Luke 17:14

Today is October 12th: We all read Daily Mass Reading.

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Old Testament (Tanach): 2nd book of Kings 5,14-17

14 Naaman went down and plunged into the Jordan seven times at the word of Elisha, the man of God. His flesh became again like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean of his leprosy.
15 He returned with his whole retinue to the man of God. On his arrival he stood before him and said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel. Please accept a gift from your servant.”
16 “As the LORD lives whom I serve, I will not take it,” Elisha replied; and despite Naaman’s urging, he still refused.
17 Naaman said: “If you will not accept, please let me, your servant, have two mule-loads of earth, for I will no longer offer holocaust or sacrifice to any other god except to the LORD.

St. Luke 17:14 And when he (Jesus) saw them (ten lepers), he said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.”

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 17,11-19

11 As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem, he traveled through Samaria and Galilee.
12 As he was entering a village, ten lepers met him. They stood at a distance from him
13 and raised their voice, saying, “Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!”
14 And when he saw them, he said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” As they were going they were cleansed.
15 And one of them, realizing he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice;
16 and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. He was a Samaritan.
17 Jesus said in reply, “Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine?
18 Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?”
19 Then he said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.”

Purified from the leprosy of sin

Commentary Saint Bruno of Segni (c.1045-1123), Bishop

“And as they went they were cleansed.” Let all sinners listen to this and try to understand it. It is easy for the Lord to forgive sins. Sinners have often been forgiven before they came to a priest. In fact, their repentance and healing occur simultaneously: at the very moment of their conversion they pass from death to life. Let them understand, however, what this conversion means; let them heed the Lord’s words: “Return to me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments” (Jl 2,12). To be really converted one must be converted inwardly, in one’s heart…

“One of them, when he saw that he was cured, went back again, praising God at the top of his voice.” In truth, this man stands for all those who, after their cleansing by the waters of baptism or healing by the sacrament of penance, renounce the devil and take Christ as their model, following him with praise, adoration, and thanksgiving, and nevermore abandoning his service.

“And Jesus said to him: Stand up and go on your way. Your faith has saved you.” Great, therefore, is the power of faith. “Without it”, as the Apostle says, “it is impossible to please God” (Heb 11,6). “Abraham believed God and because of this God regarded him as righteous” (Rom 4,3). Faith saves, faith justifies, faith heals both body and soul.

Please click Saint Bruno of Segni (c.1045-1123), Bishop

Sacred Jesus, Saint Bruno of Segni (1045-1123) was an avid defender of orthodox Christian teachings.  One of the doctrines he strongly promoted was Your real presence in the Eucharist.  I ask him to pray for those who don’t understand, those who reject, and those who abuse the supernatural reality of the Eucharist.  Help us all to experience the new life that comes from receiving You in the form of bread and wine.  Let this Sacrament heal our divisions. 

O Lord, teach us how to be Eucharist for one another by making sacrifices of love and forgiving each other as You have forgiven us.  Saint Bruno of Segni, pray for us.  Amen.