Tuesday, 4th Week of Ordinary Time

Luke 17:11-19

Look carefully at the end of verse 14 and the beginning of verse 15.

Two different words are used to describe the same action of Jesus. First we read that the 10 lepers were “cleansed.” Then, the one man notices that he has been “healed.” To be cleansed was to be restored to a state that allowed a member of the Jewish community to rejoin that community. Having contacted some skin disease, these 10 men had been declared “unclean” and were required to live apart from normal human society. It’s hard to imagine which would be worse; the physical pain or the loneliness of isolation from friends and family.

Yes, the 10 former lepers were also “healed.” But first, they were “cleansed,” that is, they were restored to human fellowship by Jesus Christ. That is always how such healing stories are told in the Gospels. First, Jesus restores the suffering to the community of human friendship. The physical healing is secondary, certainly not unimportant, but secondary.

So, the 10 head off to get the priestly certification required under the Law for their restoration to the community. But one of the 10 couldn’t go to the Jewish priest, because he wasn’t a Jew, but a Samaritan. Perhaps it was the added level of isolation which helped him realize that he didn’t need a priest to certify what Jesus had already done.

We are a “priestly” community. Much of our common life is centered around actions over which I preside. And yet, Jesus is not contained within the walls of this church, or of my priestly activities. Jesus is out there, creating friendships and community in the most unlikely places. Read this news article for an example of such unexpected Christian community. Then ask yourself: Where in my world outside of Church is Jesus Christ?