Memorial of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, Virgin
Lectionary: 493
Lectionary: 493
Hear, O kings, and
understand;
learn, you magistrates of the earth’s expanse!
Hearken, you who are in power over the multitude
and lord it over throngs of peoples!
Because authority was given you by the Lord
and sovereignty by the Most High,
who shall probe your works and scrutinize your counsels.
Because, though you were ministers of his kingdom, you judged not rightly,
and did not keep the law,
nor walk according to the will of God,
Terribly and swiftly shall he come against you,
because judgment is stern for the exalted–
For the lowly may be pardoned out of mercy
but the mighty shall be mightily put to the test.
For the Lord of all shows no partiality,
nor does he fear greatness,
Because he himself made the great as well as the small,
and he provides for all alike;
but for those in power a rigorous scrutiny impends.
To you, therefore, O princes, are my words addressed
that you may learn wisdom and that you may not sin.
For those who keep the holy precepts hallowed shall be found holy,
and those learned in them will have ready a response.
Desire therefore my words;
long for them and you shall be instructed.
learn, you magistrates of the earth’s expanse!
Hearken, you who are in power over the multitude
and lord it over throngs of peoples!
Because authority was given you by the Lord
and sovereignty by the Most High,
who shall probe your works and scrutinize your counsels.
Because, though you were ministers of his kingdom, you judged not rightly,
and did not keep the law,
nor walk according to the will of God,
Terribly and swiftly shall he come against you,
because judgment is stern for the exalted–
For the lowly may be pardoned out of mercy
but the mighty shall be mightily put to the test.
For the Lord of all shows no partiality,
nor does he fear greatness,
Because he himself made the great as well as the small,
and he provides for all alike;
but for those in power a rigorous scrutiny impends.
To you, therefore, O princes, are my words addressed
that you may learn wisdom and that you may not sin.
For those who keep the holy precepts hallowed shall be found holy,
and those learned in them will have ready a response.
Desire therefore my words;
long for them and you shall be instructed.
Responsorial PsalmPS 82:3-4, 6-7
R. (8a) Rise up, O God, bring judgment to the earth.
Defend the lowly and the fatherless;
render justice to the afflicted and the destitute.
Rescue the lowly and the poor;
from the hand of the wicked deliver them.
R. Rise up, O God, bring judgment to the earth.
I said: “You are gods,
all of you sons of the Most High;
yet like men you shall die,
and fall like any prince.”
R. Rise up, O God, bring judgment to the earth.
Defend the lowly and the fatherless;
render justice to the afflicted and the destitute.
Rescue the lowly and the poor;
from the hand of the wicked deliver them.
R. Rise up, O God, bring judgment to the earth.
I said: “You are gods,
all of you sons of the Most High;
yet like men you shall die,
and fall like any prince.”
R. Rise up, O God, bring judgment to the earth.
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.
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 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.
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 gratefull heart and to
give thanks in all circumstances."
 The Highest of All Prayers |
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Memorial of Saint
Frances Xavier Cabrini, virgin
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|
Father Alex Yeung,
LC
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.
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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, LUKE 17:11-19
(Wisdom 6:1-11; Psalm 82)
(Wisdom 6:1-11; Psalm 82)
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.
November 13, Memorial of Frances Xavier
Cabrini, virgin
Frances was one of thirteen children raised
on a farm. She received a convent education and training as a teacher. A priest
asked her to teach at a girl's school, the House of Providence Orphanage in
Cadagono, Italy, which she did for six years. She took religious vows in 1877,
and when the orphanage closed in 1880, her bishop asked her to found the
Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to care for poor children in
schools and hospitals. Pope Leo XIII then sent her to the United States to
carry on this mission. She and six Sisters arrived in New York in 1889. They
worked among immigrants, especially Italians. Mother Cabrini founded 67
institutions, including schools, hospitals, and orphanages in the United
States, Europe and South America. Like many of the people she worked with,
Mother Cabrini became a United States citizen. After her death she was the
first US citizen to be canonized. She is the patroness of immigrants and
migrants.
