The ancient Jewish laws regarding lepers were indeed scary. Although a leper was an outcast beggar, wearing rags, and with terrible skin lesions, the law required that lepers look even worse and shout every time they came near someone by yelling “Unclean! Unclean!” In the Gospel story, the disciples and followers of Jesus must have hit a collective feverish pitch when the ten lepers dared to approach Jesus. Worse than all this “horror” was one of the lepers was a Samaritan, a heretic—to use a term that is thrown around too easily today. Notice that, despite the reaction of the people, Jesus did have pity of on them. He then told them to go to the temple and show themselves to the priests, whose role was to formally declare who was cured of this stigmatizing disease. In the story they leave and make their way, and at some point they are cured. Yet only one of the ten—who else but the Samaritan?—returns to offer thanks. How do you think Jesus felt at this point? Despite this issue, the theme of the Gospel and the first two readings is about faith.

The three readings offer us different perspectives or points of view to discern and learn about faith. The Old Testament launches the theme with a miracle. However, Naaman follows up with an act of gratitude, which results in faith. In the Gospel, in reverse so to speak, the Samaritan’s cure follows faith, which in turn prompts gratitude and praise. Notice how these two particular readings focus on the faith of the receiver of gifts. These readings make it clear that there is no such thing as quiet or anonymous faith. The gift of faith is meant to be seen by others, not bound and locked away. The readings tell us clearly that faith is a treasure to be shared and a reason for joy and hope.