death, we shall also be like Him in resurrection.” [Origen (after A.D. 233), Homilies on Luke 17,3]
12 if we persevere we shall also reign with him. But if we deny him
Such a denial would mean infidelity to Christ.
he will deny us.
Christ’s denial would be a refusal to recognize a man at the judgment as one of His followers.
13 If we are unfaithful he remains faithful,
Either to His promise to punish or to His promise to show love and mercy
for he cannot deny himself.
He is unchangeable in His very nature.
Gospel - Luke 17:11-19
Our gospel reading this week takes over where our reading left off last week. Last week we heard of the inward renewal of disciples. Today we begin the conclusion of what it means to be a follower of Jesus.
11 As he [Jesus] continued his journey to Jerusalem, he traveled through Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was entering a village, ten lepers met (him).
Persons with skin diseases were not clean or holy and were isolated. They could not go to synagogue or Temple. Anyone who touched an unclean person became unclean themselves. These ten are separated from everything – including their kinsmen.
They stood at a distance from him 13 and raised their voice,
Being careful to avoid making someone unclean, they stay away. Misery so loves company that this group consists of both Jews and one Samaritan (with whom Jews normally did not deal).
saying, “Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!” 14 And when he saw them, he said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.”
In compliance with Mosaic law (see Leviticus 14:1-32). The Samaritan most probably would have gone to his own priests at Mt. Gerizim.
As they were going they were cleansed. 15 And one of them, realizing he had been healed, returned,
Naaman (a foreigner in Israel) also returned to Elisha in our 1st reading today.
glorifying God in a loud voice;
He gave glory to God by proclaiming God’s redemptive acts. Not necessarily praising Jesus, but God who sent Him.
16 and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. He was a Samaritan. 17 Jesus said in reply, “Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine? 18 Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?” 19 Then he said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.”
Not salvation by faith alone, the Samaritan had to act on that faith and ask for healing. Jesus has restored him to his community and family – he is no longer an outcast. In Jesus, His disciples (us) find the fullness of human wholeness.
Note: Where a Scripture text is underlined in the body of this discussion, it is recommended that the reader look up and read that passage.
1st Reading - 2 Kings 5:14-17
The books of Kings chronicle the period of time between roughly 970 B.C. through 587 B.C.; the reign of Solomon, through the division of the kingdom into Judah and Israel, and then the Babylonian occupation and the destruction of the temple and the exile of the people of God. 1st and 2nd Kings in fact form one continuous work with the division arbitrarily disrupting the account of the reign of Ahaziah of Israel. Although it spans almost 400 years in a chronological manner, it is not a work of political or social history, but one of theological history. It recounts from a consistent theological point of view, Israel’s life in its own land from the end of David’s reign to the Babylonian exile. It is less interested in accurately chronicling events, no matter how important they may seem to the modern historian, than in explaining the tragic fate of Yahweh’s people. The sources used by the sacred author are many and varied, ranging from popular tales (1 Kings 3:16-27) and miracle stories (2 Kings 2) to archival records (1 Kings 4:7-19). In Kings, the sacred author repeatedly refers the reader to three sources by name for further information: The Acts of Solomon (1 Kings 11:41), The Chronicles of the Kings of Judah (1 Kings 14:29), and The Chronicles of the Kings of Israel (1 Kings 14:19). Unfortunately, all three are now lost, although references to them are in 40 verses of Holy Scripture.
Today’s reading takes place sometime around 850 B.C. when Elisha is the prophet and describes Elisha as the master of leprosy. Naaman, king of Damascus and captain of the army of the King of Syria, has contracted leprosy. Some time earlier, his army had taken a young Israelite girl as captive and she is now Naaman’s wife’s servant. This girl advises her mistress to have Naaman go to see the prophet in Samaria (Elisha) for a cure. Naaman got permission from his king and a letter of introduction to the King of Israel, and departed taking with him ten talents of silver (about 750 pounds), 6000 shekels of gold (about 150 pounds) and ten sets of clothes. The letter of introduction read “I am sending my servant Naaman to you so that you may cure him of leprosy.” Upon reading the letter, the Israelite king became very upset because he thought the Syrian king was trying to pick a quarrel with him by giving him an impossible task – one only God could perform. Upon hearing of the king’s distress, Elisha sent him a note to have Naaman “come to him so he will know there is a prophet in Israel.” Upon meeting Elisha, Naaman is told to go wash himself seven times in the Jordan and he will be cured. Naaman went away angry. He had expected to have the prophet invoke the name of God, wave his hand over the affected area, and he would be cured. Instead, he is told to wash in a dirty river – surely the rivers of Damascus are cleaner. Naaman’s servants however convinced him to try the cure; after all, if the prophet had told him to do some great thing he would have done it.
