13th Sunday after Pentecost 8.9.19 Gratitude
Your faith has made you well… the leper who came back
must have had enough faith to enable him to interpret his experience as an
encounter with God, and he responded accordingly.
He was passionately moved in gratitude, throwing himself at
Our Lord’s feet, acknowledging more than just a physical healing.
He was glad to be healed but he was able to see deeper; that
in Our Lord here was someone to compel one’s attention; to whom one should
profess allegiance.
This is what Our Lord means by being ‘made well’ – every part of the human person working in
unison, body and soul coming together.
To be healed means healed in soul as well as body.
Faith is the ability to discern the workings of God in our
lives. Sometimes His working is powerful and instantaneous, and we rejoice in
that.
Other times it is much more of a grind and we have to
persevere in prayer and trust for ages, maybe all our lives, before we see the
desired change. This would apply to big prayer projects like world peace,
conversion of sinners.
Faith will hold us together, enabling us to sense God's
presence and activity behind the scenes, if not in full view.
We know that God does not change; does not forget us; does
not go back on His word. He does not have changes of mood, as we do. We do not
have to wait for God to be in a good mood before we place our requests before
Him. He is always the same.
We come to a state of union with Him whereby we believe just
as strongly when things go our way and when they do not. It is this union which
enables us to see beyond just the latest circumstance.
We see the plans of God unfolding before us. Whether things happen
quickly or take centuries - we thank God for all of it.
The other nine lepers presumably did not have enough faith
to be able to make the spiritual connection. They took the healing for granted…
just one of those things… and did not derive the spiritual benefit that was
there for them if they had sought it.
Worse still, people often hold grudges against God, because
of misfortunes they experience. This is clearly not the best way forward. We
must not resent the One who is perfect goodness.
At such times we have to raise our eyes to the larger
picture. Sufferings and disappointments of every kind can be absorbed in God's
nature, simply who and what He is.
Our prayer becomes one event, not just random episodes
according to need, but a continuous state of harmony with God.
We call on Him, but without needing to shout – like Our Lady
at Cana: Son, they have no wine. That is asking for a miracle, but
without raising one’s voice.
If the one leper could turn into millions of disciples who
believe to the point of death; who come back every day to say Thanks, who throw
themselves at the Master’s feet and promise loyalty!
This would be progress. It would mean, among other things,
more daily miracles, and less lag time before major breakthroughs would follow.
When we question or complain we are blocking the works, making
it less likely that prayers can be heard.
Instead let us keep a reverent silence and simply go to work
on the prayer that is respectful, grateful, and will move mountains (Mk 11,23).
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
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