Fourteenth Sunday After Trinity, September 1, 2024
Fourteenth Sunday After Trinity, September 1, 2024
In light of the Good Samaritan parable (the gospel reading for the 13th Sunday after Trinity), these lepers pleaded for Jesus to be a neighbor to them… to be someone who showed them mercy (Lk. 10:36-37). These lepers are law-abiding. They stand at a distance, respecting the law forbidding them from having contact with non-leprous folk. By banding together, these ten lepers respected the law commanding them to leave home and family, gathering only with one another. We are not told whether they were ringing the required bell and shouting “unclean” to announce their presence. By being encountered at the edge of the village, we know they live on the outskirts of town and most likely had to scavenge for food or depend upon the charity of others. These ten knew the law but, in encountering Jesus, they anticipate someone who will have mercy upon them… someone who will be a neighbor to them even as they are outcasts. And so, Jesus becomes their neighbor.
Jesus delivers mercy upon these ten who are cast out. First, he commands them to obey the law. The law to which he is referring is the law that demanded lepers who were healed receive a certificate of cleanliness from a priest prior to resuming contact with any non-leprous person. Again, these ten obey Jesus’ command and head out to visit the priest. As they go on their way, Jesus provides them with the great mercy: he heals them of their leprosy; they are cleansed. Jesus is indeed a marvelous neighbor!
The Samaritan, in returning to immediately give thanks to Jesus… in falling on his face at Jesus’ feet… in this act of violating social distance… the Samaritan becomes a lawbreaker. What’s more, Jesus questions why the others haven’t become lawbreakers as well. Jesus concludes by praising the Samaritan’s faith (vs. 19) rather than praising his obedience to the law. Mercy, not obedience, once again conditions neighborliness.
So, you, as you go on your way, Jesus has mercy on you. Healed of your sin-sickness by the mighty mercy of your Savior, you can continue to be ruled by the law (like the other nine) or you can spontaneously thank and praise the agent of your healing, living out of faith rather than obedience.
Table Talk: Discuss the priority of mercy over obedience.
Pray: Father, grant me such faith that I, too, trust the mercy of my good neighbor, Jesus Christ. Amen
Luke 17:11-19
11 On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance 13 and lifted up their voices, saying, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. 14 When he saw them he said to them, Go and show yourselves to the priests. And as they went they were cleansed. 15 Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; 16 and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. 17 Then Jesus answered, Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? 18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner? 19 And he said to him, Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.