The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to move ahead with the wisdom we have received to be inclusive with the gifts of faith, hope and charity we have received from God.
In the reading from the Book of Wisdom the exhortation is that Kings should seek Wisdom.
* [6:1–21] The first part of the book closes with an exhortation comparable to 1:1–15, and it leads into “Solomon’s” personal comments on wisdom in chaps. 7–9.
* [6:1] Kings…magistrates: note the inclusion with v. 21 (“kings”). The address to earthly powers is in accord with the opening (1:1), but the true audience remains the Jewish community.
* [6:4] Law: that of Moses; cf. 2:12; 6:10.
* [6:10] Response: a suitable plea before the great Judge. Cf. Prv 22:21; Jb 31:14; Hb 2:1; Sir 8:9. (Wisdom, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB, n.d.)
Psalm 82 is a Plea for Justice
* [Psalm 82] As in Ps 58, the pagan gods are seen as subordinate divine beings to whom Israel’s God had delegated oversight of the foreign countries in the beginning (Dt 32:8–9). Now God arises in the heavenly assembly (Ps 82:1) to rebuke the unjust “gods” (Ps 82:2–4), who are stripped of divine status and reduced in rank to mortals (Ps 82:5–7). They are accused of misruling the earth by not upholding the poor. A short prayer for universal justice concludes the Psalm (Ps 82:8). (Psalms, PSALM 82 | USCCB, n.d.)
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus Cleanses Ten Lepers.
* [17:11–19] This incident recounting the thankfulness of the cleansed Samaritan leper is narrated only in Luke’s gospel and provides an instance of Jesus holding up a non-Jew (Lk 17:18) as an example to his Jewish contemporaries (cf. Lk 10:33 where a similar purpose is achieved in the story of the good Samaritan). Moreover, it is the faith in Jesus manifested by the foreigner that has brought him salvation (Lk 17:19; cf. the similar relationship between faith and salvation in Lk 7:50; 8:48, 50). (Luke, CHAPTER 17 | USCCB, n.d.)
Mirielle Mason is reminded by today’s gospel why it is important for gratitude not to be the exception.
Think of the Samaritan who came back and thanked Jesus. I imagine how he left Jesus’ presence glowing with the possibility of a healthy future. How many people did he tell about the great works of Jesus? Were lives touched by Jesus because of this man? Furthermore, this man showed the adoration and gratitude Jesus is due. (Mason, 2023)
Don Schwager quotes “Cleansing of the ten lepers,” by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD).
"Why did [Jesus] not say, 'I will, be cleansed,' as he did in the case of another leper (Luke 5:13), instead of commanding them to show themselves to the priests? It was because the law gave directions to this effect to those who were delivered from leprosy (Leviticus 14:2). It commanded them to show themselves to the priests and to offer a sacrifice for their cleansing. He commanded them to go as being already healed so that they might bear witness to the priests, the rulers of the Jews and always envious of his glory. They testified that wonderfully and beyond their hope, they had been delivered from their misfortune by Christ's willing that they should be healed. He did not heal them first but sent them to the priests, because the priests knew the marks of leprosy and of its healing." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILIES 113-16) (Schwager, 2022)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 17:11-19 comments that gratitude to God changes us as well. That’s because when we come to the Lord in worship and thanksgiving, we are opening our hearts to him so that he can work in us in profound ways. Through these one-on-one encounters, Jesus reveals his great love and mercy for us. He helps us let go of fear, anxiety, and doubt. Any bitterness or resentment that we might have been feeling toward him begins to melt in his presence. Our times of thanksgiving also humble us as we realize all that God has done for us. In all these ways, our gratitude to God leads to healing and spiritual growth, just as it did for the Samaritan.
Today, let’s be like this man who took the time to run back to Jesus. Let’s set aside all that we have to do and first thank him for all he has done for us. May he say to us as he said to this man, “Go; your faith has saved you!”
“Jesus, my heart overflows with thanksgiving and praise for your great love and mercy. Help me to live in gratitude each day.” (Meditation on Luke 17:11-19, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler connects the passage from Wisdom to the instructions of kings to their sons concerning using the Lord’s gifts in service without partiality. Luke presents examples of people who follow Jewish law, even if he is not entirely sure of the details. Friar Jude reminds us that gratitude is an essential virtue of holiness.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, describes how people in the second half of life have an inner freedom that simultaneously holds joy and suffering.
In the second half of life, one has less and less need or interest in eliminating the negative or fearful, making again those old rash judgments, holding on to old hurts, or feeling any need to punish other people. Our superiority complexes have gradually departed in all directions. We learn to positively ignore and withdraw our energy from evil or stupid things rather than fight them directly. We fight things only when we are directly called and equipped to do so. We all become a well-disguised mirror image of anything that we fight too long or too directly. That which we oppose determines the energy and frames the questions after a while, and we lose our inner freedom.
Daily life now requires prayer and discernment more than knee-jerk responses toward either end of the political and cultural spectrum. We have a spectrum of responses now, and they are not all predictable. Law is still necessary, of course, but it is not our guiding star, or even close. It has been wrong and cruel too many times. The Eight Beatitudes speak to us much more than the Ten Commandments. (Rohr, 2023)
We are thankful for the wisdom we have acquired on our journey as we accept the nudge of the Spirit to share our more mature understanding of mercy, compassion, and love with those we encounter daily.
References
Luke, CHAPTER 17 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved November 15, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/17?11
Mason, M. (2023, November 15). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved November 15, 2023, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/111523.html
Meditation on Luke 17:11-19. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved November 15, 2023, from https://wau.org/meditations/2023/11/15/830027/
Psalms, PSALM 82 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved November 15, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/82?3
Rohr, R. (2023, November 15). A Deeper Lightness — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved November 15, 2023, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/a-deeper-lightness/
Schwager, D. (2022, October 2). He Fell at Jesus' Feet Giving Thanks. Daily Scripture net. Retrieved November 15, 2023, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2023&date=nov15
Wisdom, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved November 15, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/wisdom/6?1
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