10/10/2010 - 28TH. SUNDAY IN ORDINARY SEASON - C
1Reading 2Kg 5,14-17 Psalm 97 2Reading 2Tim 2,8-13 Gospel Lk 17,11-19
"On the way to Jerusalem..": this is how Luke opens today's Gospel
for us. Jesus is heading towards his passion and the offering of himself. This
is the reason why Jesus came, this is what he has been waiting for. This is
the background that one needs to keep in mind as we continue to listen to what
happened afterwards. The lepers keep their distance and cry loud to be heard
and catch his attention. They ask only for mercy, is the rest is understandable:
given the fact that they are lepers, it is clear that they wanted to get healed
so that they can enjoy again a social dignity and get accepted by family, friends,
and all the rest. Jesus understands their need. He doesn't do an exceptional
thing, but asks for a act of obedience, obedience to him and to the Law, which
for sees that healed persons were to go to the priest and have their healing
confirmed. They are not yet healed and hence their obedience is an act of faith
in Jesus. Here the Lord is imitating the prophet Elisha, who didn't heal Naaman,
the Syrian commander, from leprosy with an exceptional act, but by asking him
a simple obedience. The difference between Jesus and the prophet is that not
the leper is not one but ten who obey and who got healed. The focus of the Old
Testament reading goes on the reward the stranger wanted to give to the prophet.
Elisha won't accept any gifts because the healing received is not his work,
but God's. Hence the commander decides to affirm that the God who healed him,
is his God and that he shall serve him and adore him even when he return back
home. The pagan who turned to the one true God is an example of how true obligation
to him should be: not only to say thank you, but to recognize who is God, to
recognize that he is the Lord, who is to be served and obeyed and loved.
Luke, in the gospel reading underlines this aspect. One of the ten lepers, and
even so a stranger - and therefore kept by those who were around Jesus as someone
who is out of the reign of God - change his way. As soon as he sees himself
healed, turns back, run to Jesus to thank him. His thanksgiving becomes an act
of adoration as he feels at his feet. This act is acceptable by the Lord, who
remains surprised by the fact that only this one returned to thank him. Have
the other nine thought that it was their right to get healed? Have they thought
that Jesus was obliged to healed since they belong to the people of God?
To be healed is not everything. To the one who returned to him confessing his
faith, Jesus can say: "Your faith has healed you". There is a salvation
that we should look for and desire, more than the healing of the body. This
is the salvation for the world's influence, from it's thoughts, from it's ways,
from its illusions and it's lies. This salvation is enjoyed only by those who
look for Jesus, who desires only him more than anyone or anything else. This
salvation is the grace that prepares us to enjoy even the salvation that puts
us in the heart of the Father for eternity. There are saved persons who have
received the gift to be secure from the world because they have found Jesus:
these won't despair even when they get sick or suffer physically, and work only
so that others come to know and love the Lord with all their heart.
St. Paul after having suffered a lot from persecution and sicknesses, is in
prison. He says it clear that he suffers and that he offers his suffering for
many others "so that they may have the salvation that is in Jesus Christ".
Therefore he gives us an example and teaches us as how to live all the suffering
we come across in our lives. We suffer injustices? We get offended, misunderstood
or we receive ingratitude? Thanks to our faith we don't keep account of this
and instead we offer it for the salvation of all. Let us remember the teaching
of the little shepherds of Fatima who offered their sufferings, both the misunderstandings
of the experience of the apparitions, as the sickness that led them to death,
for the conversion of sinners. Men are sinners if they don't return to Jesus.
Conversion means to choose him as Lord and Savior of one's life. This is salvation.
Jesus gave us many signs to help us understand that we can turn to him with
trust and perseverance. He is the salvation from all evil that reigns in the
world and which brings forth suffering and desperation. Jesus, our Lord, have
mercy of us!