When Only One Said Thank You

Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. He knew what that meant. He went because it was part of the mission he submitted to at baptism and confirmed in the wilderness.

He had made it to the border between Samaria and Galilee when ten men approached him.  He knew immediately they were lepers.  Everyone knew it. Their faces were covered, their cloaks torn, and they were making the obligatory announcement:  Unclean! Unclean!

That’s what probably cleared their way to get to Jesus.  The crowd stepped back to keep their distance.

The lepers shouted their plea:  “Jesus, Master, have pity on us.”

Interesting that they asked for pity, not healing. 

But Jesus heard their hearts, not just their words.  Jesus did not require them to ask for healing.  In fact, he never said anything about healing.  He simply instructed them to go show themselves to the priest.

The lepers knew that if the priest examined them and called them clean, they could return to their lives and families.  It was a hopeful thought, so they all turned away from Jesus and headed for the closest synagogue to find a priest.

Who noticed first?  The one who had suffered the longest? The one who had complained the loudest?  Or the one who hoarded all pain inside?  Someone looked where leprosy had eaten a layer of flesh, but he did not see red eruption and raw flesh.  Instead, he saw skin, whole and clean.  When he told the others, they checked their bodies as well and found their skin was normal. Leprosy was gone.  Jesus had healed them.  All of them. The only thing left was the priest's confirmation.

But one man left the group to return to Jesus.  He was beside himself with gratitude.  He could not stop thanking God and had to return to this messenger from God.  He didn’t just kneel; he fell to his knees, face touching the ground, and sobbed.

And then we find out an unexpected fact.  Luke tells us he was a Samaritan.  Think of it.  He was the hated and rejected half-breed. No one gave a care about the Samaritans, and yet leprosy had leveled the ground for an unusual place of belonging--in a leper community.

But here's the unexpected truth: the Samaritan, the outcast, was the only one who came back to say “Thank you!”

What does scripture say?  To him who has been given much, much will be expected? (Luke 12:48) And what about the story of the sinful woman anointing Jesus’ feet with her penitent tears?  Jesus asked the disturbed Pharisees around him, Who loves more, the one who has been forgiven of much or of little? (Luke 7:41-43)

How much gratitude does Jesus deserve for the life you are living? What unexpected gift have you taken for granted?  Where did Jesus give an answer that overwhelmed yo u with peace, joy, or well-being?

This week is the week before Holy Week. It is a good time to begin your own litany of gratitude, because when we stand before the cross,

We need no other argument.

We need no other plea.

It is enough that Jesus died

and that He died

 for me.*

*From "My Faith has Found a Resting Place," Eliza Edmunds Hewitt, 1891