Notice the sequence of events in the Gospel for today: the leper encounters Jesus crying out to him and asks, with his Jewish companions, for healing; he is obedient to Jesus' instructions and finds himself healed; his response is to praise God with a loud voice, to prostrate himself at Jesus' feet and to thank him; Jesus accepts his gratitude and reveals to him that he is free to go on his way: "your faith has made you well." (Lk 17: 19)
I invite you, also, to reflect on your own life and conversion story: you realized, as many do, your need of God's love and healing; you opened your heart to the Lord crying out for his grace; obedient to the prompting of the Holy Spirit you began to pray; then or shortly afterwards you realized with joy that God had healed you and transformed your life; you then returned to the sacraments in praise and thanksgiving; and so, here you are today at Eucharist joining your own thanksgiving to that of Christ on the Cross through the sacred meal-sacrifice-communion of the Mass. In doing so, you realize a deeper and ongoing healing as your faith leads you on to a richer and mission oriented relationship with God while, sadly, others who have received God's grace and healing continue their lives oblivious to the grace they have received.
In this Extraordinary Months of Missions let us be mindful of the obligation to share our joy in Christ with others as well as supporting financially and in prayer missionaries around the world.
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