The One

Today’s gospel gives us a beautiful sequence of prayer. “Ten lepers met him. They stood at a distance from him and raised their voice, saying, “Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!” I know for me, since I’ve met Jesus, I find myself often yelling at him from a distance, “please see me and heal my wounds!!” Jesus does see and hear the lepers, and he tells them to “Go show yourselves to the priests.” Jesus did not just say, “you are healed,” and he sent them on a journey if you will toward wholeness. Showing themselves to the priests required obedience and trust on their part and in that very act of obedience they were made well. Sometimes Jesus’ answer to my prayer is mysterious and my simple obedience to his response is what opens my eyes. “As they were going they were cleansed.”As I go where Jesus sends me, I am becoming who he wants me to be. 

“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.” “And oneof them…” It reminds me of the gospel a few days ago when the shepherd left the ninety-nine for the one. The one returned, gave glory to God in a loud voice, and fell at the feet of Jesus to thank him. The one that realized he was healed knew without a doubt that he needed to praise God and so he returned (repentance means to turn back), no longer at a distance, but at the feet of Christ (intimate relationship), and gave thanks. “Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine? Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?” There are times in my life when I am “The One” and there are times in my life when I am the other nine. Conversion is an ongoing journey and requires me to return to the feet of Jesus daily, not just every now and again. Sometimes I get too caught up in religious practice and forget to simply praise God for seeing me and loving me. 

“Then he said to him, ‘Stand up and go;’ your faith has saved you.” Jesus died for all of us to stand up and go free from affliction, but we can only come to truly know that through faith. In today’s gospel faith begins with meeting Jesus at a distance, crying out for mercy from our woundedness, being obedient to his reply, after first returning ourselves back to God in praise, and coming close to Jesus through worship and thanksgiving. Then and only then can we stand up and go cleansed, healed, reconciled, and saved. Today I choose to be The One that returns to God in praise, worship, and thanksgiving so that I can stand up and go, saved by faith, and it is well with my soul. 

Reading 1 TI 3:1-7

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.

Responsorial Psalm PS 23:1B-3A, 3BC-4, 5, 6

R. (1) The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
Beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
He guides me in right paths
for his name's sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
With your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

Alleluia 1 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.

Gospel LK 17:11-19

As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem,
he traveled through Samaria and Galilee.
As he was entering a village, ten lepers met him.
They stood at a distance from him and raised their voice, saying,
"Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!"
And when he saw them, he said,
"Go show yourselves to the priests."
As they were going they were cleansed. 
And one of them, realizing he had been healed,
returned, glorifying God in a loud voice;
and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. 
He was a Samaritan.
Jesus said in reply,
"Ten were cleansed, were they not?
Where are the other nine? 
Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?" 
Then he said to him, "Stand up and go;
your faith has saved you."