Faith
Your Faith Has Saved You
At the outset of this story ten men are stuck – stuck in “limbo” land having to distance themselves – socially, religiously, and physically – from all but other lepers. By the end of the story, all ten were made well. But one has something more. He has seen Jesus, recognized his blessing and rejoiced. He saw – REALLY saw, what had happened. He was not only healed, but was made whole, restored, drawn back into relationship with God and his family, friends and neighbors. In all these ways he won salvation.
The story tells us that ten men encountered Jesus and called out (the scripture say “loudly” or yelled.) “We want to be well!” You may know that leprosy also attacks the vocal chords so that these men probably could only make a raspy sound. But that didn’t stop them from raising their voices and crying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”
Jesus appears to do nothing, but quietly directs the men: “Go, show yourselves to the priest.” Now, you have to understand that the local priest, besides leading worship services, was also something of a health official. It wash his responsibility to test and certify a complete removal of the dread disease and then to announce that the person was healed.
As these men took heed of Jesus’ words and set out in search of the priest, one of the ten looked at the other and that one looked at the rest and the screaming began! Smiles broke into cheering! It was sweet madness! They raced off in all directions, hardly believing that the nightmare was finally over.
But notice the men had to start a journey in faith before their circumstances began to change even one tiny bit. We are not told whether the ten lepers had a debate about whether or not to go to the priest. I can imagine them arguing, “We’re going to look like fools if we show up before the priest in our present condition!” Another countered, “Yes, but we’ve got nothing to lose; this is our only hope.” “But it hurts to walk on these leprous feet!” “But maybe if we do what He says, we’ll be healed.” “This isn’t the way He healed the other lepers. Why doesn’t He heal us in the same way?” “I don’t know, but we must obey.” Now, maybe they didn’t have any such debate since the text doesn’t record any. But at any rate, it says, “As they were going, they were cleansed.” It must have been a marvelous experience!
One of the men came back to Jesus. The gospel does not make it clear whether he had seen the priest and been declared clean. The evangelist tells us he praised God. He was thankful. He was public about it. He was loud – he wasn’t shy at all.
Why was he so loud? This guy had been forced to yell for as long as he’d had leprosy. It might have been years. He’d probably yelled so long, he didn’t know how to come to the Lord quietly, or even speak in a normal voice. When he came back and fell at the feet of Jesus, he was louder than the normal person, and he was praising God. He had reversed his steps, put his family on hold, put the priest on hold, and came back to the one who was the Cause of his celebration. His response, his thankfulness led to action.
Jesus asked: “Where are the other nine?” They had got what they wanted from God in terms of healed bodies. But, according to the story, they never returned to Jesus to receive salvation. They received the temporal benefit of healed bodies, but it is only to the one thankful leper who returned, to whom Jesus proclaimed, “Your faith has saved you.”
It’s the same for us. It is possible to receive special blessings from God in answer to prayer, and yet to fall short of the best blessing of all. When we realize that God has blessed us with some temporal blessing, we must not become satisfied with that alone. We must give thanks to the source of all blessings.
A story is told of a man who was lost in the woods. Later, he shared with his friend how frightened he had been. He said he was so scared he fell to his knees and prayed: “Please God, I know I’ve strayed sometimes but right now I pray you show me the path straight out of this jungle of trees.” His friend remarked: “Well, obviously God answered your prayer, didn’t He?” “Oh, no,” the man replied. “Before God had a chance, a guide came along and showed me the way.”
~by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB
First Reading 2 Kings 5:14-17
Second Reading 2 Timothy 2:8-13
Gospel Reading Luke 17:11-19
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Stay Awake and Be Ready
It strikes me that the three readings for this weekend give us a powerful image of not only early Christian living but one that we can depend on to this day.
The first passage that jumped out is found in the aptly titled “The Book of Wisdom.” We are let in on a secret: “the holy children of the good were offering sacrifice.” In religious houses, in parishes, not just Catholics, but all over the world, God’s faithful are quietly, unpretentiously, without fanfare offering prayer and good deeds on behalf of all God’s people. The author of the Book of Wisdom promises us thus: they are putting into effect with one accord the divine institution.
Paul reminds the Hebrews (and us) in tomorrow’s 2nd reading: Faith is the realization of what is hoped for, and evidence of things not seen. Here again we are reminded of quiet, unseen, out-of-the-limelight evidence of the “divine institution.” Paul was referring to the folks traipsing through the desert ages before. They must have had waves of hopelessness bolstered by waves of hope. We are reassured by the hopeful words of Paul when he says to us: “They did not receive what had been promised but saw it and greeted it from afar.” … Margaret Wheatley in her book TURNING TO ONE ANOTHER describes hope this way: “Hope is not the conviction that something will turn out well, but the certainty that something makes sense regardless of how it turns out.”
How fitting it is that our community intention this week is that “all peoples of the world will be people of peace.” May they,
and all of us, live in hope confident that however things turn out, it makes sense in God’s plan. Our daily stance must be words of the Gospel Acclamation: “Stay awake and be ready.”
