Those bad, bad, bad lepers

It's the familiar story of the healing of 10 lepers.  Only one returned to Jesus' feet to give thanks for his healing.  Maybe it is just me, but my reaction to this story over time has been two fold:  1) you bad, bad, bad 9 lepers who didn't give Jesus thanks.  Didn't your mother teach you anything?  and 2) you must always give thanks to God.  Wow!  For those familiar with Lutheran theology, that was all Law, Law, Law, and Law.  No gospel to be found here.

Gospel means good news.  Gospel points us to Jesus.  Gospel is gift, mercy, grace.  Where do we find gospel in this story.....after the Law has helped us figure out how often we fail to turn towards Jesus to give thanks for the overwhelming blessings of our lives?

We find gospel at the feet of Jesus.  The leper fell to his feet to give thanks.  Makes sense.  When you realize that someone has forever changed your life; someone has called you from the outside and restored you to a community; someone has singled you out for a blessing to be found no where else; someone has asked nothing of you and yet healed you.....well, falling at their feet seems a logical thing to do.

And if that isn't gift, mercy and grace enough then consider this: there is no quid pro quo.  Jesus is not waiting with his hand out expecting equal value in return.  That is what gift means: this healing was given to you because God is that kind of God, and relationships based on healing is what God wants for this world.

What do you do now?  Having tasted mercy will you be merciful?  Having drunk deeply of grace will you be gracious to others?  Having rejoiced in the presence of God will you continue to give thanks?  Maybe, some days, not all the time.  It takes us a long time to live into the reality of this kind of relationship.

If you think that this was a story about healing the skin of a leper, well, you've only scratched the surface. The healing goes much deeper ....much, much deeper.  Come and find out for yourself.