14 So Naaman went down and plunged into the Jordan seven times at the word of the man of God.
Seven is the number of the covenant. A complete washing.
His flesh became again like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. 15 He returned with his whole retinue to the man of God. On his arrival he stood before him and said, “Now I know
Before this event, he had doubted – to the point of beginning to return to the land of Damascus.
that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel.
The dirty waters of Israel have effected a cure.
Please accept a gift from your servant.”
Presumably the gold and silver (about $750,000 worth at today’s prices)
16 “As the LORD lives whom I serve, I will not take it,” Elisha replied; and despite Naaman’s urging, he still refused.
Acceptance would suggest that it was Elisha’s own powers that had effected the cure.
17 Naaman said: “If you will not accept, please let me, your servant, have two mule-loads of earth, for I will no longer offer holocaust or sacrifice to any other god except to the LORD.
Naaman states a common ancient conception that linked and limited a deity to some particular territory (see Psalm 137:4). If Naaman is to worship Yahweh in Damascus, he must take some of Yahweh’s domain with him, hence the two mule-loads of earth. This way, he can build his altar on Yahweh’s domain when he worships the true God in Damascus, his home city.
2nd Reading - 2 Timothy 2:8-13
As we continue with our study of 2nd Timothy, we find Saint Paul describing the sufferings of the Christian apostle and the hope that he has.
8 Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David:
Emphasizes the messianic kingship of Jesus
such is my gospel,
The good news. By His victory over death He has shown Himself to be the Son of God (see Romans 1:4).
9 for which I am suffering, even to the point of chains, like a criminal. But the word of God is not chained.
Because there are other preachers. Also, Paul has been able to spread the word even as a prisoner.
“But now God has made us such that nothing can subdue us. Our hands are bound but not our tongue, since nothing can bind the tongue but cowardice and unbelief. Where these are not, though you fasten chains upon us, the preaching of the gospel is not bound.” [Saint John Chrysostom (between A.D. 393-397), Homilies on the Second Epistle to Timothy 4]
10 Therefore, I bear with everything for the sake of those who are chosen,
His sufferings are of value for those chosen for Christianity, both those already Christians and those not yet converted.
so that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, together with eternal glory. 11 This saying is trustworthy:
The saying is sure. Paul draws attention to the fundamental truth.
If we have died with him we shall also live with him;
Refers back to verse 8. When Paul speaks of dying with Christ and rising with Him, he has in mind not only the mystical death and resurrection of baptism, but also the development of this experience in the Christian life, with special emphasis on the physical sufferings and dangers of the apostolate, the final stage of this assimilation with Christ taking place at the parousia.
“The Savior, too, first granted you this very thing – that you should fall. You were a Gentile. Let the Gentile in you fall. You loved prostitutes. Let the lover of prostitutes in you perish first. You were a sinner. Let the sinner in you fall. Then you can rise again and say, ‘If we have died with Him, we shall also live with Him,’ and, ‘If we have been made like Him in death, we shall also be like Him in resurrection.” [Origen (after A.D. 233), Homilies on Luke 17,3]
12 if we persevere we shall also reign with him. But if we deny him
Such a denial would mean infidelity to Christ.
he will deny us.
Christ’s denial would be a refusal to recognize a man at the judgment as one of His followers.
13 If we are unfaithful he remains faithful,
Either to His promise to punish or to His promise to show love and mercy
for he cannot deny himself.
He is unchangeable in His very nature.
Gospel - Luke 17:11-19
Our gospel reading this week takes over where our reading left off last week. Last week we heard of the inward renewal of disciples. Today we begin the conclusion of what it means to be a follower of Jesus.
11 As he [Jesus] continued his journey to Jerusalem, he traveled through Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was entering a village, ten lepers met (him).
Persons with skin diseases were not clean or holy and were isolated. They could not go to synagogue or Temple. Anyone who touched an unclean person became unclean themselves. These ten are separated from everything – including their kinsmen.
They stood at a distance from him 13 and raised their voice,
Being careful to avoid making someone unclean, they stay away. Misery so loves company that this group consists of both Jews and one Samaritan (with whom Jews normally did not deal).
saying, “Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!” 14 And when he saw them, he said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.”
In compliance with Mosaic law (see Leviticus 14:1-32). The Samaritan most probably would have gone to his own priests at Mt. Gerizim.
As they were going they were cleansed. 15 And one of them, realizing he had been healed, returned,
Naaman (a foreigner in Israel) also returned to Elisha in our 1st reading today.
glorifying God in a loud voice;
He gave glory to God by proclaiming God’s redemptive acts. Not necessarily praising Jesus, but God who sent Him.
