Homily (Reflection) for Wednesday of
the Thirty-Second Week in Ordinary Time (II) (14th November, 2018)
on the Gospel
Tit 3:1-7;
Ps 22. (R. v. 1);
Lk 17:11-19.
Topic: Remember ‘THANKS’.
During the time of Jesus just like in other parts of the
world, the state of lepers in Israel was very bad. Medicine was yet to be ready
to combat the spread of infectious diseases like leprosy. So to avoid their
spread, their victims were normally quarantined. In Israel, lepers were seen as
unclean and must be avoided, cf. Lev
13:3; 5:3. According to the book of Leviticus, there must be demarcation
between the clean and the unclean, cf. Lev
10:10. Even nonhumans were not spared, cf. Lev 14:34-47. Hence in the gospel pericope, we read: “...ten lepers
approached him. Keeping their distance, they cried out, saying, ‘Jesus, Master,
have mercy on us!’”
The work of priests was far beyond what it is today. It was
the priest who “shall examine the diseased spot on the skin of his body; and if
the hair in the diseased spot has turned white and the disease appears to be
deeper than the skin of his body, it is a leprous disease; when the priest has
examined him he shall pronounce him unclean” (Lev 13:3). Lepers remain in the state of uncleanness as long as the
disease lasts and as a result “shall dwell alone in a habitation outside the
camp” (Lev 13:46).
Just as the priest declared one unclean on account of
leprosy, if a leper is cured by any means, it was also a priestly duty to
declare him or her clean and also to perform ritual cleansing and atonement for
the victim, cf. Lev 14:1-20. With
this in mind, we can understand why Jesus said to the ten lepers unlike when he
performed other miracles: “Go and show yourselves to the priests”.
This picture of the state of lepers in Israel at the time of
Jesus shows the magnitude of what Jesus did for the ten lepers. We can also
better imagine how he felt that made Him queried: “Were not ten made clean? But
the other nine, where are they? Was none of them found to return and give
praise to God except this foreigner?” Surely, many if not all of us will
instantly condemn those nine ungrateful men, many of whom must have been Jesus’
kinsmen (Jews).
Just as the state of lepers in Israel was very bad, today
there are many conditions that are really bad. Some differ from culture to
culture. Many of us were in such pitiable states. And some have been shielded
from them. How do we appreciate these?
Today’s gospel calls for serious examination on how often we
have been grateful to God, to others especially those who have been good to us,
and also to ourselves. God is still asking of the people he has blessed with
all kinds of gifts. Do not deny God what belongs to Him: “Salvation and glory
and power belong to our God” (Rev 19:1).
Bible Reading: Ps 136:1-26; Eph 2:1-10.
Thought for today: Are you the Samaritan or one of the ungrateful
nine who went away?
Let us pray: Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all
within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget
all his benefits – Amen (Ps 103:1-2).
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others if you consider it worthy.
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May
God bless you all+
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