Please read the passage before the commentary.
What is today’s story about? Lepers? Ten, nine or one? About socially acceptable diseases versus socially unacceptable diseases? About Israelites and Samaritans? Perhaps about Democrats and Republicans? Is it about the ninety-nine percent of the population who own one percent of the wealth or is it about the one percent who control ninety-nine percent of the wealth?
Is it about Catholics and Protestants? Is it about straight versus gay people? Is it about a government shutdown or a government working? It is about sending and receiving others? Is it about the haves and the have-nots? Is it about being comfortable with the Gospel or uncomfortable with it?
Perhaps the Jewish lepers had to go to the priests but the Samaritan had no priests to go and went back to Jesus as to the only priest they knew and offered him their thanks and praise.
Perhaps we are like lepers, being estranged from family, age group, community, Church, or even from ourselves.
Jesus, Master, have pity on us? Who does not need healing? Do lepers need it and we do not? DO those with socially diseases need it but we do not? Whom do we classify as lepers and whom as okay people? Who do we think needs God’s mercy the most unless each of us does?
Sometimes I am the Samaritan and sometimes I am the Israelite. Sometimes I am of the rich ninety-nine percent and other times I am of the one percent. To all of us Jesus says, “Stand up= and go; your faith has saved you.