I write about anger quite a bit because I suppose that's what I struggle with the most. I have plenty of other things to work on but anger is a recurring theme in my posts so I was particularly struck by today's reading from Lk 17:11-19, about the ten lepers. It says:
They stood some way off and called to him, "Jeusus! Master! Take pity on us" When he saw them he said, "Go and show your selves to the priests".
As they were going away one of them noticed he was cleansed so he returned, praising God and Jesus comments:
"Were not all ten made clean? The other nine, where are they? It seems none has come back to give praise to God but this foreigner."
First thing is if you don't know, the foreigner was a samaritan, the enemy of the Jews. They avoided each other typically. Imagine one was a republican and the other a democrat. The one thing you don't ever want to discuss with an American is politics. If you are from the other party, forget it, there is no discussion. The talk will denegrate to heated arguments if you are of the opposite thinking. There is no persuasion. There is no understanding. There is bigotry. There is hatred. There are preconceived notions of the other. The one side screams of tolerance, yet they are intolerant of those who disagree with them resorting ultimately to prejudice. The other side is no better, presuming the heart and mind of the other, discounting their beliefs and resorting also to prejudice. Yet, when they are threatened, when they are both equally affected, they come together to seek help.They rebuild for example, just like they are doing in New York city.
The other thing about the lepers is that they were required to announce their presence to give others the opportunity to flee ahead of them because their disease was seen as contagious and no one wanted it. This is why they stand far off from Jesus. Even today leprosy is incurable. It can be controlled now with hygiene but there is no cure. Jesus frees them but only the foreigner returns to praise God. Was Jesus angry that only one returned? If he was, his anger turned towards disappointment.
In those who can't control their anger, it's usually the other way around. See how when God is not the center of your universe, you get all turned around? Those who can't seem to manage their anger will find that their disappointment turns to anger. Jesus on the other hand can't resist a cry for pity. The soul in need is an obligation on his part to help. He doesn't need to be convinced. His heart is moved by people's need. Love can't hold back when it sees people in need.
The leper's cry for help is in stark contrast to the Pharisees who stubbornly refuse to call Jesus master. Who refuse his help because they were strong, healthy, talented and self-sufficient. The lepers had no other alternative but to acknowledge their utter helplessness. As a result they received the transforming grace of God. The Pharisees in fact, don't even see their error and on the contrary, consider themselves in communion with God. This alone should make us stop and consider our own relationship with the Lord.
I wonder at it all with simple gratitude.
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