28 th Sunday in Ordinary Time - 10 October 2010 -
Vatican Radio - Christian Horizons
Biblical Commentary by Don Fabio Rosini
Luke 17, 11-19
11 the journey to Jerusalem, Jesus passed through Samaria and Galilee. 12 entering a village, he was met by ten lepers, which stood at a distance, 13 raised their voices, saying: "Jesus Master, have mercy on us. " 14 When he saw them, Jesus said, "Go show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed. 15 One of them, realizing he was healed, came back, praising God with a loud voice; 16 and fell at Jesus' feet and thanked him. He was a Samaritan. 17 Jesus asked, "Were not ten cleansed? And where are the other nine? 18 no one found to return and give glory to God except this foreigner? ". And he said 19 "Get up and go ', your faith has saved you."
We have in this gospel the story of ten lepers who stop at a distance and shouted: "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" Here. Through this situation we already have elements of . Lepers stop at a distance. Sure. Rule of the leper was to stay away from the healthy. The leper was a lonely man, who was away. The image of leprosy, existential picture is very strong, very profound. Talk about this disease that does not allow ego to get close to another. Talk of the infection. Talk about a disease that leaves the large neighbor. In fact, these remote for mercy. Jesus tells them: "Go and show yourselves to the priests." These come and go as they go are purified. Note well. Why do you say "Go and show yourselves to the priests?. The ancient rite of purification of the leper in the case indicated that the healing of a leper, who was to say "the leper is healed may be reinstated in the village" was the priest who was to officially declare and verify the wounds healing. It is interesting that Jesus did not heal them, and then sends them. Sends them and then heals them. Lepers have to leave, move towards the priest, although starting from lepers. And here's the secret of that healing. It 's a story that back in various passages of Scripture. There is one in particular as regards their a leper. Naaman the Syrian, who is healed by the prophet Elisha healed up and is an act of simple obedience. Wash seven times in Jordan. This thing here indicates an act stupid, small, infinitesimal, which should solve a big problem like the plague. And it is obedience that is where the figure of this healing. Other cases we have to obey them in the Old Testament. But the case of this leper who is a stranger who is healed. Why? Why does something that he looked stupid.
These gentlemen left for the priests to go there in this one small act of obbiedienza. Do something illogical. Why would they say: "Before I heal, then go to the priest! "They go. As they went they were cleansed.
But the noblest part of the story is here.
One of them seeing themselves healed back praising God in a loud voice. And then what happens? What can heal, but despite this can not change our heart. Many people expect miracles in life. But! It will be so important? What you need to have a healthy body and a sick heart? Maybe better to have a sick body and a healthy heart. I saw people in a hospital bed with a heart full of love.
Then ten are healed, but only one returned to thank. Only one back because he realizes that the thing does not go so great. Not here it takes just healing the relationship. Not enough to be healed, this man wants to go back to Jesus, he wants to bow down to Him and He wants to approach this man is curiously a Samaritan, a foreigner. "The others where are they?" Says Jesus has not found anyone who would come back to give glory to God except this foreigner? There. It is interesting that an alien who returns to thank. Just as in the Old Testament history of the leper healed for excellence is what we have mentioned earlier, of Naaman the Syrian, a foreigner is healed and Jesus will say its in the synagogue in Nazareth "There were many lepers in the time of Elisha, yet none was healed except Naaman the Syrian, "is an alien who has understood the story. Why ten, in fact, we repeat history, have been cleansed, but only one receives a word a bit 'bigger. For when Jesus said, "you have not found anyone who has gone back to give glory to God except this foreigner," the says: "Rise and go, your faith has saved you! The others are just healthy. You are saved! "Ten cleansed, and one saved.
Salvation is more than just health. The salvation is that he has found the Lord, having found the 'axis real life, have found a point of reference and have found the life that goes towards good and should not be haphazard, it depends on gratitude, dependent upon the accepted true sign of the benefits received.
How ungrateful is that in this world. How many people How many people are ungrateful to God who does not thank. Who knows no thanks. Who is that thanks? a foreigner. It is typical. This is very important. Why, in fact, the alien is what it is embarrassed. It is everything that lives as something that belongs to him because he is a stranger. The Israelites, seeing themselves healed, they have to thank, but a Samaritan, you see cured by a Jew, which should be his opponent, returns to thank him because he understands what that gift is received.
To have a heart full of gratitude, we must remain strangers. We must keep people surprised by what they receive. We have this tendency to trivialize everything. To make things clear. people to become so, so that everything is acquired, possession is everything, everything is owned, everything is already mine. Save me? Of course I saved. I am entitled. This is something that I am, I put myself in his pocket and go forward. I care about me? The stranger, the outsider, what is new. When a new person in a environment is new, is careful, measures his words, his steps, then after a month, you do not remember anything. After a month is sloppy, no more bay. Staying foreign in Christian life, to know the graces you receive. We take for granted everything we receive. Many times, when we lose something, we understand it. Only when a limb hurts us understand what is nice to have that artist. When something is taken from us the grace to understand it. For this we need to keep shining soul, keep foreigners keep strangers, keep wondering why God gives us to do things we do. Surprised the word that speaks to us, the grace to celebrate this Mass this Sunday. Have the grace of the Word, Christian fellowship to all that follows. Keeping foreigners and learn that when one is accustomed, one does not see anything.
When two spouses are married, the first time is very attentive to each other, then they become routine, this routine, then begin to disrespect, are starting to no longer be maintained towards each other and then maybe then it happens that there is a risk the lives of two spouses and one realizes how beautiful it is to have the other side.
why our life is precarious. For this God claws often with things that make us tremble. We thank God that life, very often, we dance under my feet, thank God that things are never safe. To keep foreign surprised and grateful for what we have. We thank God that nothing is given us in the final possession, thank God that they were strangers, even if we forget. Foreigners in the salvation foreigners in the beauty, the life and paradise. The life of a Christian is the life of a pilgrim who can not stay at his home, and move towards a goal. If I forget to be a pilgrim and I installed, I forgot my gratitude, I forget the beauty of the goal.
May the Lord grant us to wake up often, be vigilant, very often about our real condition and accept what is truth. that all is grace, everything is a gift, and we possess because he is magnanimous and not because we deserve it.
0 comments:
Post a Comment