Lectio Divina – 33

Fr Martin Kallunkal

Reading
“Now it happened that on the way to Jerusalem he was travelling in the borderlands of Samaria and Galilee. As he entered one of the villages, ten men suffering from a virulent skin-disease came to meet him. They stood some way off and called to him, ‘Jesus! Master! Take pity on us.’ When he saw them he said, ‘Go and show yourselves to the priests.’ Now as they were going away they were cleansed. Finding himself cured, one of them turned back praising God at the top of his voice and threw himself prostrate at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. The man was a Samaritan. This led Jesus to say, ‘Were not all ten made clean? The other nine, where are they? It seems that no one has come back to give praise to God, except this foreigner.’And he said to the man, ‘Stand up and go on your way. Your faith has saved you’” (Lk 17:11-19).

Reflection 
In the passage we have just read, ten lepers pray for mercy, and Jesus asks them to show themselves to priests. We do not hear any explicit request for healing from the part of the lepers. And, no formal declaration of healing is heard from the side of Jesus either. The lepers voice their need indirectly, and Jesus answers their hidden prayer instantly. The shaming matter of their common need is kept in silence all through the event. That the ten men who appealed for Jesus’ mercy were lepers is an information we have from the evangelist who reports the event; neither the ten men nor Jesus mentions that they were lepers. This is the first point we need consider. People in need should not be shamed neither by themselves nor by their benefactors. As we know from Numbers 5:2, and Leviticus 13:45-46, all those who suffered from skin-disease had to live outside the encampments, wear torn clothing and disordered hair, cover the upper lip and shout, “unclean, unclean.” But, the lepers in this New Testament passage do not refer to themselves as ‘unclean.’ They do not complain about the unjust socio-religious system, which name them lepers and treat them as invalid outcastes. On the other hand, they perceive themselves as poor people awaiting God’s mercy. They pray, “Jesus! Master! Take pity on us.” Note that they call Jesus, ‘Master.’ In the Gospel of Luke, apart from the disciples, the ten lepers are the only people who call Jesus, Master. Thus, we may say that they appeal not only to Jesus’ mercy but also to His wisdom. Jesus in His divine wisdom knows that their humble and positive self-knowledge – that they are poor ones waiting for mercy – comes from pure and strong faith, and for that reason, that they will be healed soon. And, on the way to the temple, they are healed. Knowing that he has been healed, a Samaritan comes back praising God at the top of his voice and thanking Jesus. Jesus’ remark, “it seems that no one has come back to give praise to God, except this foreigner” reveals that the other nine were Israelites, God’s own people. This is the second point to note. Believers often take God’s gifts for granted, and remain ungrateful. Of course, as in the case of this Samaritan, gratitude does not make his healing faster or more perfect than the healing his companions received; but gratitude makes our faith perfect and the relationship with God lively.

Prayer 
Lord, you are so gentle, caring and understanding. You know each one’s secret pain. You never shame the vulnerable. Lord, teach me to be sensitive to my brothers and sisters. I am sorry that often I behave like the unforgiving servant in your parable. Teach me, Lord, the way to overcome my inferiority complexes by turning my attention from my wounds to your healing mercy.

Contemplation 
Bury your pains in silence. Listen to the cries inside your heart, and now and then voice them as a short prayer for mercy.

Action
Turn your attention from various negatives in life. Cultivate the habit of saying ‘thank you.’ Find some time to thank God for the numerous unacknowledged gifts you have received from Him and His creatures.