Homily from this weekend.
We have 10 lepers, and leprosy is a terrible disease.
The last sacraments are 3 sacraments which are Reconciliation, Anointing of the Sick and Holy Communion. The Sacrament of the sick is only given to the living and before they are not conscious.
During this time Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem where he knows he is going to be put to death. He is going to Galilee through Samaria.
10 lepers came to him and from a distance raised their voices.
-They were trained to let people know that they were not safe to be around with, that they had this disease and is contagious.
The first thing they did was raise their voices because ten could be heard better than one and said the name of Jesus. -invoke the name of Jesus, the most powerful prayer.
“Jesus, Lord,” -if there is a lord, they have power over us. “master, have pity on us!”
The lepers had an element of guilt. This has happened because they feel they had sins from their past (ancestors).
According to Google, guilt is feeling bad about something they did, and shame is feeling bad about yourself.
So the question is, Why did only one come back?
The Samaritan lays himself in front of Jesus. The others did not come back, maybe because they felt shame. Sometimes we don’t do what we are supposed to because of shame.
We must always be grateful for the things He gives us.
"Stand up and go your faith has saved you."
His faith in God, faith in the Son of God.
Leprosy is as bad as sin, but sin is actually worse than leprosy. That is why we go to confession. Though true contrition comes from God’s love. “I’m sorry that I have offended you”
Once you stand up, this particular shame and guilt goes away.
To cure them Jesus told them to go to the priest. The purpose of the priest is to make sure that the leprosy was gone. And the leprosy (sin) goes away when we go to confession.
