28th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle C, Year I)
Community Word: True disciples are living witnesses of Jesus, through faith in Him.
Theme: We are living witnesses of Jesus when we glorify Him with gratitude.
Promise: “If we persevere we shall also reign with him.” (2 Tm 2:12a)
Reflection:
“Your faith has made you well.” (v.19)
Today, we reflect on a moving story that should remind us of our own attitude towards God. It teaches us to be grateful for blessings we receive, especially those God freely pours out upon us, without our even asking for it. For example, He sent His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him may not perish but have eternal life (Jn 3:16). God didn’t have to send His Son but He did, and Jesus suffered and died on the cross for us – to ransom us from our sins.
In the Gospel passage today, we most certainly will be moved to ask why of the ten lepers cured, only one returned to give thanks. We see Jesus, puzzled at this ingratitude, asking: “But the other nine, where are they?” (v.17). Acknowledging the one leper who did return, Jesus continues, “Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” (v.18). In this passage, which does not appear in any of the other gospels, we see Jesus moving on the road between Galilee and Samaria. He is met by ten lepers who stay at a distance – about 50 yards away – because lepers are considered unclean, and were required by Jewish law to stand at a distance from a clean or healthy person. We also see from this story that in times of great need even those separated by racial prejudice – like the Jews and Samaritans, forget their differences and act according to their need. In fact, even in this post-modern era, an important factor that draws people together is their common need for God.
What comes as a surprise was that the ten lepers actually did not ask for healing. What they had asked for was “pity”: “Jesus, Master, have pity on us.” (v.13). And moved with pity and compassion, but without telling them they were healed, Jesus told them to show themselves to the priest (v.14). And as they went, they were cleansed. It is at this point that the drama begins to unfold because, of the ten lepers healed, only one returned to thank Jesus. Jesus refers to him (the leper) as a foreigner (v.18) because he was a Samaritan, which meant that he and Jesus were divided by tradition and cultural differences.
Jesus knew he would again incur the ire of the Pharisees because it was unlawful in those days for a Jew to associate with Samaritans, but Jesus effectively tore down the barrier separating the two tribes when he gave credence to the public confession of gratitude by the Samaritan and rewarded him by saying: “Rise and go, your faith has made you well,”(v.19).
The question now is do we find anything significant in this passage? Are we reminded of the times when we failed to express our gratitude to those who have helped us meet our need/s in the past? Are we like those nine who never came back when they got what they wanted? How about our relationship with our parents? In our growing up years we were totally dependent on them for almost everything, yet many aging parents are considered a nuisance by ungrateful children. Don’t we also owe a debt of gratitude to friends who may have commiserated, showed compassion, or helped us when we were at a low point of our lives? Or, the teacher who selflessly imparted, not just knowledge, but wisdom to help us chart a bright future ahead? Or, even the priest who may have offered us valuable counsel when we were in desperate straits, and at the very end of our rope?
Aren’t we also ungrateful to God whom we remember and pray to with great urgency during times of trial, but whom we tend to forget when the dark clouds have passed? God gave us His only Son and we’ve never even said thank you for this most precious gift of all – eternal salvation.
Today, God is reminding us to do what the Samaritan did. He came back and prostrated himself at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. God expects no less from us, and one of the ways we can thank Him is by reaching out to those whom God has richly blessed, but who have never acknowledged, let alone given thanks for their blessings. In this Year of Faith, we have a duty to bring back to God those who are no longer practicing their faith as baptized Catholic Christians. In the words of Pope Benedict XVI: “It was urgent to make Christ known again “where the fire of God” has become mere “embers that need to be rekindled so it can again be a lively flame that gives light and warmth to the entire house.”
Following the Synodal Assembly, the Church is also telling us that the work of the new evangelization consists in presenting once more the beauty and perennial newness of the encounter with Christ to the often distracted and confused heart and mind of the men and women of our time, above all, to ourselves. We must also remember that the call to new evangelization is inclusive, the aim of which is to bring everyone into the church, especially the baptized Catholic Christians who, for some reason are no longer practicing their faith. To do this we all must go out and bring the Gospel of Christ to the ends of the world because it is the duty of everyone who believes that Jesus Christ came, died and rose again from the dead evangelize, teach and call everyone who has ears and not just a select few.
In today’s Gospel, the Church invites us to contemplate the face of the Lord Jesus Christ, to enter into the mystery of his existence and death on the cross, and reconfirm his resurrection from the dead as the Father’s gift, imparted to us through the Spirit. In the person of Jesus, the mystery of the Father’s love for the entire human family is revealed. So we must return to the source of all grace and give thanks.
Reflection Questions:
1. Are you always conscious that all good things come from God?
What are these blessings and how often do you thank God for them?
2. In what way can you show your gratefulness to the Lord in specific action (e.g. helping others, mission work, etc)?
This Week’s Daily Mass Reading Guide:
October 13, 2013 (Sun) 2Kgs 5:14-17/Ps 98:1-4/2Tm 2:8-13/Lk 17:11-19
October 14, 2013 (Mon) Rom 1:1-7/Ps 98:1-4/Lk 11:29-32
October 15, 2013 (Tues) Rom 1:16-25/Ps 19:2-5/Lk 11:37-41
October 16, 2013 (Wed) Rom 2:1-11/Ps 62:26,7,9/Lk 11:42-46
October 17, 2013 (Thur) Rom 3:21-30/Ps 130:1-6/Lk 11:47-54
October 18, 2013 (Fri) 2Tm 4:10-17/Ps 145:10,11,12,13,17,18/Lk 10:1-9
October 19, 2013 (Sat) Rom 4:13,16-18/Ps 105:6-9,42-43/Lk 12:8-12
“Ignorance of the Bible is ignorance of Christ. Read your Bible daily!”
