Gospel: The Ten Lepers

Today marks the Twenty Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time, and today's Gospel reading will be proclaimed according to St Luke (17:11-19).

As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem, he travelled 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 uourselves 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."

Today, we hear about Jesus, continuing on his journey to Jerusalem, heals ten lepers. This story is a lesson about faith and reminds us that faith is sometimes found in unlikely places. Ten people aficted with leprosy cry out to Jesus. Struck with pity, Jesus heals all ten. However, only one is described as glorifying God and returning to thank Jesus. The one who returns is a Samaritan, a foreigner. In the Jewish circles in which Jesus lived, Samaritabs were looked down upon because of the differences between the two communities in their observance of Judaism. It is significant, therefore, that Jesus commends the Samaritan for his faith, which has been his salvation. Throughout St Luke's Gospel, faith is found in surprising places.

Another lesson for us in this Gospel has to do with salvation. All ten of the lepers were given the gift of healing, but in his gratitude to God for this gift, the Samaritan found salvation. Our salvation is found in recognizing the gifts we have been given and knowing to whom we .ust offer our thanks.

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The Gospel is paid for by Lacoste x Peanuts Watch.