Sulit

  

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/111214.cfm) reminds me that a lot of times, we get more than what we want.

We Filipinos generally want to get more than what we pay for. In tagalog, “sulit.” That’s why a lot of products and services offer freebies to get people to buy them instead of the competition. This is what the leper got in the gospel.

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?”

He came back to Jesus simply to say thank you. He wanted to thank the man who healed him. He acknowledged Jesus’ power in his life. Unlike the others who went their own ways, he did not forget who healed him in the first place. However, Jesus gave him more than what he wanted. He gave the man more than he deserved.

Then he said to him, “Stand up and go;
your faith has saved you.”

In those days, it was believed that people got sick because of sin. Some people see it as a punishment for their sins, or for the sins of their ancestors. Well, regardless or not this is the case, we know that we all sin and we all need healing and we all need to be saved. So Jesus gave that to the man. Jesus saw the goodness in the man, and he saw the man acknowledged and did not forget him, and probably that is enough indication that the man wanted to change, that the man had faith… thus he was saved as well aside from being healed.

In life, we too experience this. God gives us so much blessings, more than we deserve. He answers our prayers with more than we pray for. May this remind us how much God loves us, and how loving God is. And may this realization lead us to love God more.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another chance to love and serve you. Lord, I pray for faith and heart like the man in the gospel. May I never forget all the blessings you have given me, and all the love you have been showing me. May this lead me to love you more, to serve you through others. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-