Today is the Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity. In the reading from Luke’s Gospel, as Jesus draws still closer to Jerusalem, he is met by ten lepers. All ten lepers were healed, but just one returned to thank Jesus. This man was a Samaritan, a foreigner. Jesus’ reply to the Samaritan ‘Your faith has made you well’ can mean more than simply healed from leprosy. The Greek could also be translated ‘Your faith has saved you.’ Bringing healing and salvation to the Samaritan prefigures opening the reign of God to the Gentiles. That is the theme of Luke’s second book, The Acts of the Apostles.

For those of you who wanted to do some thinking and preparation for today’s service during the preceding week, I invited reflection on the image of thank you. In today’s picture from his book, The Sunny Morning, Teddy Horsley is giving thanks to God for the life that he enjoys.

Thank you, Lord Jesus,

for all your saving love.

Thank you, Lord Jesus,

for all that we are called to become.

Thank you, Lord Jesus.

Amen.

Next week, the Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity, the reading from Luke’s Gospel presents Jesus’ teaching about the last days and hope for the future. The image to help us prepare for next week’s theme is Autumn. You can find out more about that theme by looking at the Educational Resources and the Preparation Resources.

Preparation Resources

Family Resources