Ten lepers cry out to Jesus with
one voice: “Jesus, Master, have mercy on
us!” All ten share in the same condition. They are all leprous. They are
all outcasts. Cut off from society. All of them. Yet they all had faith in
Jesus to heal them. “Have mercy on us!”
"Ten" is a
perfect number. All together they cry out for mercy but at a distance. They had
nothing left to lose.
They were all from the same
village. Thus, they knew each other. They had a collective sense of community
among themselves. Not based on faith. Nine were Jewish, one a Samaritan.
By the time Jesus arrived on the
scene there wasn’t much love lost between Jews and Samaritans. In fact they
viewed each other with suspicion and mistrust.
But on that day, they all stood
at a distance. This terminal disease, leprosy, had not only brought them
together. From it they had formed a common bond. They each knew the outcome.
Theirs was a terminal disease. And without divine intervention, their common
bond would be their common end.
Lepers were like death-row
inmates. They were as good as dead. - Dead men walking. For death itself, was
in their flesh. Lesions, sores, and scabs, bore witness to their decay as
living symbols of death. They were unclean.
As such, they were shunned from
society. They were cast out of the community, barred access to home, market and
synagogue.
They had nothing. No home. No
income. No future. Nothing.
Their leprosy made them dead to
family and friends. Leprosy made them dead to religious practice. Only a cure
for their leprosy could bring them life. But cures were rare.
So rare, in fact, that the rabbis
of the day considered the cure of a leper equal with raising a person from the
dead. Lepers were the living dead.
To be diagnosed with leprosy was
more of a social pronouncement rather than medical. Folks with Leprosy were
suspect. Like AIDS victims a quarter-century ago. Folks kept their distance. An
explanation wasn't necessary. Everyone knew...they were dirty.
The men in today’s Gospel
reading didn’t call out to Jesus just to say “Hello.” They called out because
they were sick. In fact, they were dying a terribly slow death.
And it is precisely those
people whom our LORD came to rescue. Perhaps the greatest virtue of the
Samaritan was his sense of self. The man knew precisely what he was. And what
he needed. More to the point, he knew where to get it.[2]
They pleaded for help. "Jesus, Master, Have mercy!" That prayer has been prayed across the
centuries.
And to this day the faithful
simply pray; "O Christ, Thou Lamb of
God, You take away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us, and grant us Your
peace." Kyrie
Elision...Lord have mercy!
They each went to the priest.
They did this at Jesus' command. Which must have sounded quite strange. You
only went to the priest as an affirmation that you were in remission. Only the
priest could verify that a cure had come. Only the priest could pronounce you
"good to go."
Jesus commanded they go to the
priest for He knew, in advance of the miracle what would happen next.
When Jesus says, “Go!” That’s a complete sentence. It is
one thing to feel grateful; it is another thing to express it.
The event reported in this Gospel
happened while Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem to lay down His life as the
sacrifice for the sins of the world. The guilt of your selfishness and pride
rested on His shoulders. The hands that in other cases healed with a touch were
soon to be nailed to the cross in payment for our ingratitude and loveless
hearts.
The voice that told the lepers to
show themselves to the priest would soon cry out in pain and agony, “I thirst”, and “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?” as Jesus endured the
full punishment of body and soul that we all deserve.
Yet, that same voice would sound
forth again after His resurrection, announcing that the forgiveness of sins
should be preached in His name to Jews and Samaritans and all the nations of
the earth.
Christ forgives your many sins.
And it is the message of the cross which tells you that your LORD understands
you and your suffering. Yes, Jesus took
them all upon himself.
From the cross the Savior
declares, 'I love you. I know the
heartaches and the sorrows and the pain that you feel. Still I love you.'
Jesus, the author of life planned
out every circumstance for these men. Likewise, He orders your days. He directs
your path - regardless. Regardless of outward circumstances. Regardless of
those obstacles 'in your road'.
Regardless of past experiences and present details
The Lord remains faithful. Each
was cleansed along the way. No sooner had they arrived at the Tempe they
received a clean bill of health. Restored, redeemed, forgiven. And forever
free.
So how about you? You respond by
loving God and serving your neighbor. It’s that simple. “Love the LORD your
God with all your heart, soul and mind.’
And likewise, serve your neighbor in love.
The Samaritan experienced grace.
For Grace is karma’s worst nightmare. With grace we receive what we don’t
deserve. And because of grace you demonstrate mercy – “even to the least of these.” -Matthew 25:40
And who are the least among you?
That’s for you to figure out. And when you do figure it out; (and you will)
-serve them, love them, show compassion to them, with mercy and grace -always.
People of God- Go! Live your life
as a redeemed child of God. – Love God; serve your neighbor – Be a sermon in
shoes!
Words-1,005
Passive Sentences –6.3%
Readability –83 %
Reading Level 3.7
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