The Sunday Sermon Archive

Dear Friends in Christ,

Today's Gospel reading (Saint Luke 17:11-19) is of the ten lepers who came to Jesus for a cure. He sent them to show themselves to the priests. On the way, they were cured, but only the Samaritan returned to give thanks to Jesus. Nine Israelites, who were of the chosen people, received an extraordinary grace from God, but none of them showed any gratitude, humility, or faith in Jesus. Though the Samaritan was a stranger, not of the people of Israel, it was to the Samaritan and not the Israelites that Jesus said: "Arise, go thy way; for thy faith hath made thee whole."

Though we may be born into blessed or privileged lives, we are not therefore necessarily pleasing to God. We have no cause to find pride in our circumstances or station of birth. Even if our father is good and pleasing to God, it is no guarantee that we are good and pleasing to God. We will each stand before God on Judgement Day to give an account of ourselves, not our relations, nationality, etc. No matter how holy, noble, or prestigious our situation may be, we must always remain humble and return to give thanks to Jesus for all that God has given us. The more holy, noble, or prestigious our situation is, the more humble and grateful our faith and worship should be.

Saint Augustine (354-430) said: "Whosoever therefore in the society of the Church follows the true and perfect teaching, and by this shews himself free of the leprous patch work of false doctrine, yet, still ungrateful, does not with devout humility, prostrate himself before God, Who made him clean, is like those of whom the Apostle says, 'that when they knew God, they have not glorified Him as God, or given thanks' (Rom 1:21)."

On the other hand, no matter how lowly our heritage or background may be, we may still find favor and blessings from God when we turn to Him in humble faith and gratitude. The foreigner, Samaritan, though not of the House of Israel, though not of the religion of Israel, was blessed to hear from Jesus the consoling words: "thy faith hath made thee whole." This story is a powerful reminder that no matter our circumstances, our faith and gratitude can transform our lives.

Theophylactus (Patriarch of Bulgaria 765-840) said: "From this one may know that nothing prevents a man from pleasing God, even though he comes of a pagan people, so long as his intention is good. Nor should anyone born of holy people pride himself on this: for the nine who were Israelites, were ungrateful."

Saint Bede (672-735) said: "If faith made him whole who had bowed down to give thanks; then want of faith ruined those who neglected to give glory to God for the favors they had received."

Having been blessed with the True Catholic Faith is no guarantee of our eternal salvation. We must still strive to be humble and grateful to God for all that He has given us. We must strive to avoid accepting His gifts as if they were owed to us or as if they were our works rather than His gifts. Faith without works is dead. We must worship God with True Faith, but also humbly and gratefully. Those who have received more from God owe a greater debt of humble gratitude to God than those who have received less.

All who have been born outside of the True Faith need not despair. The Church is still open to them. They do need to show themselves to the priests in the True Church. However, when they have done this, they too need to come to Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, with true humble faith, gratitude, and worship, so that they may also hear the consoling words of Jesus: "Thy faith hath made thee whole."

The Holy Sacrament of Penance is where all who have been baptized can show themselves to the priests in the True Catholic Church. It is in this act — the receiving of the Sacrament of Penance (Confession) — that the stain or leprosy of our sins is washed away. The priests do not do this, but it is God Who forgives the sin through them. Having been cleansed of our sins is good, but it is not yet enough. In all humility and with True Faith, we must come before Jesus, giving Him worship and gratitude by receiving Him in the Holy Eucharist. Jesus has made it clear that unless we eat His Body, we will not have Life within us.

Having cleansed and purged our souls of sin or evil, it is not yet enough; we must furnish and adorn our souls with the graces and virtues from God. Showing ourselves as sinners to the priests is the first step, not the last one. After we are cleansed, we need to return to Jesus in all humility to thank and adore Him. We can only truly do this in the Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist.

May the Immaculate Heart of Mary inspire, guide, and protect us!

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