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On one occasion,
Jesus travelled
to Jerusalem
with his
disciples,when,
between Samaria
and Galilee, he
went into a
village. (1)
By recognizing
Him, ten lepers
came to meet
him, but fearful
because of their
condition, they
stood at a
distance.
Leprosy was a
disease that had
no cure and that
all feared for
its
consequences,
and the harsh
laws that forced
patients to be
away from their
families because
they were
considered
impure. No one
could approach
them, and they
would be taken
to the Valley of
the Lepers,
located near
Jerusalem, where
they would have
to stay for the
rest of their
lives.
So, because of
the illness, the
poor sick knew
they could not
get closer to
Jesus. But, oh,
what a cruel
predicament!
They also knew
that with the
prophet lived
the hope of
being cured,
since the news
of the cures He
had done in
other locations
spread quickly
and were known
by all people.
So even from a
distance, they
started crying
and screaming,
begging:
- Jesus, Master,
have mercy on
us!
And Jesus, who
saw them and was
filled with pity
for the ten
lepers, not
approaching so
He would not
embarrass them,
said:
- Go and show
yourselves to
the priests.
After these
words, Jesus and
the apostles
continued their
journey.
Disheartened,
the lepers
lowered their
heads, and also
continued their
journey, perhaps
a bit
disappointed to
have missed the
opportunity to
be healed,
because the
Master had done
nothing for them
or their cures,
but merely to
have them look
for priests.
So they followed
the road, crying
and complaining
about their luck
when one of them
who was a
Samaritan,
looking at his
body, realized
he was cured.
Full of surprise
and joy, he
began to shout:
- I'm cured! I'm
cured! Jesus
healed me!
Hallelujah…
Hallelujah...
The others,
surprised by the
screaming,
looked up and
noticed that
they also were
free of wounds!
Their skins were
clean! ...
And they all
began to sing
and dance for
joy in the
middle of the
road. They ate,
drank and
partied. They
were happy and
needed to
celebrate the
healing.
The Samaritan,
however,
recognizing
himself
disease-free,
let his heart be
filled with
gratitude for
Jesus, the
prophet who had
healed him.
Kneeling, he
prayed to the
Master, grateful
to have returned
to good health.
Then, after
those moments of
joy, the others
decided to
continue their
way, happily.
They wanted to
resume their
lives and break
the news to
family and
friends, since
they could
return to live
in society.
The tenth former
leper, however,
decided to
return to thank
Jesus. He turned
around and
walked back,
retracing the
same path and
taking the
direction that
the Master had
taken. Along the
way, to everyone
he met, he asked
for news on the
whereabouts of
Jesus.
He tried so hard
that soon after
he found the
prophet. He
recognized Him
at once,
surrounded by a
crowd waiting
for a cure.
So the former
leper
approached,
giving glory to
God out loud, so
that everyone
could hear. Then
he threw himself
at Jesus' feet,
face to the
ground, thanking
Him:
- Master, I'm
healed! Thank
you! Thank you
...
Jesus, who knew
he was a
Samaritan, that
is, a native of
Samaria, the
people despised
by the Jews,
asked him:
- Were not ten
cleansed? Where
are the other
nine? No one
could be found
that returned to
give glory to
God except this
foreigner?
And He said to
the man at His
feet:
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- Get up
and go.
Your
faith
has
healed
you. |
Jesus wanted to
show us, with
this episode,
that gratitude
is a rare
feeling among
men.
Most people
receiving a
benefit do not
remember to be
thankful.
So it happened
to Jesus, who
healed many;
mostly people
who recognized
the great
blessing they
received, but
there is no
recollection
that they have
ever returned to
thank the
Master.
And we do not
know, of all
those who were
cured, how many
remained
healthy, since
Jesus warned
each one:
- Go and sin no
more, lest a
worse thing
happen to you.
Meimei
(Psychographed
by Celia X. de
Camargo, on
02/28/2011.)
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(1) Adapted from
Luke 17:11-19.
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