From: Luke 17:11-19
The Ten Lepers
[11] On the way to Jerusalem He (Jesus) was passing along between Samaria
and Galilee. [12] And as He entered the village, He was met by ten lepers, who
stood at a distance [13] and lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have
mercy on us.” [14] When He saw them He said to them, “Go and show your-
selves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. [15] Then one of
them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud
voice; [16] and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving Him thanks. Now he was
a Samaritan. [17] Then said Jesus, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the
nine? [18] Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreig-
ner?” [19] And He said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you
well.”
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Commentary:
11-19. The setting of this episode explains how a Samaritan could be in the com-
pany of Jews. There was no love lost between Jews and Samaritans (cf. John 4:
9), but shared pain, in the case of these lepers, overcame racial antipathy.
The Law of Moses laid down, to prevent the spread of the disease, that lepers
should live away from other people and should let it be known that they were suf-
fering from this disease (cf. Leviticus 13:45-46). This explains why they did not
come right up to Jesus and His group, but instead begged His help by shouting
from a distance. Before curing them our Lord orders them to go to the priests to
have their cure certified (cf. Leviticus 14:2ff), and to perform the rites laid down.
The lepers’ obedience is a sign of faith in Jesus’ words. And, in fact, soon after
setting out they are cleansed.
However, only one of them, the Samaritan, who returns praising God and sho-
wing his gratitude for the miracle, is given a much greater gift than the cure of le-
prosy. Jesus says as much: “Your faith has made you well” (verse 19) and prai-
ses the man’s gratefulness. The Gospel records this event to teach us the value
of gratefulness: “Get used to lifting your heart to God, in acts of thanksgiving,
many times a day. Because He gives you this and that. Because you have been
despised. Because you haven’t what you need or because you have.
“Because He made His Mother so beautiful, His Mother who is also your Mo-
ther. Because He created the sun and the moon and this animal and that plant.
Because He made that man eloquent and you He left tongue-tied ....
“Thank Him for everything, because everything is good” (St. J. Escriva, “The
Way”, 268).
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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.
Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible by Darton, Longman & Todd
Readings at Mass
Liturgical Colour: Green.
| First reading |
Wisdom 6:1-11 © |
Listen, kings, and understand;
rulers of remotest lands, take warning;
hear this, you who have thousands under your rule,
who boast of your hordes of subjects.
For power is a gift to you from the Lord,
sovereignty is from the Most High;
he himself will probe your acts and scrutinise your intentions.
If, as administrators of his kingdom, you have not governed justly
nor observed the law,
nor behaved as God would have you behave,
he will fall on you swiftly and terribly.
Ruthless judgement is reserved for the high and mighty;
the lowly will be compassionately pardoned,
the mighty will be mightily punished.
For the Lord of All does not cower before a personage,
he does not stand in awe of greatness,
since he himself has made small and great
and provides for all alike;
but strict scrutiny awaits those in power.
Yes, despots, my words are for you,
that you may learn what wisdom is and not transgress;
for they who observe holy things holily will be adjudged holy,
and, accepting instruction from them, will find their defence in them.
Look forward, therefore, to my words;
yearn for them, and they will instruct you.
| Responsorial Psalm |
| Psalm 81(82):3-4,6-7 © |
Arise, O God, to judge the earth.
Do justice for the weak and the orphan,
defend the afflicted and the needy.
Rescue the weak and the poor;
set them free from the hand of the wicked.
Arise, O God, to judge the earth.
I have said to you: “You are gods
and all of you, sons of the Most High.”
And yet, you shall die like men,
you shall fall like any of the princes.’
Arise, O God, to judge the earth.
| Gospel Acclamation |
cf.2Th2:14 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Through the Good News God called us
to share the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Alleluia!
Alleluia, alleluia!
For all things give thanks,
because this is what God expects you to do in Christ Jesus.
Alleluia!
On the way to Jerusalem Jesus travelled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered one of the villages, ten lepers 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 at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. The man was a Samaritan. This made Jesus 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.’