Sun., Jan. 16, 2005 Tone 8
Veneration of the Precious Chains of the Apostle Peter
11th Vigil of Theophany: 1 Kings 18:30-39 Epistle: Colossians3:4-11 Gospel: St. Luke 17:11-19
St. Luke 17:11-19, especially vs. 12: "Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were
lepers, who stood afar off." Lepers were constrained to keep out of villages and far away from contact with others during
biblical times. Isolation was the only known way in those days to prevent the spread of the disease to others. That practice
of radical separation continued until quite recent times. To provide for the care of lepers, before modern medical practice
developed more effective treatment, leprosaria were established by the Federal government even in the United States in
out-of-the way rural places mostly in the southern states, because of the prevalence of the disease in hot, moist climates. In
Hawaii, the island of Molokai was reserved for lepers, and when any person on the other islands contracted the disease, he
was immediately taken there, never again to return to the embrace of family and loved ones.
This ancient policy of isolation found its way into the prayers of the Church, which all Orthodox Faithful will recognize:
"As Thou didst not refrain from entering and eating with sinners in the house of Simon the leper [Mt. 26:6], so also
vouchsafe to enter the house of my humble, leprous and sinful soul." In our inmost depths, we know that our sins against
the living God, like leprosy, create that deadly condition of heart and soul that separates us from our saving God. It is out
of this experience of distancing that we are led to cry with the tax collector, to whom the Lord Jesus gives voice in His
parable: "God be merciful to me a sinner!" (Lk. 18:13). We realize that it is our sins that may well bring us to the torments
of Hades, where we will only be able to see "Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom" (Lk. 16:23).
Lepers that we are, each repentant Christian readily finds himself in the company of the ten lepers who stood afar off. With
them, we can only be quick to lift up our "voices and [say], 'Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!'" (Lk. 17:13). And best that
we do so! For, as of old He still says, "'Go, show yourselves to the Priests.' And so it was that, as they went, they were
cleansed" (vs. 14). What is striking in the present account is not that they went to the Priests for an official declaration of
their healing. After all, the official inspection and certification of cleansing would enable them to return to human society,
but the important matter we should not miss is that one of them returned, first of all, to Jesus "when he saw that he was
healed...and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks" (vss. 15,16).
That tenth leper was already healed of his leprosy, but he disdained to make the visit to the Priest His first priority - even to
his Samaritan Priest. Rather, since he discerned in Jesus the presence of God, the Source of all healing, he "fell down on
his face at His feet, giving Him thanks" (vs. 16). Who else but the God alone can forgive our sins, can heal us of our
manifold diseases, can trample down the gates of Hades and lift us up to Abraham's bosom? St. Peter is quite right in
reminding us that "the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will
call" (Acts 2:39).
If you heart is troubled, your strength has failed you, and the light of your eyes is not with you so that even your friends and
neighbors and your nearest of kin stand afar off from you, do not despair (see Ps. 37:10,11 LXX)! God is with us, attentive
to the voice of our cries. What He teaches us in this account is His eternal message, even what He revealed to us through
Jeremiah the Prophet: " I am a God nigh at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off" (Jer. 23:23). Learn from the
Samaritan leper: nothing should separate us from the living God! He is ready to heal us. "When thou shalt turn and mourn,
then thou shalt be saved" (Is. 30:15).
Swiftly let Thy compassion apprehend us, O Lord; for we are greatly impoverished. Help us, O God our Savior; deliver us
and forgive us our sins for Thy Name's sake.
