Lk 17:11-19
I love this reading from Lukes Gospel because it is simultaneously a beautiful story about God's gift-giving nature and a kind metaphor for the many (good) ways we get distracted and forget to return to the Giver of Gifts to give thanks and praise. After all, Jesus TOLD the lepers "show yourselves to the priests." They were doing what they were told by going out into the cities. Besides having direction from Jesus, imagine the people they would have wanted to visit after years of isolation in leper colonies without so much as a touch or hug. I imagine the joy with which they must have returned to their friends or families...it is no wonder that in their zeal, they forgot to say, 'thank you.'
Knowing these communities as he did, I don't suppose Jesus held the excitement against the healed lepers, but was probably particularly gratified and delighted by the one lepers' response knowing the extent to which this person's life had just been changed and finding one of the lepers returning with praise on his/her lips.
Thinking about this reading has challenged me to think of the "holy business" (church, work, spritual direction, etc.) I can find for myself, and to sincerly ask if/when the last time was that, I spontaneoulsy returned to the giver of all good gifts with my thanks and praise. May this Thanksgiving be a fitting day for all of us to remember the Giver and givers in our lives and give thanks to them!
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As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem,
he traveled through Samaria and Galilee.
As he was entering a village, ten persons with leprosy 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 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.”
