A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke 17:11-19
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.” The Gospel of the Lord
REFLECTION: "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."
We celebrate Veterans Day today. We honor all military veterans. Major hostilities of WWI were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, when the Armistice with Germany went into effect. In 1954 Armistice Day was renamed Veterans Day honoring all veterans.
Soldiers volunteered to go to war but many were conscripted. Sharing with PAPA the sentiments we all feel but expressed so well by President Ronald Reagan at the Veterans Day Wreath Laying Ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery in 1985.
"We celebrate, for all we can ever do for our heroes is to remember them and remember what they did. And memories are transmitted through words. We see these soldiers, in our mind, as old and wise, or see them something as our founding fathers grave and gray haired, but most of them were boys when they died--and they gave up two lives --the one they were living and the one they would have lived. When they died they gave up their chance to be husbands, fathers and grandfathers. They gave up their chance to be revered old men. They gave up everything for our country and for us. And all we can do is remember. There is always someone who is remembering for us, no matter what time of year it is or what time of day. There are always people who come to this cemetery and put a flag or a flower or a little rock on a headstone. They stop and bow their heads and communicate what they wish to communicate. I think sometimes of General Matthew Ridgeway, who the night before D-Day, tossed sleepless on his cot, talked to the Lord and listened to the promise that God made to Joshua: "I will not fail thee nor will I forsake thee." (Joshua 1:5).
" We are surrounded today by the dead of our wars. We owe them a debt we can never repay. All we can do is to remember them, what they did and why they had to be brave for us. All we can do is see that other young men never have to join. Today, as never before, we must pledge to remember the things that will continue the peace. Today, as never before, we must pray for God's help in broadening the peace we enjoy. Let us pray for freedom, justice and a more stable world. Let us make a contract today with the dead. A promise in the words that General Ridgeway listened, " I will not fail thee nor forsake thee". (President Ronald Reagan)
Throughout the day, may we say as the lepers, "Jesus... Mercy".
And without ceasing, return glorifying God in a loud voice, thanking Him for all He has done and continues to do for us- for a debt we can never repay.
Jesus died for us so we could have freedom from death. May our faith save us.
God Bless You.
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