FAITH  AND  LOVE

Referring to the Gospel of the 28^th Sunday, one might reasonably ask: Jesus, as God, knew beforehand that not the ten men would return to thank Him, yet He cured them, all ten. So why did He ask, or tell the one who returned: “Where there not ten of you?”

Is Christ bluffing? Is he trying to be funny? He knows everything. He certainly was not bluffing nor trying to be funny. This, for me is one of the greatest lessons. We have to admit that, notwithstanding His pre-knowledge, being God, Jesus, just the same shows His great love and mercy towards those nine, though knowing that they will not be thanking Him.

He still works the same with us; God certainly knows that though He is showering a multitude of graces on us, and we do not always show our gratitude towards Him, yet, that is the immensity of God’s love towards humanity.

Not just lack of gratitude, sometimes we behave in such a way that shows not only ingratitude, a lack of appreciation, but a behavior that does not merit people who are called ‘adopted sons of God’. Yet, His graces keep flowing along our way. He keeps the door open. If we look up the Gospel and study Christ’s behavior with Judas Iscariot, during the three year sojourn, you will notice Christ’s behaviour towards Judas.

HE certainly knew how Judas was going to end, his final decision, yet He kept running after him, like ‘the Hound of Heaven (Francis Thompson). Jesus wanted to give him all the chances, occasions to see the light. Ultimately it was the Iscariot’s own decision to end his life the way he did.

There’s more to learn from this Gospel; that the foundation, the characteristic of every Christian, worthy of his name is, Faith and Love; that Faith shown by the Samaritan and the Love shown by Christ. Through Faith we reap a bountiful harvest from heaven, through Love we distribute, share that harvest with our neighbours. This means doing and behaving towards others as God is doing and behaving with us through Faith and Love.