Gospel: Luke 17:11-19

 

In today’s Gospel, Luke gives an account of the cure of ten lepers, in which only one thanks Jesus. And he was a Samaritan! Gratitude is another theme which is very typical of Luke: to live in an attitude of gratitude and to praise God for everything which we receive from Him. 

 

Luke recalls that Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem, passing through Samaria to go to Galilee. From the beginning of His journey, Jesus walks through Samaria. It is only now that He is leaving Samaria, passing through Galilee in order to reach Jerusalem. That means that the important teachings given in the last chapters from the 9th to the 17th were all given on a territory which was not predominantly Jewish. To hear that must have been a great joy for Luke’s communities, which were from pagan territory. 

 

Jesus the pilgrim continues His journey toward Jerusalem. He continues to eliminate the inequalities which men have created. He continues on the long and painful road of the periphery toward the capital city, from a religion closed in upon itself toward an open religion which knows how to accept others sons and daughters of the same Father. And this openness is also manifested in the acceptance given to the ten lepers.

 

  The response of Jesus demanded great faith on the part of the lepers. They had to go to the priest as if they had already been cured when in reality their bodies continued to be covered with leprosy. But they believed in Jesus’ word and went to the priest It happens that along the way, their cure takes  place. They are purified. This cure recalls the story of the purification of Naaman from Syria. The prophet Elisha orders the man to go and wash in the Jordan. Namaan had to believe in the word of the prophet. Jesus orders the ten lepers to present themselves to the priests. They should believe in the word of Jesus.