Ten Lepers

Luke 17:11-19

As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem,
he traveled through Samaria and Galilee. As he was entering a village, ten lepers met him. They stood at a distance from him and raised their voice, saying, “Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!”
And when he saw them, he said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” As they were going they were cleansed. And one of them, realizing he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice; and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him.
He was a Samaritan. Jesus said in reply, “Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine? Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?” Then he said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.”

Padraig Mc Murphy was desperate to get to Gus O'Connor's by 6:00 because three free drink tickets for Tullamore Dew were being given away to everyone. His ruthless boss kept him grinding away until 5:30 (his normal quitting time, by the way) so he had barely enough time to drive from the office to the pub. Traffic delayed him a tad so that it was 5:53 when he turned on to Flannery street where the pub was located. Desperate to find a place to park where he could rush through the doors in time to get his tickets, he offered up this solemn vow.

“God, if you were to grant me a brilliant parking spot where I can make through the doors in time to claim my free tickets, I will faithfully attend Sunday Mass every week until Christmas,” he pleaded. As he completed the turn, he found not just one, but three empty spots open right in front of the door to the pub. Happiness overflowed in him and he offered up a second prayer.

“God, never mind. I found a spot on my own. No need for your help this time,” he said with a relieved smile with the misery of a long line of Sunday mass obligations fading away from his view of the future.

So, what you ask, does this wee joke have to do with the gospel reading today. The answer comes in that gospel has nine guys just like Padraig and one who knew and embraced the truth. But for the intervention of God, ten men would still be lepers. The healing did not just happen by coincidence, and they certainly did not do anything themselves that resulted in a miracle. They were recipients of God’s mercy and grace. Plain and simple.

Bargaining with God is all too easy. I do it often despite my best efforts to be humble enough to accept his blessings with gratitude. I live in a wondrous place I found just because I searched long and hard and so I deserve to live here. I did the work as promised and God delivered as I expected.

In vulnerable moments, like now, I think about the countless others who have worked just as hard, if not harder, and would therefore be more deserving than I to be here. I did not earn anything. None of us have. We just did our part, and the rest has been all completely reliant on the grace of God.

I don't want to be one nine who mindlessly skipped down the road to the nearest tavern to make merry so I should not act like it. None of us should. What we have is a gift. What about all of the riches we do not have? Certainly, this house could be bigger and more nicely finished but what I do not have

is not the consequence of something I have done warranting punishment because I have been provided for in ways I can’t even imagine. I, for one, do not even want to know the full scope of the bounty given me. I simply pray for the ability to be grateful and to be grateful to he who has blessed me.

Today, I choose to be like the Samaritan who “realizing he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice; and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him.” As for the rest of you, what is your choice?