Twenty-Eighth Sunday of Year C
Remembering with Gratitude Makes us Whole
Fr. Udoekpo, Michael Ufok
§ 2 Kings 5:14-17;
§ Ps 98:1, 2-4;
§ 2 Tim 2:8-13
§ Luke 17:11-19
In all three
readings of today, it is the theme of remembering with gratitude to God that
binds them together. In the first
reading of today we have the story of Naaman the leper. God has cured him
through the prophet Elisha. Naaman returns to God and Elisha with a sense
remembrance and gratitude (2 kings 5:14-17).
In the Gospel
reading of today there is a unique story of Jesus curing lepers, on his way to
the Cross in Jerusalem, started as far back as Chapter 9. Jesus is quite busy
on this journey. He called the disciples, and reproached the less
compassionate priests/Levites (Luke 10). He taught the disciples how to pray,
unite, forgive and care for one another. He also healed many, including the
lepers in today’s Gospel (Luke 17).
With the gift of
faith, out of the 10 lepers healed, only one remembered to return to give
thanks to the Lord. And he was a Samaritan, a foreigner whose community was
always in tension with the Judeans, but not Jesus. Jesus of course would prefer
the poor, right from the time the Spirit of the Lord was upon him in Luke
chapter 4. He prefers those in prison, those on the margin, those discriminated
and segregated upon. He prefers inclusiveness like that episode of him with the
Samaritan woman (John 4). He prefers those who are humble and compassionate, the
Good Samaritan (Luke 10). Jesus prefers to build bridges, than to burn bridges.
Among the ten
cured by Jesus it is interesting to see how the 9 other lepers accepted the 1
Samaritan leper among them. Pains and suffering must have united them. But
after the healing where are there? Just as Jesus would have asked,” Ten
were cleansed where are the other nine? Has none but this foreigner returned to
give thanks to God?” (v17).
I think, the point
here is that unless remembering with gratitude is a part of our nature, we
cannot be whole people. The other nine were merely healed. If ingratitude is
more deadly and unsaved, than leprosy, they were in worse shape than before.
Only one came back and was made whole and saved, when Jesus said to him “stand
up and go, your faith has saved you.”
We owe our parents
gratitude, our grandparents, our founder fathers and mothers in faith. We owe
our teachers, mentors and friends, spouses, fellow traveler, gratitude. Those
who have played a role in our lives, we owe them gratitude! What about our men
and women in uniform, those who promote peace, and foster reconciliation!
I was listening to
the CNN the other day. I was impressed by a Lady who lamented over lack of
prayers and religious education in some schools and public places today.
Empathy, sympathy, and good virtues, including how to say “Thank You,” are
taught. With no religion and ethics, in some public places, and even homes our
new generations are losing the sense of gratitude to God, and to one another.
Truly no one has
it all. Whatever state we are (married or celibate, middle class or upper
class) we have to learn to be grateful to God. As stated in Paul’s 2 Letter to
Timothy today, we do not want to forget the goodness of the Lord, like those
nine lepers. But like Naaman, and the one Samaritan leper, we want to
remember the covenant. We want to remember what God has done for us in Jesus
Christ, raised from the dead; this descendant of David has done for us (2 Tim
2:8-13). Even on his way to the cross, he reaches out to everyone, including
the lepers, with deadly disease.
In every
circumstances of our lives, let us continue to remember, keep in mind all
the goodness of the Lord, and be grateful to Him in our songs, praises and
prayers (1Thess 5:18), and in how we treat one another in words, thoughts
an deeds.. Gratitude makes us whole, and saved in Christ Jesus.
Reflection Questions
1.
What have we learned from today’s Bible lessons?
2.
Do we realize that the saving power of God is universal?
3.
What are our leprosies, illnesses and weaknesses?
