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
PsalmPS 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.
Alleluia1 THES 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 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."
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 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.
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 misery and 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 misery and 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." Mercy.."moves us to do what we can do to help the
other." Mercy seeks to remedy the weakness of others, and where
sin is involved to lead others to recognize their need for repentance and
turning away from wrongdoing. 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 Jesus to show them mercy? They know they are in need of healing, not just physical, but spiritual healing as well. They approach Jesus with faith and with sorrow for their sins because they believe that he can release the burden of their guilt and suffering and restore both soul and body. 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 (true sorrow for sin).
So what is the significance of these ten lepers asking Jesus to show them mercy? They know they are in need of healing, not just physical, but spiritual healing as well. They approach Jesus with faith and with sorrow for their sins because they believe that he can release the burden of their guilt and suffering and restore both soul and body. 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 (true sorrow for sin).
Why did only one leper out of ten return to show
gratitude? Gratefulness, a 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. 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)
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, LUKE 17:11-19
Weekday
(Titus 3:1-7; Psalm 23)
Weekday
(Titus 3:1-7; Psalm 23)
KEY VERSE: "Stand up and go your way; your faith has been your salvation" (v. 19).
TO KNOW: As Jesus journeyed to Jerusalem, he crossed the border of Samaria where he met ten lepers. One of them was a Samaritan who was viewed as an "unclean" heretic because of the Samaritans' 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 healed (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.
TO LOVE: Do I serve all people, regardless of their race, creed or color?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to show gratitude for your healing power.
Wednesday 14
November 2018
St Joseph Pignatelli.
Titus 3:1-7. Psalm 22(23). Luke 17:11-19.
Titus 3:1-7. Psalm 22(23). Luke 17:11-19.
The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want
– Psalm 22(23).
‘When the kindness and love of God our Saviour for
humanity were revealed, it was not because of any upright actions we had done
ourselves.’
Luke tells us that one of the men, 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 a fundamental
practice which helps bring us closer to God through Jesus.
Saint Gertrude the Great
Saint of the Day for November 14
(January 6, 1256 – November 17, 1302)
 |
| The high altar statue of Saint Gertrude the Great with a mouse on the distaff| Grafenbach, Austria | photo by Rollroboter |
Saint Gertrude the Great’s Story
Gertrude, a Benedictine nun in Helfta, Saxony, was one
of the great mystics of the 13th century. Together with her friend and teacher
Saint 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. The
Liturgical Feast of Saint Gertrude the Great is November 16.
Reflection
Saint Gertrude’s life is another reminder that the
heart of the Christian life is prayer: private and liturgical, ordinary or
mystical, but always personal.
LECTIO DIVINA: LUKE 17:11-19
Lectio Divina:
Wednesday, November 14, 2018
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,
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 traveling in the borderlands of Samaria and Galilee.
As He entered one of the villages, ten lepers 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.
As He entered one of the villages, ten lepers 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? Has no one has come back to
give praise to God, except this foreigner?" 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 ten lepers, in which only one thanks 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 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 predominantly Jewish. To hear that must have been a great joy for Luke’s communities, which were from pagan territory. . 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 in upon 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 also manifested in the acceptance given to the ten lepers.
• Luke 17, 12-13: The calling out of the lepers. Ten lepers went close to Jesus, and they stopped at a distance and called out: “Jesus, Master! Take pity on us!" A leper was a person who was excluded, marginalized, 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 It happens that along the way ,their cure takes place. They are 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, thanking 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 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 person who realizes he has 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? Has no one has come back to give praise to God except this foreigner?” For Jesus, thankfulness for benefits received is a way of rendering the praise that is due to God. What of the others though? Are they to be faulted for carrying out Jesus’ orders?Since it was the Law to be proclaimed clean by the priest, the others, like the Pharisees, placed adherence to the Law above gratitude. 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 gratitude in life. Everything that we receive should be considered a gift from God who comes to us through brother and sister.
• 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 predominantly Jewish. To hear that must have been a great joy for Luke’s communities, which were from pagan territory. . 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 in upon 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 also manifested in the acceptance given to the ten lepers.
• Luke 17, 12-13: The calling out of the lepers. Ten lepers went close to Jesus, and they stopped at a distance and called out: “Jesus, Master! Take pity on us!" A leper was a person who was excluded, marginalized, 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 It happens that along the way ,their cure takes place. They are 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, thanking 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 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 person who realizes he has 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? Has no one has come back to give praise to God except this foreigner?” For Jesus, thankfulness for benefits received is a way of rendering the praise that is due to God. What of the others though? Are they to be faulted for carrying out Jesus’ orders?Since it was the Law to be proclaimed clean by the priest, the others, like the Pharisees, placed adherence to the Law above gratitude. 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 gratitude in life. Everything that we receive should be considered a gift from God who comes to us through brother and 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
neighbor (Lk 10, 30-33). This must have been quite shocking, because for the
Jews, the Samaritans or pagans were the same thing. They could not have access
inside the temple of Jerusalem or participate in worship. They were considered
to be bearers of impurity. They were impure from birth. For Luke, 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
• Do you generally thank persons? Do you
thank out of conviction or simply because of custom? In prayer, do you
give God 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?
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)
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