In the story of the ten lepers, St. Luke notes that only one of them realized he had been made “clean.” There is no mention of the other nine being aware of their healing.

At what moment did the Samaritan leper come to this realization? Did part of the rag covering him slip, allowing him to see a patch of healthy skin? Did he feel a surge of energy he hadn’t experienced in years? Did he suddenly discover that his arms, hands, legs, and feet were whole again, enabling him to stand straight, walk, run, or grab his walking stick or bag? Did he sense the ugly wounds drying up, the constant stinging subsiding, and the persistent stench disappearing? Or perhaps he noticed that no one was staring at him anymore, that he was no longer the object of scorn or ridicule, and that passersby no longer avoided him. Maybe someone even smiled at him!

For the first time in many years, the leper felt physically well. He found himself no longer on the fringes of society but welcomed into it. The now-healed leper realized that his life was filled with possibilities, recognizing that this encounter with Jesus had given him a new lease on life.

The moment he realized he was “clean” or healed must have been an extraordinary experience of joy and gratitude.

Some people never experience that moment of realization that the grateful leper did; they remain unaware of how much they have received from God. Instead, they mourn what they lack, consumed by disappointment and cynicism. Their self-absorption isolates them from others, trapping them in a cycle of fear, distrust, and hopelessness.

However, if we approach life with a sense of faith, there will be many moments when we realize just how much God loves us, even when life is not easy or does not meet our expectations. Each person’s moments of realization will be different, but they are there; we simply need to open our hearts and surrender our wants and desires to the mercy and goodness of God.

We pray that our lives may be illuminated by the realization that we have been made “whole” by our loving God—created in God’s image, sustained by God’s forgiveness, and transformed by God’s grace.