16 and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. He was a Samaritan. 17 Jesus said in reply, “Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine? 18 Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?” 19 Then he said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.”
Not salvation by faith alone, the Samaritan had to act on that faith and ask for healing. Jesus has restored him to his community and family – he is no longer an outcast. In Jesus, His disciples (us) find the fullness of human wholeness.
Meditation: "He fell at Jesus'
feet giving 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 Judea. 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.
Mercy is heartfelt sorrow at another's misfortune
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.
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.
God's mercy brings healing of mind, heart, and body
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.
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 of heart and a
thankful disposition, 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.
Ingratitude leads to lack of love and kindness, and
intolerance towards others
If we do not recognize and appreciate the mercy and help shown to us we will be ungrateful and unkind towards others. Ingratitude is forgetfulness or a poor return for kindness received. Ingratitude easily leads to lack of charity and intolerance towards others, as well as to other vices, such as complaining, grumbling, discontentment, 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 help and mercy towards you and are you gracious, kind, and merciful towards your neighbor in their time of need and support?
If we do not recognize and appreciate the mercy and help shown to us we will be ungrateful and unkind towards others. Ingratitude is forgetfulness or a poor return for kindness received. Ingratitude easily leads to lack of charity and intolerance towards others, as well as to other vices, such as complaining, grumbling, discontentment, 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 help and mercy towards you and are you gracious, kind, and merciful towards your neighbor in their time of need and support?
"Lord Jesus, may I never fail to recognize your
loving kindness and mercy towards me. Fill my heart with compassion and
thanksgiving, and free me from ingratitude and discontentment. Help me to count
my blessings with a grateful heart and to give thanks in all
circumstances."
Daily Quote from the early church fathers: Cleansing of the ten lepers, by Cyril of
Alexandria (376-444 AD)
"Why did [Jesus] not say, 'I will, be cleansed,'
as he did in the case of another leper (Luke 5:13), instead of commanding them
to show themselves to the priests? It was because the law gave directions to
this effect to those who were delivered from leprosy (Leviticus 14:2). It
commanded them to show themselves to the priests and to offer a sacrifice for
their cleansing. He commanded them to go as being already healed so that they
might bear witness to the priests, the rulers of the Jews and always envious of
his glory. They testified that wonderfully and beyond their hope, they had been
delivered from their misfortune by Christ's willing that they should be healed.
He did not heal them first but sent them to the priests, because the priests
knew the marks of leprosy and of its healing." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILIES 113-16)
TWENTY-EIGHTH SUNDAY IN
ORDINARY TIME
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9, LUKE 17:11-19
(2 Kings 5:14-17; Psalm 98; 2 Timothy 2:8-13)
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9, LUKE 17:11-19
(2 Kings 5:14-17; Psalm 98; 2 Timothy 2:8-13)
KEY VERSE: "Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?" (v 18).
TO KNOW: As Jesus journeyed to Jerusalem, he crossed the border of Samaria where he met ten lepers; one of them was a Samaritan. Leprosy in Biblical times was not only Hansen’s disease, which attacked the skin and nerves causing deformities of body parts, but was a general term for various skin diseases that caused cultic impurity. According to the Law of Moses, anyone infected with leprosy was rendered unclean and excluded from the 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 and give thanks. While the others were healed of their physical affliction, this man was also saved by faith in Jesus despite the difference in religious belief.
TO LOVE: Lord Jesus, help me to see others the way you do.
TO SERVE: Do I serve all people, regardless of their race, creed or color?
Sunday 9 October 2016
Sun 9th. 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time. 2
Kings 5:14-17. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power—Ps
97(98):1-4. 2 Timothy 2:8-13. Luke 17:11-19.
'Stand up and go, your faith has saved
you'
As someone of non-Jewish background, there
is a part of me which rejoices in the stories about Gentiles in the Bible. I
marvel and give thanks for God's love and actions working through Jesus to
expand whom he called his chosen ones. Having being raised in Jewish law and
tradition, Jesus would have had a perfect understanding of how controversial
his actions were in welcoming people from other lands and faiths. In today's
Gospel he answered the pleas of all ten who had asked for help and noted that
only one, the one considered lesser in his society, returned to give thanks for
the gift. May we go forth today, following Jesus' example and welcome those who
are seen as lesser in our society and may our faith and our following His example,
save us too.
ST.
JOHN LEONARDI
On
Oct. 9, the Catholic Church honors the memory of Saint John Leonardi, who
studied to become a pharmacist but eventually chose the life of the priesthood.
