Bible Text: Luke 17:11-19 | Preacher: Rev. Jenn Geddes
Have you ever wondered why Canada and the United States celebrate Thanksgiving on different days? Ok, maybe this is not a question that keeps you up at night or a question that deeply affects us in our day to day life. It is often understood that Canada celebrates Thanksgiving earlier simply because it is more north and therefore the harvest season is earlier. Pretty simple. However, the real reason is still a mystery but here are some interesting facts about Thanksgiving. It turns out that Canada has been celebrating Thanksgiving longer than our neighbours to the South. The first documented Thanksgiving celebration took place in 1578 in Newfoundland when explorer Martin Frobisher held a ceremony of gratitude for surviving the journey from Europe. If you know your historical dates, that pre-dates the arrival of the Mayflower by 43 years. The first official federal Thanksgiving Day in Canada, however, was actually celebrated in April in 1872 as a celebration of thanks for the recovery of King Edward VII from a serious illness. So, if you think about the original thanksgiving days, they are more in line with our Gospel passage- a passage that talks about a journey and healing- than we realize. As an aside, the actual date for the traditional Thanksgiving Day that we have come to know and love in Canada has moved around…a lot. It started on a Thurs in November and then in 1899 it moved to a Thursday in October, then in 1908 it moved to a Monday in October and then in 1922 until 1930 it was celebrated on November 11th. Finally in 1957, the federal government made the difficult decision of fixing the date to the second Monday in October.
But let’s go back to what I said about the real meaning behind thanksgiving days. The first one was celebrated not due to harvest but rather because of gratitude for a safe journey. The second one was in celebration for a healthy recovery of our head of state. Of course, we should give thanks to God for a bountiful harvest and indeed it is great to gather with friends and family but the images of pumpkin pie and turkeys are not what punctuated the original idea behind giving thanks. Like the Samaritan leper and Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem, there is so much more to give thanks for than a large family meal. And like the actual date, there is a lot more to this Gospel story than the important message of giving thanks.
The story begins with, the now common refrain that, “Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem.” We have been hearing it all Summer and Fall as Jesus walks toward the cross. Then it states that Jesus is currently walking through a region between Samaria and Galilee. If you recall in other examples there is an important hidden message in that statement. Jesus is walking between two volatile borders. Unfortunately, like the Holy Land today, Jesus is walking between two groups and two territories that do not get along. At one time the Samaritans and Jews were one people, but the devastation brought by exile and then return, in which one group stuck to strict religious laws and the other intermarried with Babylonians, has meant that they are now at odds with regards to beliefs and practices as stated in Scripture. The Samaritans and Jews cannot agree on what it means to be holy, and sadly that has meant that they have both been unholy towards each other. So Jesus is walking between these two lands- it is an image of Jesus that I appreciate. Throughout his ministry Jesus represented and respected the law but also taught what true faith and practice meant. Jesus balanced the serve and be served. Jesus walked the line between history and change. Jesus travelled between the has been and not yet.
This balance is made all the more obvious with the following story of a healing miracle. The lepers keep their distance but yell out to Jesus, “Have mercy upon us!” Then Jesus tells them to go show themselves to the priest. This is because according to the law, the Torah, the Hebrew tradition, one is both diagnosed and confirmed well by the priest. Just as the symptoms of leprosy are not confirmed without priestly observation, so too any healing was not complete without the priest’s blessing. So Jesus tells them to go see the priest as he walks between the borders of priestly tradition and God’s miraculous healing. But then this story takes on a turn that is totally different from most other miracle or healing stories in the Gospel. In most other cases, the outcome of the miracle presents itself in front of Jesus, or at the very least in front of his followers, but here the healing takes place while the 10 lepers are walking away. Also, in most stories the healing is narrated, as in, the lame man gets up to walk or the blind man can now see, but in this case only the outcome is narrated. No one actually witnesses the healing; in fact even those who are healed don’t notice right away. It is only after one of them, the Samaritan, sees that he has been healed that he returns to give thanks.
We have no idea how far this group travelled before someone noticed the dramatic change in their condition. Just think about it. You are walking back to the priest, your hands gnarled by the rash, your feet aching because of sores. When all of a sudden you realize they don’t hurt any more. You look down at your hands and see that they are smooth, no sores or blisters to be found. There is no longer any discolouration or disfigurement; you realize that can walk normally again. Think about it, if this happened to you, would you turn around and walk back to the guy who made it all possible, or would you head straight for the priest who has the ability to declare that your life has been restored, that you can go back to your home and family. For most of those lepers their one thought is “we have to get to the priest to be set free”. In fact it is the other nine who do exactly what Jesus told them to do.
What this story tells me is that sometimes we are healed from what ails us without even noticing it. Sometimes God’s healing touch happens without us even acknowledging it. Sometimes the Spirit moves through us and affects others without affecting us. It is also not until this one leper returns and worships God that we find out he is a Samaritan. This means that Jesus extends his ministry to those beyond his heritage and genealogy.
The reoccurring theme of God’s mercy being not limited by human boundaries is found throughout Luke. What this particular story details is that while the miracle itself is important, it is actually the response that is given centre stage. It is assumed that since the story only states that this particular returnee is Samaritan that the others were Galilean, were Jewish. So, you have a contrast between one thankful outsider and nine ungrateful insiders. An important message is that healing is a gift given to both the grateful and ungrateful but it is the grateful one who also receives faith.
The Samaritan returns to Jesus and worships and Jesus says, “Your faith has made you well.” This seems in contrast to what I just said; that healing is given to both grateful or faithful and ungrateful or faithless alike. The initial healing is given out generously, to whoever needs it, but the happy ending belongs only to the one who has returned with thanks. This Samaritan was not only accepted by Jesus, a Jewish leader, equally healed, but finally it is the Samaritan who is given faith and is made well. Think about it. There is a difference between being healed and being made well. Within our 21st century language there is still a difference. If we go to a health clinic it is because we have some physical need that must be attended to. If we go to a wellness centre there is a much more holistic approach. Perhaps we will not only have our physical needs looked after but our emotional and mental as well. Yes, healing is made available to all but only those who respond with gratitude are made well.
Jesus tells the Samaritan to get up and go on his way. Jesus too, gets up and continues on his journey. The Gospel continues with Jesus crossing more boundaries, both literal and metaphorical, healing more people and providing wellness to others, and moving toward a cross that will ensure that our relationship with God is not just healed but made well. That’s what thanksgiving is all about- it is about making a tumultuous journey but making it to the destination safely and it is about gratitude for wellness- body, mind and soul. Amen