Are We Like the Nine Who Left?

Luke 17:11-19

In our scripture today, we are outside of Galilee.  Which for Jesus can be a good thing if people are looking to kill you there.  We have ten men with leprosy who are healed but only one returns and gives thanks.

This sounds like a lesson from almost every parent of a two-year-old. “Don’t forget to say thank you, sweetheart.” To be sure, giving thanks for gifts received is always a good thing  However, when we look at the larger picture Luke is portraying, we find that this isn’t just a morality tale told to teach Jesus’ followers a lesson.

Jesus is on the way to Jerusalem, on his way to the cross, to the end of his ministry

Where this story takes place is important.  Jesus’ encounter with the lepers takes place in the “region between Samaria and Galilee.” This area at the border could be dangerous as it’s neither inside nor outside Jewish territory.

The relationship between Samaritans and Jews at the time of Jesus was conflicted and sometimes violent. Centuries before this they had been one people, but the Babylonian exile and return put them at odds regarding beliefs about how to practice their faith

Despite potential danger, and without assessing these lepers’ attitudes toward him, Jesus heals all ten — including the Samaritan.  Not a surprise!

At the very start, the outset of his ministry, Jesus already puts his cards on the table regarding his opinion of foreigners.  The assembly that heard him preach from Isaiah, initially were amazed at his learning. Short lived this as he goes on to say “there were also many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.”  God chose the foreigner to heal. (Luke 4:27).

Jesus telling his congregation that God chose the foreigner didn’t sit well. In response his townspeople sought to throw Jesus over a cliff (Luke 4:30). Persecution is still occurring.  It can be difficult to change one’s biases and learn to accept the extravagant welcoming ways of God.  Pope Leo, like Pope Francis, preaches the welcoming message of Jesus. He answers only to God.

Both Naaman and the unnamed grateful leper are sent along their way with a command to “Go.”    God’s criteria for showing mercy seems considerably more generous than society’s norms, then and now.

The ingratitude of 9 lepers.  Nine Jewish people getting healed it seems. They walk away.  Unbelievable.  There must be a sense of entitlement.  Did these lepers think they deserved this?  That special treatment aka a miracle is a privilege they automatically should get?

And then we have the gratitude of one.  The outcast, the foreigner, the Samaritan – people spoke of them as many now would say about Iraqi Muslims after 9/11.  With disdain, maybe even disgust.  Not even realizing that God and Allah are the same.  People do not change.

Luke focuses our attention on the outsider/foreigner status of one who returned to give praise to Jesus. First Luke notes that he is a Samaritan (v. 16), and then Jesus refers to him as a foreigner (v. 18). God’s mercy is not limited by human conventions regarding insiders and outsiders — even when the outsider is an enemy.  All are created by God.

Why is it that the outsider, the foreigner turns back to thank Jesus?     Perhaps because he felt Jesus saw both a leper and a foreigner as a person and he was grateful.  Humanity trumps everything.

Have you ever been in a situation where you felt like you were the outsider.  Didn’t belong.  Everyone else had a group.  But you were standing alone.

It is interesting to note that the miracle of healing is downplayed in our scripture. We only know the result of the healing After the Samaritan saw that he was healed, the rest of his response is characterized by four verbs: turn back (hypostrepho), praise (or give glory; doxazo), prostrate (literally fall on his face), and thanks (eucharisto).

The passage ends with a command to the Samaritan: “Get up (anistemi; rise) and go (poreuomai) on your way; your faith has made you well,” literally it has saved you  Faith is all about action for Luke.

The good news of the miracles are promises.  A promise that God empowers us to step across boundaries. A promise that God empowers us to share mercy with outsiders.  A promise that God empowers us to pay attention to things worthy of praise.  And finally, we are promised that we can move forward into God’s future through his son Jesus Christ.  There is a catch here.  God promises but it is up to us.   We must take steps, share mercy, pay attention to praiseworthy things, and move forward in Jesus to fulfill these promises. We have free will as a gift.  Choose wisely.   For all of this, may we always give thanks.  Do not walk away.  Amen