He founded a religious order, and helped establish the Vatican department now
known as the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
Declared
the patron of pharmacists in 2006 because of his original career path, St. John
Leonardi was hailed by Pope Benedict XVI during a 2009 general audience as a
“luminous priestly figure” whose life offers a model for contemporary clergy.
In that address, the Pope highlighted the saint's Christ-centered approach to
the social and spiritual problems of his day.
The
16-century Italian priest saw that humanity “stands in extreme need of Christ,”
Pope Benedict recalled. Thus, St. John Leonardi's apostolate proceeded in the
knowledge that “there is no area that cannot be touched by his power; there is
no evil that cannot find a remedy in him, no problem that is not resolved” in
the person of Jesus Christ.
Born
to middle-class parents during 1541 in the Tuscan region of Lucca, John (or
Giovanni) Leonardi was the youngest of seven children. He enrolled at age 17 in
courses to become a pharmacist, studied diligently for 10 years and became
certified to practice the trade. But the young apothecary had long been
interested in the priesthood, and soon turned to the study of theology to
prepare for ordination.
Ordained
in 1572, John soon became the spiritual director to a small group of young men
looking to pursue vocations to the priesthood. They organized a communal form
of life near a local church, and began the process that would lead to the
formation of the present day Order of the Mother of God (also known as the
Clerks Regular of the Mother of God).
Civic
leaders in Lucca opposed the formation of a new religious order, however, and
acted to stop its formation. While ultimately ineffective, their efforts forced
John Leonardi to spend most of the remainder of his life outside Lucca, with
special exceptions granted by its government under the influence of the Pope.
In
keeping with the spirit of the Catholic Counter-Reformation launched by the
Council of Trent, John Leonardi and his congregation of priests sought to
deepen the knowledge and practice of the faith among clergy and lay Catholics.
In a letter written to Pope Paul V during the early 17th century, he stressed
the universal call to holiness of life for all members of the Church.
“As
regards the remedies required by the Church as a whole, its reformation must be
undertaken among high and low alike, among its leaders as well as its
children,” he told the Pope. But he believed that priority should be given to
the formation of pastors, “so that reform begins among those from whom it
should be communicated to others.”
John
received Papal approval for the Order of the Mother of God in 1595, and he was
also appointed to oversee the reform of two important monasteries. Although the
order's work was largely limited to Italy, John followed the suggestions of his
spiritual director St. Philip Neri by founding a seminary for foreign
missionaries, which became the present-day College for the Propagation of the
Faith.
St.
John Leonardi died in Rome on Oct. 9, 1609, having contracted a deadly illness
while caring for victims of a plague outbreak. Pope Pius XI canonized him in
1938.
LECTIO DIVINA: 28TH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME (C)
Lectio Divina:
Sunday, October 9, 2016
The ten lepers:
Gratitude for the gratuitous gift of salvation
Luke 17, 11-19
Gratitude for the gratuitous gift of salvation
Luke 17, 11-19
Opening prayer
Lord, while you are still crossing our land, today you have stopped here and have entered in my village, into my house, in my life. You have not been afraid, you have not disdained the profound illness of my sin; rather, you have even loved me more. Oh Master, I stop at a distance, together with my brothers and sisters who are walking together with me in this world. I raise my voice and I call you; I show you the wound of my soul. I beg you, heal me with the good ointment of your Holy Spirit, give me the true medicine of your Word; there is nothing else which can cure me, but only You, who are Love…
Lord, while you are still crossing our land, today you have stopped here and have entered in my village, into my house, in my life. You have not been afraid, you have not disdained the profound illness of my sin; rather, you have even loved me more. Oh Master, I stop at a distance, together with my brothers and sisters who are walking together with me in this world. I raise my voice and I call you; I show you the wound of my soul. I beg you, heal me with the good ointment of your Holy Spirit, give me the true medicine of your Word; there is nothing else which can cure me, but only You, who are Love…
1. I read the Word
a) Text
11 Now
it happened that on the way to Jerusalem he was travelling in the borderlands
of Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he entered one of the villages, ten men suffering
from a virulent skin-disease came to meet him. They stood some way off 13 and
called to him, 'Jesus! Master! Take pity on us.' 14 When he saw them he said,
'Go and show yourselves to the priests.' Now as they were going away they were
cleansed. 15 Finding himself cured, one of them turned back praising God at the
top of his voice 16 and threw himself prostrate at the feet of Jesus and
thanked him. The man was a Samaritan. 17 This led Jesus to say, 'Were not all
ten made clean? The other nine, where are they? 18 It seems that no one has
come back to give praise to God, except this foreigner.' 19 And he said to the
man, 'Stand up and go on your way. Your faith has saved you.'