The church offers the choice of dividing the Gospel passage into two sections. It is the part that may be omitted that tells us: “Much will be required of persons entrusted with much.” Luke couched that grim reminder with Jesus’ comforting words to his disciples: “Do not be afraid.” We have been entrusted with so much, individually and collectively, that the words about the reciprocal demand could frighten us into inaction. Our fears could make us feel that our feeble attempts to bring about peace and compassion and reconciliation are futile. But we have the assurance of Jesus: Do not be afraid, for your Father is PLEASED to give you the kingdom. God is more than willing – God is PLEASED to give us the kingdom. Thus, we must take delight in receiving all that the kingdom has to offer. Do not be afraid but do be prepared. Stay awake! Be prepared to see and greet the kingdom from afar. Do not be afraid.
I will close with an excerpt of Nelson Mandela’s 1994 Inaugural Speech.
(Mandela’s words could be a homily in itself.)
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant,
successful, talented and fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small doesn’t serve the world.
There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking
so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory that is within us,
It’s not just in some of us;
It’s in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine,
We unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear,
Our presence automatically liberates others.
~by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB
First Reading Wisdom 18:6-9 Second Reading Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19
Gospel Reading Luke 12:32-48
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National Day of Prayer
Today is National Day of Prayer. It is so easy to forget to pray. Jesus knows about being human, a soul housed in a human body, a body which needs air, needs water, needs food. But He admonishes us that we must also nourish our spiritual self not only through the sacraments, but also through private prayer.
Today we have the opportunity to join with all people of faith in prayer for ourselves, our communities, and our world. We can go into our personal desert to pray alone as Jesus did while on earth. But prayer is an anywhere, anytime, activity. We can pray in the car, in the shower, while we walk, during the commercial breaks while watching television (the mute button is useful here). Jesus is always ready to hear us.
Today, let us join all who pray. Let us raise our souls to God, if only for moment, if only to say “Here I am. Thank you for life. Thank you for now”.
~by Sister Eileen Dunbar
Continue ReadingChange Comes to the Advancement Office!
As of March 1, 2022 Faith Pridmore, our director of advancement, has retired. She has been with us for twelve years and is now looking forward to more time with her family, especially her grandchildren. Read more from Faith about her departure in the upcoming Spring Tide which will be mailed in mid-March.
Sister Eileen Dunbar will partner with Cheryl Chadick in the Advancement Office going forward. Sister has an extensive background in teaching music both in the USA and abroad. She has been working for Saint Leo University as a Data Analyst since 1998. You can read more about her in the upcoming Tide.
It has been a privilege and honor for me, Cheryl Chadick, to work with Faith for the past seven years! I have learned much about the non-profit world from her and have a deep appreciation for her and her family. We are all going to miss her!
I am now looking forward to working with Sr. Eileen in the Advancement Office. To new beginnings!
Continue ReadingCome After Jesus
“Jesus called and they immediately left their boats and parents and followed him.”
Matt. 4:22 adapted
The late Speaker of the House “Tip” O’Neill loved to relate a valuable lesson he’d learned early in his career. During his first political campaign, one of O’Neill’s neighbors told him: I am going to vote for you tomorrow, even though you didn’t ask me to! O’Neill was surprised and said: Why, Mrs. O’Brien, I have lived across from you for eighteen years, I cut your grass in the summer, I shoveled your walk in the winter; I didn’t think I had to ask for your vote! Mrs. O’Brien replied: Oh, Tommy, let me tell you something … people like to be asked!
My mother spoke with great admiration about the Benedictine Sisters who were her teachers in elementary school. I asked her once why she didn’t become a Sister – she replied “None of them asked me – so I figured I was not worthy.” Of course, I would not be here telling you this story if she’d been asked and said YES.
A vital faith community, one that “courageously lives the Gospel message” will always be inviting followers to come share our joy as followers of Jesus. Visitors are welcome in our churches. We are happy when a newcomer “pops in” but we need to take the first step in also inviting people to “come and see.” Or, how about inviting prayer partners to connect with us in the heart of Christ. A direct “ask” may encourage a vocation to church ministry as a priest or Sister. Or a person may be coaxed out of their loneliness to join a parish committee.
Promise God and yourself that the next time God presents you with the opportunity you will courageously invite someone to join you in a church service or a volunteer ministry or an activity that extends Jesus’ compassion for the poor and needy of our human family. Start simple. Start where you have energy and interest. Make a phone call, text, or write a letter to an overlooked relative or friend. Donate to that organization you’ve had on your “to do” list. “Smile when you’re feeling lonely” at someone who is carrying the weight of the world on their drooping shoulders.
Today we celebrate the feast of St. Andrew the Apostle. With his brother Peter, the two at once left their nets and followed Jesus. May we be the beckoning voice that calls others to “Come after Jesus.”
This reflection was written by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB
on November 30, 2021 – Giving Tuesday.
