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." (Lk 17:11-19)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/111523.cfm
The healing of the lepers reminds us of the importance of giving thanks: all ten were healed, but only one was saved—the foreigner who came back to give thanks. It reminds me of Captain Kangaroo, who was long before Mister Rogers. The Captain taught us children the Magic Words: Please and Thank you!
These reflections are a result of more than 40 years of ministry as a Roman Catholic priest. Most of these years I spent in the Diocese of Charlotte which covers Western North Carolina. Now I am retired, and live in Medellín, Colombia where I continue to serve as a priest in the Archdiocese of Medellín.
Wednesday, Week XXXII, Ordinary Time
