THE WEEK OF TRINITY XIV - TUESDAY

LESSON: ROMANS 9:30‒33

As He entered a village, He was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” Luke 17:12‒13

It is not enough for you to believe that there is a God, and that you make long prayers, as is now the abominable custom. In the case of the lepers, you see how it is a mark of faith to teach men fruitful prayer without any professional instruction. Here you see how they had formed a good opinion about Christ and had acquired a degree of confidence in Him. They also entertained the firm expectation that He would regard them graciously. 

This same expectation made them bold and thirsty, so that they placed their need before Him and with all seriousness and in a loud voice requested His help. Had they not previously gained this high opinion and expectation in regard to Him, they would probably have stayed at home and not come out to meet Him, crying out to Him in a loud voice. In that case, too, doubt would probably have gained the upper hand as they asked themselves: “What are we up to? Who knows if He will react kindly to our requests? Perhaps He will not even look at us!”  

True faith has no doubt at all about the good and gracious will of God. And so the prayer of true faith is strong, just as faith itself is strong and firm. St. Luke underlines three things in the conduct of these lepers: first, they came out to meet Jesus; secondly, they stood; and thirdly, theylifted up their voices. In these three points, Luke praises their strong faith and sets them before us as examples.

SL.XI.1575,6
AE 79:68-97

PRAYER: Lord God, heavenly Father, all that You have revealed to us about Jesus and His Gospel of salvation is the strongest of incentives to faith and confidence. Grant us Your grace to accept in firm faith all that Your Gospel offers us, in and through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.