Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle C
Reflecting on Luke 17: 11-19
What must that have been like, to have met Jesus, and beg him for healing, and then, lo and behold, to be healed! These ten lepers set off to show themselves to the priests, and on the way to see them, one of them realized he was healed. Can you imagine his joy?
Healing almost never happens like that. It’s slow, it’s painful, and sometimes it gets worse before it gets better. But for this man suffering the pain and loneliness of leprosy, the healing occurred not when he arrived at the Temple, but on his way.
In fact, this man never even made it to the Temple; halfway there, he realized that the true Physician was Jesus, and he rushed back to find him and thank him.
Think of the last bad cold you had. How long after it was gone did you finally realize you were better? We hardly ever realize healing when it happens. Or think of a prayer that was answered. Did it occur to you to recognize at the time that this was, in fact, answered prayer? The best example is the healings that occur in our hearts over time. One day, if we’re paying attention, we sit up and say, “Wait. When did I stop being resentful? I can’t even remember why I was.” Healing works in us when we don’t even notice.
That’s why this man who noticed he was healed on the road is so exceptional. We, too, should pay closer attention. And, for us, too, it’s never too late to notice that we’ve been healed, and to turn back to find Jesus, to thank him.
What have you forgotten to thank God for lately?
Kathy McGovern ©2025