Your Faith Has Saved You

November 14, 2007

Wednesday of the Thirty-second Week in Ordinary Time

By Melanie Rigney

“To you, therefore, O princes, are my words addressed that you may learn wisdom and that you may not sin. For those who keep the holy precepts hallowed shall be found holy, and those learned in them will have ready a response. Desire therefore my words; long for them and you shall be instructed.” (Wisdom 6:9-11)

On his journey to Jerusalem, Jesus encountered ten lepers who asked for his pity. “…(W)hen 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.’” (Luke 17:14-19)

Piety

Lord, whether my journey includes joy or sorrow, burdens or gifts, I thank you always with a loving heart for the blessing of walking with you.

Study

Today's Readings

Pope Benedict XVI on Today's Gospel

“What a treasure is hidden in the little phrase ‘thank you!’” Pope Benedict XVI reminded us last month on the ninetieth anniversary of the Virgin’s appearance at Fatima.

Whether our station in the temporal world is high or low, whether we are “deserving” or not, today’s readings speak of God’s love for us. The first reading from the Book of Wisdom reminds those with worldly power to “desire” and “long for” God that they “shall be instructed.”

The Gospel is the story of the ten cleansed lepers, only one of whom returned to say thanks. Jesus doesn’t say he’s going to renege on healing the bodies of those who went on their way without giving thanks. Rather, he says to the grateful man, “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.”

In his address at St. Peter’s Square on October 15 (www.thecatholicassociation.org/comments_on_gospel_passage_of_10_lepers.html), the pope focused on the redemption that comes with healing of the heart:

The complete and radical healing is "salvation." Even in common language, the distinction between "health" and "salvation" helps us to understand that salvation is much more that health. It is, in fact, a new life, full and definitive. Moreover, here, as in other circumstances, Jesus uses the expression, "Your faith has saved you." Faith saves the human person, re-establishing him in his profound relationship with God, with himself, and with others. And faith is expressed with appreciation. He who, like the healed Samaritan, knows how to give thanks, shows that he does not consider everything as something which is merited, but instead as a gift that, even if it comes through people or through nature, in the end, comes from God. Faith involves, then, the openness of the person to the grace of the Lord; to recognize that all is gift, all is grace.

Action

Spend fifteen minutes in conversation with God saying thank you. Offer up a rosary. Visit your parish’s chapel. Meditate at a chapel of perpetual adoration. While we Cursillistas are known for our action in Christ’s name, today let us use our words and hearts to show our openness to the gift of grace.