Reflection:
Both of today’s readings from the 2nd Book of Kings and the Gospel reading from St. Luke deal with miracles of the cleansing of leprosy. In the first reading, Naaman went down and plunged into the Jordan seven times as Elisha had instructed him. His flesh became like the flesh of a little child. Nathan then returned to Elisha, the “man of God” with his whole retinue to offer a gift of appreciation to Elisha. However, Elisha refused the gift. Ultimately, realizing that the gift of healing had come not from Elisha himself but from the Lord who Elisha served, Naaman proclaimed that he would no longer offer holocaust or sacrifice to any other god except to the LORD.
Luke relates the incident of Jesus entering a village while travelling through Samaria and Galilee. He was confronted by ten lepers. The lepers stood at a distance from him in accordance with the law at the time raising their voices in unison, “Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!”. Without giving indication of what was about to transpire, Jesus sent the lepers on their way: “Go show yourselves to the priests.”
On their way, all ten were made clean. Interestingly, only one, a Samaritan, which Jesus termed a “foreigner” returned to give thanks to God.
The leprosy in both of these narratives appears analogous to the sin that disfigures our souls in a manner similar to the leprosy that disfigured the health and physical appearances of Naaman and the ten lepers. On our occasions of sinfulness we call upon the LORD to ask for his forgiveness. The LORD responds: “Go show yourselves to the priests.” Even on our way, the Lord heals us and restores our soul. Once forgiven, the next steps are up to us. Do we return to the LORD, realizing that he alone is the instrument of our healing rather than “any other god”? Or do we simply wander on our way like the other nine, without an appreciation for the significance of the healing that has taken place? The other nine certainly realized that they had been cured.
Why would one or more of them not have returned to the LORD with the Samaritan? Were they so caught up in their excitement and vainglory that they could not take the time to return to Jesus, like the Samaritan, the foreigner did, to meaningfully say thank you to God?
Our prayer lives are typically bursting with personal requests for the needs of ourselves, our family, our friends, our business associates, etc. These are all noble and worthy prayer intentions. “Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!”. Thereafter, once our prayers are granted, do we return to the Master to say thank you? Do we respond with deep appreciation and thankfulness like Naaman, and the Samaritan did once we realize that God has responded in some fashion to our prayers? Or do we continue on our respective journeys, like the other nine, with a superficial muttering of thanksgiving over our shoulders for the numerous times that God has answered us?
LORD, let us turn to you continuously as Naaman and the Samaritan did to thank you for the abundant blessings that you bestow upon us. Let our prayers of praise and thanksgiving dominate our prayer lives such that what we ask of you is always overshadowed by our appreciation for the blessings that you have already bestowed on us.
May the Passion of Jesus Christ be always in our hearts!