b) The context
This passage places us within the third stage of the road which
Jesus is following toward Jerusalem; by now the goal is close at hand and the
Master calls his disciples even with greater intensity, that is, us, to follow
him to the holy city, in the mystery of salvation, of love. The passage is
fulfilled only through faith, nourished by an intense, unceasing, insistent,
trusting prayer; we see this when we go over the chapters which precede and
follow this account (17, 6; 17, 19; 18, 7-8; 42). These words invite us to
identify ourselves with the lepers, who become children (cf. Lk 18, 15-17) and
with the rich man who is converted and accepts salvation in his home (Lk 18, 18
ff); if we truly accept them and guard them in such a way as to put them into
practice, we will finally be able also to arrive to Jericho (19, 1) and from
there to begin to go up with Jesus (19, 28), up to the joyful embrace with the
Father.
c) The structure:
v. 11: Jesus is travelling and crossed Samaria and Galilee;
little by little, he is getting close to Jerusalem, there is nothing which He
does not visit, does not touch with his look of love and of mercy.
vv. 12 – 14a: Jesus enters one of the villages, which does not have a name, because it is the place, it is the life of all and here he encounters the ten lepers, sick men, already eaten up by death, excluded and at a distance, marginalized and despised. Immediately He accepts their prayer, which is a cry coming from the heart and invites them to enter into Jerusalem and no longer to be at a distance, but to join the Heart of the Holy City, the temple, the priests. He invites them to go back to the Father’s house.
v. 14b: The lepers had just begun the holy trip to Jerusalem, and they were healed, they become new men.
vv. 15-16: But only one of them turned back to thank Jesus: it seems that we can almost see him running and jumping with joy. He praises the Lord in a loud voice, and throws himself prostrate in adoration and make Eucharist.
vv. 17-19: Jesus sees that of ten, only one turns back, a Samaritan, one who does not belong to the chosen People: salvation, in fact, is for all, also for those who are far away, the strangers. No one is excluded from the love of the Father, who saves thanks to faith.
vv. 12 – 14a: Jesus enters one of the villages, which does not have a name, because it is the place, it is the life of all and here he encounters the ten lepers, sick men, already eaten up by death, excluded and at a distance, marginalized and despised. Immediately He accepts their prayer, which is a cry coming from the heart and invites them to enter into Jerusalem and no longer to be at a distance, but to join the Heart of the Holy City, the temple, the priests. He invites them to go back to the Father’s house.
v. 14b: The lepers had just begun the holy trip to Jerusalem, and they were healed, they become new men.
vv. 15-16: But only one of them turned back to thank Jesus: it seems that we can almost see him running and jumping with joy. He praises the Lord in a loud voice, and throws himself prostrate in adoration and make Eucharist.
vv. 17-19: Jesus sees that of ten, only one turns back, a Samaritan, one who does not belong to the chosen People: salvation, in fact, is for all, also for those who are far away, the strangers. No one is excluded from the love of the Father, who saves thanks to faith.
2. Meditate on the Word
a) I enter into silence:
This invitation is already clear to my heart: The Love of the
Father is waiting for me, like that only Samaritan who turned back, full of joy
and of gratitude. The Eucharist of my healing is ready; the room in the upper
room is already adorned, the table is set, the calf has been killed, the wine
has been poured… my place is already prepared. I reread attentively the
passage, slowly, stopping on the words, on the verbs; I look at the movement of
the lepers, I repeat them, make them my own, I also move, toward the encounter
with the Lord Jesus. And I allow myself to be guided by Him, I listen to His
voice, to His command. I also go toward Jerusalem, toward the temple, which is
my heart and I in making this holy trip I think over all the love that the
Father has had for me. I allow myself to be wrapped up by his embrace, I feel
the healing of my soul… And because of this, full of joy, I rise, turn back,
run toward the source of true happiness which is the Lord. I prepare myself to
thank Him, to sing to Him the new canticle of my love for Him. What will I give
to the Lord for all He has given me?…
b) I consider more deeply some terms:
During the travelling: Using his beautiful Greek, Luke
tells us that Jesus is continuing his way toward Jerusalem and uses a very beautiful
and intense verb, even if very common and very much used. In this pericope or
passage alone, it appears three times:
v. 11: in the travelling
v. 14: go
v. 19. going
It is a verb of very strong movement, which fully expresses all the dynamic proper of the travelling; it can be translated with all these different nuances or tones: I go, I go to, I leave, I go from one part to the other, I go through, I follow. And even more, within it has the meaning of crossing over, of wading, of going beyond, overcoming the obstacles. And Jesus, the great traveller, the tireless pilgrim: He was the first one to leave His dwelling in the bosom of the Father, and descended down to us, fulfilling the eternal exodus of our salvation and liberation. He knows every path, every route of human experience; no part of the road remains hidden or impassable for Him. This is why He can invite us also to walk, to move ourselves, to cross, to place ourselves in a continuous situation of exodus. So that finally, we can also come back, together to Him, and in this way go to the Father.
