St. Martin of tours, bishop 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

Titus 3:1-7

Remind the believers to be submissive to rulers and authorities,

To be obedient and to be ready for every good work.  Tell them to insult no one; they must not be quarrelsome but gentle and understanding with everyone.  We ourselves were once foolish, disobedient and misled. We were slaves of our desires, seeking plea­sures of every kind. We lived in malice and envy, hateful and hating each other.   

But God our Savior revealed his eminent goodness and love for humankind  and saved us, not because of good deeds we may have done but for the sake of his own mercy, to the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit  poured over us through Christ Jesus our Savior,   so that having been justified of his grace we should become heirs in hope of eternal life.

 

Ps 23:1b-3a, 3bc-4, 5, 6

The Lord is my shepherd:there is nothing I shall want.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊

Luke 17:11-19

 On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus was passing along the border between Samaria and Galilee, and as he entered a village, ten lepers came to meet him. Keeping their distance, they called to him, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” Then Jesus said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.”

Now, as they went their way, they found they were cured. One of them, as soon as he saw he was cleansed, turned back praising God in a loud voice, and throwing himself on his face before Jesus, he gave him thanks. This man was a Samaritan.

Then Jesus said, “Were not all ten healed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God but this alien?” And Jesus said to him, “Stand up and go your way; your faith has saved you.”

 

Gospel Reflection：

There are several parallels between this story and the story of Naaman, the Gentile who was also healed of leprosy (2 king 5:1-19).

• Both Naaman and the Samaritan leper were foreigners who sought healing from a Godly Jew.
• Both were ordered to perform a small, seemingly irrelevant action prior to the healing taking place. Elisha told Naaman to bathe in the river Jordan seven times. Jesus told the ten lepers to show themselves to the priest, who could certify a healing but who could not heal a leper. In both stories, healing took place only after they obeyed the man of God.
• Both Naaman and the Samaritan returned to praise God.
• Elisha’s closing words to Naaman were, “Go in peace” (2 kings 5:19).

Jesus’ closing words to the Samaritan were, “Get up, and go your way. Your faith has healed you” (Luke 17:19).