A GREAT AMERICAN SAINT: PATRONNESS OF IMMIGRANTS.
MEMORIAL OF ST FRANCES XAVIER CABRINI. RELIGIOUS AND VIRGIN.
"As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem, he traveled through Samaria and Galilee. As he was entering a village, ten lepers met him.
"They stood at a distance from him and raised their voice, saying, “Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!”
"And when he saw them, he said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.”
"As they were going they were cleansed. And one of them, realizing he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice; and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. He was a Samaritan.
"Jesus said in reply, “Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine? Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?”
"Then he said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.” (Luke 17: 11 - 19).
Wednesday 13th November 2024 , 32nd Week in Ordinary Time is the feast of St Frances Xavier Cabrini. (1850 - 1917). Virgin. Italian. Patroness of Immigrants.
Our saint for today overcame the first obstacle to her vocation: fear of drowning. She founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to serve immigrants in schools, hospitals and parishes in the United States. Before she died in 1917, St Frances Xavier Cabrini had traversed the seas about 30 times planting missionary services to the vulnerable in many countries of the world.
Our Gospel of today from (Luke 17: 11 - 19) is perhaps one of the most dramatic healing stories of Jesus. Healing one leper is dramatic enough, especially if you understand the disease of leprosy and the social taboo it attracts at the time of Jesus. Healing ten lepers at once with a word of command is Only what God can do.
Another famous leprosy healing in the Bible is that of Naaman the Leper. (2 Kings 5: 1 - 19).
"Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram." 2 Kings 5: 1). Naaman was a top General and a very capable military leader, valued highly by his king.
His leprosy did not threaten his career. Yet he wanted to get rid of the accursed disease by any means. With the backing of his king, he traveled to Israel in search of healing. God's mercy smiled upon him and he was healed by the Prophet Elisha. Read of the gold, silver, expensive garments Naaman brought for Thanksgiving in 2 Kings 5.
The Ten Lepers in today's story are in a worse predicament than the General Naaman. Be this as it may, the real essence of the Healing of the Ten Lepers is a lesson on Thanksgiving or Gratitude.
Are you a thankful person?
Everything we have: family, health, money, job, food, friends, every possession from the smallest to the largest is a gift from God.
How do we render thanks for the gifts we enjoy?
Do you know the source of your gifts? Do you know that God expects you to render thanks?
"A sacrifice of thanksgiving honors me." (Psalm 50: 23).
This means that God is most delighted if you honor Him with the Sacrifice of the Mass (Eucharist = Thanksgiving).
November is the Month we pray for the Souls in PURGATORY.
“For the souls in purgatory there is great joy as well as pain as they know for certain they are bound for Heaven!” ~ St. Catherine of Genoa
For Catholic Church teaching on the Souls in PURGATORY and how to help them, click the link below:
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