v. 11: in the travelling
v. 14: go
v. 19. going
It is a verb of very strong movement, which fully expresses all the dynamic proper of the travelling; it can be translated with all these different nuances or tones: I go, I go to, I leave, I go from one part to the other, I go through, I follow. And even more, within it has the meaning of crossing over, of wading, of going beyond, overcoming the obstacles. And Jesus, the great traveller, the tireless pilgrim: He was the first one to leave His dwelling in the bosom of the Father, and descended down to us, fulfilling the eternal exodus of our salvation and liberation. He knows every path, every route of human experience; no part of the road remains hidden or impassable for Him. This is why He can invite us also to walk, to move ourselves, to cross, to place ourselves in a continuous situation of exodus. So that finally, we can also come back, together to Him, and in this way go to the Father.
Entering one of the villages: Jesus passes by, crosses,
walks through, moves and reaches us; some times, then, He decides to enter, to
stop for a longer time. As it happens in the account. Luke stops on some
details and writes that Jesus entered a village. To enter, in the Biblical
sense, is to penetrate, it is the entrance into the depth, which implies
sharing and participation. Once more, we find ourselves before a very common
and very much used verb; in the Gospel of Luke alone it appears very many times
and indicates clearly the intention of Jesus to get close to us, to become a
friend and to show his love. He does not despise or spurn any entrance, any
communion. He enters the house of Simon the leper (4, 38), goes into the house
of the Pharisee (7, 36 and 11, 37), then in the house of the president of the
Synagogue (8, 51) and of Zacchaeus the Publican (19,7). He continually enters
into the history of man and participates, eats together, suffers, weeps and
rejoices, sharing everything. As He himself says, it is sufficient to open the
door to let Him in (Ap 3, 20), for him to remain (Lk 24, 29)
Ten Lepers: I ask myself what this human condition really
means, this sickness which is called leprosy. I begin with the text itself of
Scripture which describes the statute of the leper in Israel. It says:
“Anyone with a contagious skin disease will wear torn clothing
and disordered hair; and will cover the upper lip and shout: ‘Unclean,
unclean! As long as the disease lasts, such a person will be unclean and,
being unclean, will live alone and live outside the camp”.
(Lev 13, 45-46). Therefore, I understand that the leper is a person struck,
wounded, beaten: something has struck him with violence, with force and has
left in him a sign of pain, a wound. He is a person in mourning, in great pain,
as it is shown by his torn clothing and disordered hair; he is one who has to
cover his mouth, because he has no right to speak, neither almost to breathe in
the midst of others: he is like a dead person. He is one who cannot worship
God, he cannot enter into the Temple, nor touch the holy things. He is a person
profoundly wounded, a marginalized person, excluded, one left aside, in
solitude. Because of all this, the ten lepers who go to meet Jesus, stop at a
distance and speak to him from far, shouting out their pain, their despair.
Jesus, the Master: This exclamation, this prayer of the
lepers is beautiful. Above all, they call the Lord by name, as it is done with
friends. It seems that they have known one another for some time, that they
know about one another, that they have met before at the level of the heart.
These lepers have already been admitted into the banquet of Jesus’ intimacy, to
the wedding feast of salvation. After them, only the blind man of Jericho (Lk
18, 38) and the thief on the Cross (Lk 23, 42) will repeat this invocation with
the same familiarity, the same love: Jesus! Only the one who recognizes himself
to be sick, in need, poor, evil-doer, becomes favourite of God. Then they call
Him ‘Master’, using a term which means more properly ‘the one who is on
high’ and which Peter also used, when on the boat, he was called by Jesus
to follow Him (Lk 5, 8) and he recognizes himself a sinner. And here we find
ourselves in the very heart of truth, here the mystery of leprosy is revealed,
as a sickness of the soul: that is sin, it is to live far away from God, the
lack of friendship, of communion with Him. This dries up our soul and makes it
die little by little.
He turned back: It is not a simple physical movement, a
change of direction and of walking, but rather a true interior, profound
upheaval or revolution. ‘To turn back’ is the verb of conversion, of going
back to God. It is to change something into something else (Ap 11, 6); it is
returning home (Lk 1, 56; 2, 43), after having gone away, like the prodigal son
did, lost in sin. This is what this leper does: he changes his sickness into a
blessing, his being a stranger, a foreigner, being far away from God into
friendship, into a relationship of intimacy, like between father and son. He
changes, because he allows himself to be changed by Jesus himself, he allows
himself to be reached by His love.
