A Few Words On "The Word"

October 14, 2007
The 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

Luke 17:11-19

Stop Taking it for Granted!

Have you ever stopped to think about the various jobs people do just to make your life a little easier? Obviously your parents contribute the most by making sure that you're clothed and fed, but what about all the other people in society that provide us with basic services? What about the person who comes and picks up your trash every week or the janitor who cleans the bathrooms at school?

You've probably heard the saying, "It's a thankless job, but somebody has to do it!" Jobs like picking up trash or cleaning a bathroom are definitely those kinds of jobs. They're not very pleasant and nobody truly wants to do them but they still need to get done.

Today's gospel story of the ten lepers reminds us of the importance of saying thank you. When ten lepers approach Jesus asking to be healed, he tells them to go and show themselves to the priests (who were needed-in the absence of modern medicine and doctors-to "certify" that the lepers were cured so that they could rejoin society without putting others in danger of catching the disease). On the way to see the priests all ten lepers are cured, yet only one returns to thank Jesus.

Leprosy was a significant problem in Jesus' time. Since it's a bacterial disease that causes sores on one's skin, it was seen by the Jews as very unclean. Therefore, anyone who had leprosy was considered an outcast and usually forced to live apart from society. Today we have ways of easily curing leprosy but in Jesus' time there was little chance of recovery.

In other words, what Jesus did for these ten lepers was a big deal! He didn't just heal a paper cut! He altered the direction their lives were going!

How often do we fail to thank those around us who help us every day? It's easy to overlook our parents or others like them who ensure that we have all the tools we need to become successful human beings. Furthermore, how often do we fail to thank God for all that we're given? We may never be miraculously cured but God still provides for us all the time. He gave us parents, teachers, and friends to help us out. In fact, he sent his only son to die for us so that we might truly understand how much he loves us. So, stop taking it for granted! Take time daily to thank God and those around you, never forgetting that without others you would not be able to truly be a peacebuilder.

Reflection Question

In what ways can you go beyond thanking those around you and begin to "give back" by helping those in need?

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