We are like the leper as we come this Sunday to celebrate the Mass wherein we have the true Presence of Our Lord on the altar, and He heals us of the leprosy of sin. The sad side of the Gospel story concerns the 9 who did not return to thank Jesus and were regarded as ungrateful. They are like the lukewarm Catholics who were baptised and made spotless Children of God who now reject the teachings of Our Lord and practice birth control, abortion, even polygamy, while subjecting the Mass and Sacraments, the Holy Father and clergy to scorn.
The Gospel is then linked to Psalm 73, the Introit “O God, why hast Thou cast us off unto the end: why is Thy wrath enkindled against the sheep of Thy pasture?” It recalls Our Lord’s complaint against the 9 ungrateful. The psalm relates how the enemies of God had penetrated the temple environs to destroy and desecrate the House of God, the Holy Temple. In our own times, this psalm should have particular meaning for the Mystical Body of Christ is under severe siege at present.
The Offertory is especially apt as we place our problems of “my times...in Thy Hands.” The Collect entreats God to grant His children an increase of faith, hope and charity that “we may deserve to gain Thy promises.” The Epistle reminds us of the promise made by God to Abraham and that we are saved by God’s Graces. The Secret prepares us for the Sacrifice to come by pleading for His Mercy and requesting our prayers be answered, while the Communion is a prayer of joy for the Holy Eucharist. In the Postcommunion we request that the Sacraments bring us to Heaven, our true home.