Cleansing of Ten Lepers

Gospel according to Luke (Lk 17:11-19)

Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice:

--"Jesus, Master, have pity on us!"

When he saw them, he said:

--"Go, show yourselves to the priests."

And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him.

Now he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked:

--"Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?"

Then he said to him:

--"Rise and go; your faith has made you well."

QUESTIONS AND POINTS FOR REFLECTION

1. Why do the ten lepers "stand at a distance"? Do you know what happened to people with this disease in ancient times?

2. Jesus asks them to go and show themselves to the priests. Was this dangerous? Why?

3. Why doesn't Jesus tell them they are healed immediately on the spot?

4. Jesus laments that the others did not return to give thanks. Do you think He needed the recognition, or was He saying it for their sake?

5. What does it mean that faith "saved" the Samaritan, if the other nine were also physically cured of leprosy?