Rise up, O God, bring judgement to the earth.
Be fair to the wretched and destitute.Today’s readings are a lesson in justice and right judgement. The first reading is addressed to those who govern, and urges kings to seek wisdom and to listen humbly. These words might be spoken today to our world leaders - that they listen and learn from wise elders instead of acting aggressively. The psalm shows us we are not invincible. The gospel is also relevant for today. The lepers were the outcasts in Jesus’ time. Who are the outcasts today? What of refugees and asylum seekers seeking a welcome to be told they are not wanted? Jesus calls us to stand up for the outcasts. He taught that everyone has the right to dignity and acceptance. Let us look into our hearts today to see if we are found wanting. We all want to hear those words, ‘Your faith has saved you.’
November 13
St. Frances Xavier Cabrini
(1850-1917)
St. Frances Xavier Cabrini
(1850-1917)
Frances Xavier Cabrini was the first United States citizen to be
canonized; she became a U.S. citizen in 1909. Her deep trust in the loving care
of her God gave her the strength to be a valiant woman doing the work of
Christ.
Refused
admission to the religious order which had educated her to be a teacher, she
began charitable work at the House of Providence Orphanage in Cadogno, Italy.
In September 1877 she made her vows there and took the religious habit.
When the
bishop closed the orphanage in 1880, he named Frances prioress of the
Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart. Seven young women from the orphanage
joined her.
Since her
early childhood in Italy, Frances had wanted to be a missionary in China but,
at the urging of Pope Leo XIII, Frances went west instead of east. She traveled
with six sisters to New York City to work with the thousands of Italian
immigrants living there.
She found
disappointment and difficulties with every step. When she arrived in New York
City, the house intended to be her first orphanage in the United States was not
available. The archbishop advised her to return to Italy. But Frances, truly a
valiant woman, departed from the archbishop’s residence all the more determined
to establish that orphanage. And she did.
In 35
years Frances Xavier Cabrini founded 67 institutions dedicated to caring for
the poor, the abandoned, the uneducated and the sick. Seeing great need among
Italian immigrants who were losing their faith, she organized schools and adult
education classes.
As a
child, she was always frightened of water, unable to overcome her fear of
drowning. Yet, despite this fear, she traveled across the Atlantic Ocean more
than 30 times. She died of malaria in her own Columbus Hospital in Chicago.
Comment:
The compassion and dedication of Mother Cabrini is still seen in hundreds of thousands of her fellow citizens, not yet canonized, who care for the sick in hospitals, nursing homes and state institutions. We complain of increased medical costs in an affluent society, but the daily news shows us millions who have little or no medical care, and who are calling for new Mother Cabrinis to become citizen-servants of their land.
The compassion and dedication of Mother Cabrini is still seen in hundreds of thousands of her fellow citizens, not yet canonized, who care for the sick in hospitals, nursing homes and state institutions. We complain of increased medical costs in an affluent society, but the daily news shows us millions who have little or no medical care, and who are calling for new Mother Cabrinis to become citizen-servants of their land.
Quote:
At her canonization on July 7, 1946, Venerable Pius XII said, "Although her constitution was very frail, her spirit was endowed with such singular strength that, knowing the will of God in her regard, she permitted nothing to impede her from accomplishing what seemed beyond the strength of a woman."
At her canonization on July 7, 1946, Venerable Pius XII said, "Although her constitution was very frail, her spirit was endowed with such singular strength that, knowing the will of God in her regard, she permitted nothing to impede her from accomplishing what seemed beyond the strength of a woman."
Patron Saint of:
Hospital administrators
Immigrants
Impossible causes
Hospital administrators
Immigrants
Impossible causes
LECTIO: LUKE
17,11-19
Lectio:
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
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, 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.
• 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)
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