The Tenth Leper

When St. Paul speaks of the law, it can be challenging to follow him. He was the greatest scholar of the law. Today, he is showing us that the law helps man recognize his sinfulness, his powerlessness to save himself, and, eventually, his desperate need for a savior. St. Paul reminds us of the blessing God promised through one - and only one - of Abraham’s descendants. This savior and bringer of blessing is Christ.

When we look at the lepers in the Gospel, we see ten men who are cast out due to the law. They know, deeply, that they cannot save themselves, so they call to the Lord to save them. He tells them: follow the law, go to the priests, and you will be cleansed. As they go, only the Samaritan recognizes they have not been saved by the law, but by the faith they placed in Christ. Our Lord affirms him: “Rise, go; your faithfulness has saved you.”¹

Applying this to his own time, St. Augustine says we can take the lepers mystically for those who profess erroneous doctrine, who have no knowledge of the true faith. When they learn true doctrine, they are healed of their false belief, but unless they receive the sacraments, encounter Christ, and place their faith in Him, they are like the nine lepers who do not glorify God and do not give thanks.

I propose a question: is not sin the most insidious of erroneous doctrines? In fact it is, because it is false doctrine expressed through action. When we stand convicted by the law of our sin, we must turn to Christ to be saved. We must not merely learn what is right, but, like the tenth leper, we must LIVE what is right and cast ourselves at the feet of Christ in gratitude for his mercy.

The Venerable Bede said that the tenth leper, remembering the evil he had done, fell on his face and was called to rise by the divine word’s consolation. Faith made him who hurried to God in gratitude whole, but unbelief destroys those who neglect to give God glory for mercies received.

Let us recognize our need for salvation, turn from the leprosy of sin, and seek the mercy of God. When he gives it to us, may we never cease glorifying him in gratitude for the great deeds he has done for us.