To thank him: This verb is beautiful, in all languages, but
in a particular way in Greek, because it bears within the meaning
ofEucharist. Yes, it is exactly like that: the leper ‘does
Eucharist’! He sits at the table of mercy, where Jesus allowed himself to
be hurt, wounded even before him; where he became the cursed one, the excluded,
the one thrown out of the camp in order to gather us all together in His Heart.
He receives the bread and the wine of love gratuitously, of salvation, of
forgiveness, of the new life; finally he can once again enter into the temple
and participate in the Liturgy, in the worship. Finally, he can pray, getting
close to God with full trust. He no longer wears torn clothing, but the feast
dress, the wedding dress; now he wears sandals on his feet, is shod and wears a
ring on his finger. He no longer has to cover his mouth, but from now he can
sing and praise God, he can smile and speak openly; he can get close to Jesus
and kiss Him, like a friend does with a friend. The feast is complete, the joy
overflowing.
Rise and go!: This is Jesus’ invitation, the invitation of
the Lord. Rise, that is, ‘Resurrect’ come back to life! It is the new life
after death, the day after the night. For Saul also, on the road to Damascus,
this same invitation was heard, this commandment of love: “Rise!” (Acts 22, 10,
16) and he was born anew, from the womb of the Holy Spirit; he recovered his
sight and could see once again, he began to eat, he received Baptism and a new
name. His leprosy had disappeared.
Your faith has saved you: I reread this expression of
Jesus, I listen to it in his dialogues with the persons whom He meets, with the
sinner woman, the woman with the haemorrhage, the blind man…
• Jesus, turning around, saw her and said, “Courage, my daughter, your faith has saved you”. And from that moment the woman was saved (Mt 9, 22; Lk 8, 48).
• And Jesus said: “Go, your faith has saved you” and immediately he regained his sight and he followed him along the road (Mk 10, 52).
• He said to the woman: “Your faith has saved you, go in peace” (Lk 7, 50).
• And Jesus said to him: “Receive your sight. Your faith has saved you” (Lk 18, 42).
Now I pray together with the apostles and I also say: “Lord, increase my faith!” (cf. Lk 17, 6); “Help my lack of faith!” (Mk 9, 24).
• Jesus, turning around, saw her and said, “Courage, my daughter, your faith has saved you”. And from that moment the woman was saved (Mt 9, 22; Lk 8, 48).
• And Jesus said: “Go, your faith has saved you” and immediately he regained his sight and he followed him along the road (Mk 10, 52).
• He said to the woman: “Your faith has saved you, go in peace” (Lk 7, 50).
• And Jesus said to him: “Receive your sight. Your faith has saved you” (Lk 18, 42).
Now I pray together with the apostles and I also say: “Lord, increase my faith!” (cf. Lk 17, 6); “Help my lack of faith!” (Mk 9, 24).
3. I pray with the Word
a) Confronting with life:
Lord, I have gathered the good honey of your Words from the
divine Scripture; You have given me light, you have nourished my heart, you
have shown me the truth. I know that in the number of those lepers, of those
sick persons, I am also there and I know that you are waiting for me, so that I
come back, full of joy, to make the Eucharist with You, in your merciful love.
I also ask you for the light of your Spirit in order to be able to see well, to
know and to allow You to change me. Behold, Lord, I open my heart, my life,
before you… look at me, question me, heal me.
b) Some questions:
• If at this moment, Jesus, passing by and crossing my life,
would stop to enter into my village, would I be ready to welcome, to accept
Him? Would I be happy to let him come in? Would I invite Him, would I insist,
like the disciples of Emmaus? Behold, He is at the door and knocks… Will I get
up to open the door to my Beloved? (Cant 5, 5)
• How is my relationship with Him? Am I able to call Him by
name, as the lepers have done, even if from a distance, but with all the
strength of their faith? Does the invocation of the name of Jesus always
springs from my heart, from my lips? When I am in danger, in suffering,
weeping, which exclamation comes spontaneously from me? Could I not try and be
more attentive to this aspect, which seems to be secondary, worth little, but
which, instead reveals a very strong and profound reality? Why do I not begin
to repeat the name of Jesus in my heart, even if only with my lips, like a
prayer, or like a hymn? This could be my companion while I go to work, while I
walk, while I do this or that…
• Do I have the courage to sincerely present my evil, my sin,
which is the true sickness? Jesus invites the ten lepers to go to the priests,
according to the Hebrew law, but also for me, today, it is important,
indispensable to live this passage: to tell myself, tobring out to
light what hurts me inside and prevents me from being serene, happy, in
peace. If it is not before the priest, at least it is necessary that I place
myself before the Lord, face to face with Him, without any masks, without
hiding anything and to tell him all the truth about me. It is only in this way
that it will be possible to really heal.
