Like last Sunday's Gospel, today's Gospel from St. Luke 17:11-19 shows a Samaritan in a positive light. Last week in St. Luke 15, the Good Samaritan in the parable showed great moral sensitivity by being a neighbor to the man who had been robbed and beaten. This week, the Samaritan leper shows great gratitude and devotion.
As Jesus passed through a village on the way from Galilee to Jerusalem, "There met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: and they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed " (St. Luke 17:12-14). Of the ten, only one bothered to glorify God and thank Jesus, the Samaritan. Christ emphasized this point, and then "he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole"(17:19). So the despised Samaritan who had also been a contagious and disfigured leper becomes the great example of faith in God and in Christ.
This event makes a significant point. Not only can a despised person exemplify good moral behavior, but such a person may also exemplify great religious faith. And faith is the ultimate issue. Regardless of all other human characteristics, faith in God through Christ is the core of a person's identity. Physical health, nationality, or membership in a certain religious group are less important than a person's faith in and gratitude toward God.Thus, as we think about the basic identity of other people we encounter, we should think of their attitude toward God rather than obvious external characteristics. Furthermore, as we think about our own lives, we should not center our identity in worldly traits such as appearance, physical health, nationality, or denominational affiliation. Instead, we should ask ourselves whether we are humbly faithful and grateful to God for His work in Jesus Christ. For it is such faith that determines who we really are.
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