A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (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.
In today’s Gospel, Luke relates the account of Jesus’ healing of the ten lepers. Although healed immediately, only one of the ten returns to Jesus to thank him and give glory to God. Luke tells us that he glorifies God in a loud voice and falls at the feet of Jesus in thanksgiving. As foreigners, and considered by Jews to be impure because of their religious practices and beliefs, Samaritans were looked on as inferior. In recognizing the miracle Jesus performed, the Samaritan gives witness to the importance of recognizing that God’s healing and unifying presence manifested in Jesus’ act of love and mercy.
Father in heaven, help me see with the eyes of faith beyond the physical limitations of sight. The leper Jesus healed came back to him glorifying you in a loud voice, an expression of his complete faith in you. Jesus said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.” Give me the grace first to recognize your healing presence and also to be a witness to others in giving you thanks in your saving power.
From the responsorial psalm: “In all circumstances, give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.” Christ, have mercy on us!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.