"Now as they were going away, the ten were cleansed. Finding himself cured, one turned back praising God at the top of his voice, and threw himself at the feet of Jesus and thanked Him."
Gospel of Luke
In the above Gospel, Luke gives an account of the cure of the ten lepers, of whom only one thanked Jesus. This Gospel is much more than a story about ten people who were healed of their physical ailment. It's about the disposition of the heart of those who were cured.
Back in my late twenties when I had my own deep encounter with Christ, there were two things that I remember most about the experience. The first was the sense of amazement that such a think would happen to me in the first place. It was quite unexpected, and it therefore struck me with a sense of awe. The second thing I remember and it continues to be with me today is the sense of gratitude to Christ that it would happen at all. It is this immense gratitude that moves us into a new relationship with Christ. It is this immense gratitude that causes a shift in our priorities. Our focus and attention is no longer on ourselves but has shifted to Christ.
If you look at stories of miracles and conversion in the New Testament, you will find that these qualities of amazement and gratitude are common. The man who was healed of his physical handicap at the temple gate by Peter and John went away with them walking, jumping and praising God. The man that Jesus healed at the pool of water called Bathsadia immediately rose up, took his mat, rolled it up, and went on his way in amazement, praising God. The two disciples on the road to Emmaus were amazed when they finally recognized the person who was travelling with them on the road. In their excitement, they returned all the way back to Jerusalem to tell their companions.
This amazement and gratitude is what makes us effective witnesses to Christ. It reveals our true change of heart. Gratitude or gratefulness expresses a thankful disposition, is related to the receiving of grace, and causes us to respond in acts of thanksgiving.
Recently, many of us attended a workshop where our Archbishop presented his new pastoral plan for the next five years. His plan focuses on three main initiatives - mission, community and formation. As we begin to explore these three initiatives, we will be asked to do some discernment surveys in which we will be asked to reflect on a serious of questions. For example, the first question we will be asked on the mission initiative is: "Am I comfortable in speaking about my relationship with Christ?
The point I would like to make is that when we have that personal encounter with Christ that leaves us with that sense of amazement and gratitude, then we become effective witnesses of that encounter to others. The gospel above about the healing of the lepers gives expression to that change of heart.
Ten lepers were healed of their physical ailments, but only one returned in amazement and gratitude praising God. Only one returned with a changed heart and a changed life. To this one, Jesus says: "Go your way, your faith has saved you." What happened to the other nine? We do not know, but this one, a Samaritan, experienced a true conversion of heart.
From the letter of Titus, we read: "But when the goodness and loving kindness of God appeared, God saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to His mercy.
It is through amazement and gratitude, the actions of Grace, that we are able to freely and easily give witness to Christ.
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