First, our 2 readings for today.
2 Timothy 2:8-15
8Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, 9for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained. 10Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.
11Here is a trustworthy saying:
If we died with him,
we will also live with him;
12if we endure,
we will also reign with him.
If we disown him,
he will also disown us;
13if we are faithless,
he remains faithful,
for he cannot disown himself.
14Keep reminding God’s people of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. 15Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
Luke 17:11-19
11Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 13and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”
14When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.
15One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.
17Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”
When someone says "Good morning" to you there are a number of ways you can respond. How you respond has a lot to do with how you are feeling and your state of mind.
The border between two regions can be a very interesting place. It can be a no-mans land, a place of violence or a place where peoples from both regions intermingle. The group of lepers in the second reading was a mixed group. They came seeking Jesus and Jesus came to be found. He gave them a command and their obedience secured their cure.
How much will it take for us to give up our own efforts and fully rely on Jesus for a cure to what ails or troubles us?
Life is full of a procession of events, each one as a consequence of our own actions. How we respond to events will effect what happens next.
Of the 10 lepers, 9 returned to their old lives of slavery to the law, 1 returned to Jesus and was completely healed.
We all have a concept of 'us' and 'them'. While the 10 were all lepers they were all 'us' but after there were cured the Samaritan became one of 'them'. Jesus traveled the border where 'us' and 'them' were close together. Who to you is 'us' and 'them'? How do you respond to each group differently" Jesus treated both groups the same, shouldn't we do likewise?
Richard.
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