In our Gospel we encounter ten lepers who came to be healed through the mercy of Christ. This healing mercy that was shown to them is shown to each of us every time that we call out to Him in like manner, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.”
We must understand that leprosy kept an individual from entering into communion with one another. Lepers had to stay at a distance until they were healed and proclaimed by the priest to be clean. Likewise, sin puts us at a distance from the community of faith. Through repentance we come to the mercy of Christ and that which has been broken down by sin is restored to life.
We must understand that whenever we encounter Christ we encounter God who has taken on our human flesh. As the angel of the Lord revealed to Joseph, “She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” In this Gospel the lepers call Him by name for it is this name which saves. As Saint Peter professes, “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Through Sacred Scripture it is understand that only God can heal one who has been stricken by leprosy in order that he may go to the priest in order to be made clean. As we hear of this in 2 Kings, “If only my master would present himself to the prophet in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.” To this we are told that the king of Israel 'tore his garments and exclaimed: ‘Am I a god with power over life and death, that this man should send someone for me to cure him of leprosy?” Elisha then instructs Naaman on what he is to in order that God may make him clean.
This Gospel shows that Christ is greater then Elisha. It is only God who heals and thus in our Gospel it is God made Flesh that heals the ten lepers of their burden. Likewise, it is God alone who is able to save and we come to Him and His mercy in order that we may come to be healed by sin. It was upon the cross that He embraced this reality of salvation that was revealed in His most holy of Names.
As this healing was made manifest in the ten there was only one who returned in order to show his gratitude. So too we must be filled with gratitude at all that God has given to us in this life especially the waters of baptism that claimed us for Him. In gratitude we must continue to give Him glory and honor. We do this whenever we assist at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. We do this when we call upon His most holy of Names.
Let us keep the Name of Jesus upon our lips. Like these ten we cry out to Him, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” This not a statement that we made once, but must continue to make each day of our life. As we are told in the Book of Philippians, “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth.” As we are told of this Name by Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, “The name of Jesus is light, and food, and medicine.” Let us turn towards this most holy of Names which saves.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
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