The Homily of Father Jose - October 13, 2019
         Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

                                                    Make Your Thanks Eternal

In today’s Gospel, Jesus healed ten lepers who were not Israelites but Jesus showed His compassion to them.  Leprosy is a terrible disease.  People are afraid of leprosy.   We know that ten lepers were healed but only one came back to thank Jesus.  The other nine were not grateful. We need to thank God always. Every moment we are receiving miracles from God. How grateful are we to God?  We always take God for granted.  We pray to God only in emergencies. Whenever the request is granted we quit praying.

If we love the Lord, we communicate with God all the time, not just the time of desperate need.  We need to praise Him and thank Him all the time.  We need to remember God’s mercy, grace and love.

When the lepers requested His help, he said “Go show yourselves to the priest.”  Why did Jesus send them to the priest?  Did Jesus have this authority and healing power?  Jesus is the supreme healer.  But he wants to teach us that we have to follow the law.  According to the law, after his healing the leper has to go to the priest for a purification ceremony. 

The lepers who approached Jesus were the worst of outcasts.  The leprosy was thought to be a consequence of sin.  They were not allowed to mingle with the community.  But the Lord  accepted them with love and compassion.  As followers of Christ let us show compassion to those who are sick.  “Lord, thank you for all Your gifts especially the gift of life, let us be every grateful to You.”

                                                                                     Amen