Reflection for October 12, Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time: Luke 17:11-19

Gospel: Luke 17:11-19

As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem, he traveled through Samaria and Galilee. As he was entering a village, ten lepers met him. They stood at a distance from him and raised their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!” And when he saw them, he said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” 

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. He was a Samaritan. Jesus said in reply, “Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine? Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?” Then he said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.”

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Reflection:

There was once a young woman who was diagnosed with a severe illness. Her doctor told her that she would need to undergo a dangerous operation upon reaching the age of twenty-five; otherwise, she would die. Having nothing except her faith, she relied on no one but Jesus. 

As years passed, she eventually reached the age of twenty-five. Yet, nothing serious happened to her, nor did she undergo any operation. She was still alive and in the pink of health. Out of deep gratitude for the healing she received from Jesus, she entered a convent to become a nun. 

This story reminds us that the healing power of Jesus is real. Our faith in Him can heal not only our physical sickness but also the hidden wounds of our hearts and souls. We simply have to ask Jesus with faith, and He will surely hear us. But every healing that we receive from the Lord also carries an unwritten responsibility—to give thanks and to share the gift of healing with others through our words and deeds. 

The ten lepers in the Gospel all had faith in Jesus; otherwise, they would not have been healed. But among the ten, only one—a Samaritan—returned to thank Jesus. He humbly fell at His feet and gave glory to God. 

How about the nine who were also healed? Perhaps they went back to their homes and quietly resumed their lives, forgetting to express their gratitude. In many ways, we too can be like those nine—eager to receive God’s blessings but slow to return to Him with thanksgiving. 

Whom should we imitate—the nine who walked away or the one who came back? The answer is clear. We are called to follow the example of the grateful and humble Samaritan who remembered to give thanks. 

When we take time to thank Jesus for all that He has done for us—our healing, our answered prayers, our daily blessings—we allow gratitude to deepen our faith. A thankful heart always attracts more grace. 

Are we like the nine who forgot to return, or are we like the one who came back to humbly thank Jesus? Do we take time each day to prayerfully express our heartfelt gratitude to Him who never fails to heal, bless, and love us? – Marino J. Dasmarinas