St. Leo the Great, pope & doctor 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊   

Wisdom of Solomon 6:1-11

 Listen, O kings, and understand;

Rulers of the most distant lands, take warning. Pay attention, you who rule multitudes and boast of the numerous subjects in your pagan nations.  For authority was given you by the Lord, your kingship is from the Most High who will examine your works and scrutinize your intentions.

If, as officials of his kingdom, you have not judged justly or observed his law or walked the way God pointed out, he will oppose you swiftly and terribly; his sentence strikes the mighty suddenly.

 For the lowly there may be excuses and pardon, but the great will be severely punished.  For  the  Lord  of  all  makes  no  distinction, nor does he take account of greatness. Both great and lowly are his work and he watches over all, but the powerful are to be judged more strictly.

 It is to you then, sovereigns, that I speak, that you may learn Wisdom and not stumble. For those who keep the holy laws in a holy way will be acknowledged holy, and those who accept the teaching will find in it their defense.  Welcome my words, desire them and they will instruct you.

 

Ps 82:3-4, 6-7

Rise up O God, bring judgment to the earth.

 

＊＊＊＊ 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：

 Today we are taught about what true gratitude is all about. One grateful leper returns out of the ten who were healed. But he could not be considered a representative of the other nine who are also healed. Gratitude cannot be delegated.

It is personal. It is simply unfitting that gratitude for grace's personally received should be delivered by an agent. Personal gratitude develops trust and leads to self-surrender. Where God is the author of the grace received, self surrender can be total because the recipient learns by experience that God is reliable.

Where self-surrender is involved, gratitude is too attractive to escape God's attention. And the gratitude of the person must involve the whole of him or her. Gratitude must not only capture the heart but also the mind as well. For only those who think can truly thank.