November 12, 2014
(St. Josaphat, Bishop and Martyr)
Jesus sent the ten lepers away. As they were going they were cleansed. And one of them, realizing he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice; and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. Lk 17:11-19
It’s interesting that Jesus told the man, AFTER he was healed, that his Faith had saved him. Throughout the Gospels we see that word, Faith, used in many different ways.
There was a Roman Centurion who knew that Jesus could heal his loved one, even from a distance. And so he traveled that distance, himself, to ask Jesus for the favor of God’s healing Grace. And Jesus praised him for his FAITH. (Mt 8:5-13)
Then there was a woman who suffered from hemorrhages. She believed that even just a touch of Jesus’ cloak could heal her. In this case it seemed as though she stole the healing from behind the back of Jesus. But again Jesus praised her for her Faith. (Lk 8:43)
Today’s ten lepers were hoping that Jesus could heal them. Their faith wasn’t really strong enough to believe that Jesus could or would – really do that. So when Jesus sent them off to the priests, they were NOT immediately and miraculously healed on the spot. But as they traveled along, their healing finally did occur. The question was, did they realize that
it was Jesus who healed them?
Was their faith strong enough, by then, to acknowledge that it was because of the Lord that they were healed? It didn’t seem so, because only one man came back to thank Jesus. He was the one who had that ‘true faith.’ And because of that faith, Jesus said that he was “saved.”
Do we ever pray for something, beloved, only to find out that it never seems to happen – at least – on our time schedule. And then, later, when it actually does happen, do we remember that it was really the answer to our prayer?
Is our faith strong enough to recognize the Grace of God in His many Gifts to us, so many, they can’t even be counted?
And then, if it is, do we remember to go back and thank Him for all those Gifts? Maybe it’s a healing. Maybe its the strength to endure our suffering. Maybe its even as simple as the warmth of our home, the food we’re given, and the friends we have.
There’s a chant that the kids in our youth group often say to one another that goes like this:
God is Good!
(and the response is)
All the Time!
And for that we can do nothing better than to
give Him THANKS.
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St. Josaphat was a monk and archbishop from the Ukraine. He lived in the late 1500’s early 1600s. He was devoted to bringing unity to the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches. He was killed for his effort to bring this unity.
Martyrdom of Josaphat Kuntsevych
Józef Simmler – cyfrowe.mnw.art.pl
http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/Saints/saint.aspx?id=1197&calendar=1
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Whispers to the Wind 