As Jesus is traveling toward Jerusalem, he meets wounded humanity. Ten lepers meet him. Ten is often a significant number in the bible, signifying perfection, completeness and authority. Jesus meets a humanity that is completely wounded and living under the oppressive authority of their past, unhealed and open wounds. These wounded people are living under the tyranny of their wounded nature. They are no longer free to enter into healthy and holy relationships with others. This wounded humanity cries out to Jesus for mercy. In his mercy and love, Jesus is able to heal the visible wounds of a wounded humanity through cultic reconciliation as he instructs the wounded people to go and show themselves to the priests. Certainly the sacrament of confession and reconciliation is able to address the original wounds caused by sin. The sacramental experience of God’s mercy and love is the beginning of a new life of freedom. “As they were going they were cleansed.” (Luke 17,14) The love of a merciful God is able to heal and cleanse those who are wounded by love and offer them a new life. However, in our gospel story we see that only one person experiences complete healing of his wounded nature.
We can heal the original wounds that we have suffered from wounded love but our healing is not complete if we continue to hold on to our self-pity, anger, resentment and bitterness from having been wounded in the first place. Too often, the open sores of our wounds can be healed but we can hold onto our memories of having been wounded, isolated and forgotten. Once offered the healing of forgiveness and reconciliation we don’t experience it as a grace and a gift but rather as a long overdue debt that has been paid. We feel that it is just something that has been owed to us for a long time. Our recovery from our wounds is not yet complete. Only one of the wounded persons in our gospel recognizes the grace and gift that has been given to him. Only one person returns to give thanks to Jesus and to glorify God for the healing that he has received. Only one person has been completely healed and freed from his wretched condition. Ten wounded people returned to life but only one person returned to faith. “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.” (Luke 17,19) Ten were healed but only one person has truly been saved. Ten people have a hope for a better present but only one has the assurance of a better future. It is a thankful heart that has made him whole again.
Thanksgiving is an important part of restoring our hearts to wholeness again. Giving thanks, acknowledging the gift and grace of God’s love, allows us the freedom to love again without fear. Our thanksgiving adds nothing to God’s greatness but it helps us to grow in grace. Our thanksgiving allows us to say “yes” again to love and to trust in the goodness of love again. Thanksgiving cleanses our hearts and prepares them to be a suitable dwelling place for love again. “Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, for his mercy endures forever!” (Psalm 107,1)