• The salvation of the Lord is for all; He loves all with an
immense love. But few are those who open themselves to accept His presence in
their life. One on ten. On which side do I place myself? Am I able to recognize
all the good that the Lord has done to me in my life? Or do I continue only to
complain, to always expect something more, to reproach and accuse, to protest,
to threaten? Do I really know how to say thank you, sincerely, with gratitude,
convinced that I have received everything, that the Lord always gives me a
surplus? It would really be very nice to take some time to thank the Lord for
all the benefits which He has showered in my life, since I can remember up
until now. I think that I would never be able to finish, because something else
would always come to my mind, Then, the only thing I can do is like the leper,
the only one among the ten: to turn back, to run up to the Lord and to throw
myself at His feet, and praise Him in a loud voice. I can do it by singing a
hymn, or only repeating my thanksgiving, or perhaps weeping for joy.
• And now I listen to Jesus’ invitation: “Rise and set out
on the road” After this experience I cannot remain without moving, closing
myself in my own world, in my peaceful beatitude and forget everything. I must
rise, go out, and set out on the road. If the Lord has blessed me, it is in
order that I may take His love to my brothers. The joy of the encounter with
Him and of having been healed in my soul will never be true, if it is not
shared and placed at the service of others. An instant is sufficient, to bring to
my mind so many friends, so many persons, more or less close to me, who need
some joy and hope. Then, why do I not start moving immediately? I can make a
phone call, send a message, write if even just a brief note, or perhaps I can
go and visit someone, keep him company and find the courage to announce the
beauty and the joy of having Jesus as my friend, as doctor, as Saviour. Now is
the moment to do it.
c) I pray with a Psalm
I called out to you, Lord, and you healed me.
How blessed are those to whom
Yahweh imputes no guilt,
whose spirit harbours no deceit.
I said not a word,
but my bones wasted away from groaning all the day;
I made my sin known to you,
did not conceal my guilt. I said,
'I shall confess my offence to Yahweh.'
And you, for your part,
took away my guilt, forgave my sin.
Yahweh imputes no guilt,
whose spirit harbours no deceit.
I said not a word,
but my bones wasted away from groaning all the day;
I made my sin known to you,
did not conceal my guilt. I said,
'I shall confess my offence to Yahweh.'
And you, for your part,
took away my guilt, forgave my sin.
That is why each of your faithful ones
prays to you in time of distress.
Even if great floods overflow,
they will never reach your faithful.
You are a refuge for me,
you guard me in trouble,
with songs of deliverance you surround me.
prays to you in time of distress.
Even if great floods overflow,
they will never reach your faithful.
You are a refuge for me,
you guard me in trouble,
with songs of deliverance you surround me.
I shall instruct you and teach you the way to go;
I shall not take my eyes off you.
I shall not take my eyes off you.
Rejoice in Yahweh, exult all you upright,
shout for joy, you honest of heart.
shout for joy, you honest of heart.
4. I contemplate and I praise
Lord, I have come to you from solitude and isolation, with all
the weight and the shame of my sin, of my sickness. I have cried out, I have
confessed, I have asked you for mercy, you, who are Love. You have heard me
even before I could finish my poor prayer; even from far you have known me and
listened to me. You know everything about me, but you are not scandalized, you
do not despise, you do not draw back. You have told me only not to fear, not to
hide myself. And it has been sufficient to trust you, to open the heart and
your salvation has already reached me. I have already felt the balm of your
presence. I have understood that you have healed me. Then, Lord, I could not do
any other thing than to turn back to you, to tell you at least thank you, to
weep with joy at your feet. I thought I did not have anyone, not to be able to
bear it, not to come out any more and, instead, you have saved me, you have
given me another possibility to begin anew.
Lord, thanks to you I am no longer a leper! I have thrown away my torn clothing and I have put on my feast dress. I have broken the isolation of shame, of harshness and I have begun to get out from myself, leaving behind my prison. I have risen, I have resurrected. Today, with you, I begin to live again.
Lord, thanks to you I am no longer a leper! I have thrown away my torn clothing and I have put on my feast dress. I have broken the isolation of shame, of harshness and I have begun to get out from myself, leaving behind my prison. I have risen, I have resurrected. Today, with you, I begin to live again.
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