Reflection: Sunday 5th October and for the week ahead:

Scripture:

As they went, they were made clean. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus asked, ‘Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?’ Then he said to him, ‘Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.’ (Luke 17:14b-19)

Reflection: 

This is a story of Jesus healing ten people of leprosy, but only one of them coming back to thank him. All ten heard Jesus words, and his instruction to go and show themselves to the priests. All ten of them did as Jesus said; they went. And in doing as Jesus instructed, they were all healed. But only one of them recognised the healing power of Jesus and came back to say, “thank you”. Only one of them came back and praised God with a loud voice.

It raises a number of questions for each of us: 

Do we listen to Jesus? Do we then do what he asks? Do we stop to thank Jesus? Do we acknowledge and praise God?We shouldn’t be ashamed of knowing God in our lives and loving him. We need to be like the one who came back, not like the other nine who did not recognise God’s healing in their lives. Know and own your faith; proclaim it; and live it. That is the message from today’s scripture.

Revd David