"Jesus, nga manunodlo, kaluoyi kami"

Ebanghelyo subong nga Adlaw (Lucas 17:11-19)

Domingo (Oktubre 13)

Sang nagapakadto si Jesus sa Jerusalem nag-agi sia sa dulonan sang Samaria kag Galilea.

Sang nagapasulod sia sa isa ka baryo ginsugata sia sang napulo ka mga aruon. Ang mga aruon nagtindog sa unhan kag nagsinggit, "Jesus nga manunodlo, kaluoyi kami!"

Nakita sila ni Jesus kag nagsiling sia sa ila, "Lakat kamo kag ipatan-aw ang inyo kaugalingon sa mga pari." Sang nagalakat sila nag-ayo sila.

Ang isa sa ila, sang matalupangdan niya nga nag-ayo na sia, nagbalik nga nagadayaw sa Dios sa mabaskog nga tingog.

Nagluhod sia sa tiilan ni Jesus kag nagpasalamat sa iya. Yadto nga tawo taga-Samaria.

Si Jesus nagsiling, "Indi bala napulo ka tawo ang gintinluan? Karon diin na ang siyam?

Ngaa ining dumoluong lang ang nagbalik sa pagpasalamat sa Dios?"

Si Jesus nagsiling sa tawo, "Tindog ka kag maglakat. Ang imo pagtuo nag-ayo sa imo."

Prayers:

"Lord, may I never fail to recognize your love and mercy. Fill my heart with gratitude and thanksgiving and free me from pride, discontentment, and ingratitude. Help me to count my blessings with gratefulness and to give thanks in all circumstances."

***

Reflection of the Daily Gospel:

What can adversity teach us about the healing power of love and mercy? Proverbs gives us a hint: A friend loves at all times; and a brother is born for adversity (Prov. 17:17). When adversity strikes you find out who truly is your brother, sister, and friend. The gospel records an unusual encounter between individuals who belonged to groups which had been divided and hostile towards one another for centuries. The Jews regarded the Samaritans as heretics worse than pagans. And as a result they had no dealings with each another. They were openly hostile whenever their paths crossed. In this gospel narrative we see one rare exception -- a Samaritan leper in company with nine Jewish lepers. Sometimes adversity forces us to drop our barriers or to forget our prejudices. When this band of lepers saw Jesus they made a bold request. They didn't ask for healing, but instead asked for mercy. 

The word mercy literally means "sorrowful at heart". But mercy is more than just compassion, or heartfelt sorrow at another's misfortune. While compassion empathizes with the sufferer, mercy goes further. It removes suffering. A merciful person shares in another's misfortune and suffering as if it were his own. And he will do everything in his power to dispel that misery. Mercy is also connected with justice. Thomas Aquinas said that mercy "does not destroy justice, but is a certain kind of fulfillment of justice. ..Mercy without justice is the mother of dissolution; (and) justice without mercy is cruelty." Pardon without repentance negates justice. So what is the significance of these ten lepers asking for mercy? They know they are in need of healing, not just physical, but spiritual healing as well. They approach Jesus with contrition and faith because they believe that he can release the burden of guilt and suffering and make restoration of body and soul possible. Their request for mercy is both a plea for pardon and release from suffering. Jesus gives mercy to all who ask with faith and contrition. 

Why did only one leper out of ten — a Samaritan whom the Jews despised as a people worse than pagans — return to show gratitude? Gratefulness is related to grace — a word which means the release of loveliness. Gratitude is the homage of the heart which responds with graciousness in expressing an act of thanksgiving. The Samaritan approached Jesus reverently and gave praise to God. If we do not recognize and appreciate the mercy shown us we will be ungrateful. Ingratitude is forgetfulness or a poor return for kindness received. Ingratitude easily leads to lack of charity and intolerance towards others as well as to other sins, such as discontent, dissatisfaction, complaining, grumbling, pride and presumption. How often have we been ungrateful to our parents, pastors, teachers, and neighbors? Do you express gratitude to God for his mercy and do you show mercy to your neighbor?