In Luke 7 we read about ten leprous patients who met Jesus on His way to a village. They stood at a distance and cried ' Jesus, master, have pity on us.' When Jesus saw them, He asked them to show themselves to the priest. And as they went believing His word, they were cleansed, At the time of their meeting they were not healed. When one of them saw that he was cleansed he returned praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him. He was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, 'were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Have no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?'

All the ten men believed and went towards the synagogue. They all believed though they did not have any obvious evidence. But only one was grateful. Natural response for anyone would have been to return and thank the person whose word healed them.

May be the other nine got so excited about their deliverance that they totally forgot the source of their joy. Their agony of rejection must have been so huge and painful that they could have been carried away by the thought that they would be accepted by the community. This may have made them forget their obligations to thank their helper. They paid greater importance to acceptance by people. Sometimes even our priorities get tilted by the disproportionate importance we attach to the opinion of others.

Next thought that would have come to them is the acceptance by the priest and the religious group. Their priority was the religious structure .They were keen on getting the clearance from the religious structures but ignored the author and finisher of faith. Religion gained supremacy over relationship with the creator. Yes sometimes religiosity gains importance over our desire to please God. Acceptance by religious bodies weighs on the mind so heavily that we tend to ignore our loyalty to God.

They must have heard about the healing ministry of Jesus and therefore must have taken the compassion of Jesus for granted. He who healed everyone, had healed them. So they did not consider that as something that required gratitude .It is a casual way of accepting good gestures of concern. Sometimes even extraordinary efforts of our associates, friends and relatives to reach out to us are sadly taken for granted.But the Samaritan was endowed with a different perception. His sense of gratitude compelled him to take a U turn to meet Jesus. It was a spontaneous effort that sprang from a grateful heart.

They also must have celebrated their deliverance from the state of dependence to state of independence. They could resume their business and job which they had to abandon on the onset of the crippling disease. Their preoccupation with the plans for the future and financial opportunities made them neglect the command to seek the kingdom of God first. A person’s real character will be revealed at the most joyous times and the most sorrowful time. What lies deep within him will be unmasked at such moments. The Samaritan’s gesture reveals a grateful heart.

Dr. (Mrs.) Edriana Jeyasingh