Oct 4, 2025 Written by 

Healing, Faith and gratitude. Ten lepers: We are all sinners

Luke recounts the healing of ten lepers and the gratitude of one of them for his restored health, recognising God in the Lord Jesus.

St Francis 'the Minor' poured out on everyone the gratitude he received from Christ. 

A man of indomitable faith, he embraced those marginalised, going beyond all judgement and stereotypical thinking.

In the Sources, the episode that makes him the guardian of the marginalised is one of extraordinary beauty and special humanity.

We read: "One day, while riding his horse across the plain that stretches out at the foot of Assisi, he came across a leper. 

That unexpected encounter filled him with horror. 

But, thinking and reflecting that if he wanted to become a knight of Christ, he had to first overcome himself, he dismounted and ran to embrace the leper, and while the latter stretched out his hand as if to receive alms, he gave him money and kissed him.

He immediately remounted his horse, but no matter how he looked around, and even though the countryside stretched out freely all around him, he could no longer see the leper anywhere.

Therefore, filled with wonder and joy, he began to sing devoutly the praises of the Lord" (Sources 1034).

From then on, he was imbued with the spirit of poverty, an intimate feeling of humility and profound piety. 

Whereas before he abhorred not only the company of lepers, but even seeing them from afar, now, because of Christ crucified who, according to the words of the prophet, took on the despicable appearance of a leper, he served them with humility and kindness [...]

He often visited the homes of lepers; he gave them alms generously and, with great compassion and affection, kissed their hands and faces" (Sources 1036).

In the Unconfirmed Rule, an eminent guide for his friars, we read:

"And they should be happy when they live among people of little importance and despised, among the poor and weak, among the sick and lepers, and among beggars along the road [...]" (Sources 30).

Since authentic courage knows no time limits, in Celano's First Life, we read the following in relation to his last period of life:

"Therefore, he ardently desired to return to the humble origins of his evangelical life journey and, rejoicing in a new experience of the immensity of love, he planned to bring his exhausted body back to the primitive obedience of the spirit [...] 

He said: «Let us begin, brethren, to serve the Lord God, for so far we have made little or no profit!».

[...] He wanted to return to the service of lepers and be reviled, as he had been in the past" (Sources 500).

Francis, being the great soul that he was, understood that in every leper there was the supreme presence of Christ.

 

«Getting up, go; your Faith has saved you»  (Lk 17:19)

 

 

Sunday 28th in O.T. year C  (Lk 17:11-19)

43 Last modified on Saturday, 04 October 2025 04:30
Teresa Girolami

Teresa Girolami è laureata in Materie letterarie e Teologia. Ha pubblicato vari testi, fra cui: "Pellegrinaggio del cuore" (Ed. Piemme); "I Fiammiferi di Maria - La Madre di Dio in prosa e poesia"; "Tenerezza Scalza - Natura di donna"; co-autrice di "Dialogo e Solstizio".

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Those living beside us, who may be scorned and sidelined because they are foreigners, can instead teach us how to walk on the path that the Lord wishes (Pope Francis)
Chi vive accanto a noi, forse disprezzato ed emarginato perché straniero, può insegnarci invece come camminare sulla via che il Signore vuole (Papa Francesco)
Many saints experienced the night of faith and God’s silence — when we knock and God does not respond — and these saints were persevering (Pope Francis)
Tanti santi e sante hanno sperimentato la notte della fede e il silenzio di Dio – quando noi bussiamo e Dio non risponde – e questi santi sono stati perseveranti (Papa Francesco)
In some passages of Scripture it seems to be first and foremost Jesus’ prayer, his intimacy with the Father, that governs everything (Pope Francis)
In qualche pagina della Scrittura sembra essere anzitutto la preghiera di Gesù, la sua intimità con il Padre, a governare tutto (Papa Francesco)
It is necessary to know how to be silent, to create spaces of solitude or, better still, of meeting reserved for intimacy with the Lord. It is necessary to know how to contemplate. Today's man feels a great need not to limit himself to pure material concerns, and instead to supplement his technical culture with superior and detoxifying inputs from the world of the spirit [John Paul II]
Occorre saper fare silenzio, creare spazi di solitudine o, meglio, di incontro riservato ad un’intimità col Signore. Occorre saper contemplare. L’uomo d’oggi sente molto il bisogno di non limitarsi alle pure preoccupazioni materiali, e di integrare invece la propria cultura tecnica con superiori e disintossicanti apporti provenienti dal mondo dello spirito [Giovanni Paolo II]
This can only take place on the basis of an intimate encounter with God, an encounter which has become a communion of will, even affecting my feelings (Pope Benedict)
Questo può realizzarsi solo a partire dall'intimo incontro con Dio, un incontro che è diventato comunione di volontà arrivando fino a toccare il sentimento (Papa Benedetto)
We come to bless him because of what he revealed, eight centuries ago, to a "Little", to the Poor Man of Assisi; - things in heaven and on earth, that philosophers "had not even dreamed"; - things hidden to those who are "wise" only humanly, and only humanly "intelligent"; - these "things" the Father, the Lord of heaven and earth, revealed to Francis and through Francis (Pope John Paul II)
Veniamo per benedirlo a motivo di ciò che egli ha rivelato, otto secoli fa, a un “Piccolo”, al Poverello d’Assisi; – le cose in cielo e sulla terra, che i filosofi “non avevano nemmeno sognato”; – le cose nascoste a coloro che sono “sapienti” soltanto umanamente, e soltanto umanamente “intelligenti”; – queste “cose” il Padre, il Signore del cielo e della terra, ha rivelato a Francesco e mediante Francesco (Papa Giovanni Paolo II)
We are faced with the «drama of the resistance to become saved persons» (Pope Francis)
Siamo davanti al «dramma della resistenza a essere salvati» (Papa Francesco)
That 'always seeing the face of the Father' is the highest manifestation of the worship of God. It can be said to constitute that 'heavenly liturgy', performed on behalf of the whole universe [John Paul II]
Quel “vedere sempre la faccia del Padre” è la manifestazione più alta dell’adorazione di Dio. Si può dire che essa costituisce quella “liturgia celeste”, compiuta a nome di tutto l’universo [Giovanni Paolo II]

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