Key Points:
Jesus healed several people in this chapter, including total social outcasts (lepers) with a touch. Who needs our touch today, even if (ESPECIALLY IF!) they are outcasts by our society? Leprosy analogous to mortal sin. Jesus told the lepers to “show yourself to the priest”, just as WE must show ourselves to a priest in the Sacrament of Reconciliation to be declared clean of our “leprosy” of serious sin. Jesus’ healing is available to ALL! ( The Centurion was a Gentile.) Our relationship with Jesus needs to be our #1 priority. (2 examples where they were not.)
Key Points: Though our invitation to eternal life is a free gift, and we are provided with the “garment” of grace to do good works, we must still prepare ourselves for heaven by cooperating with God’s grace, and doing what God wants. Loving God, and loving your neighbor as yourself sums up the 10 Commandments. (If you love God and everyone, you won’t want to lie, cheat, steal, covet, murder, etc. That’s why Augustine said “Love, and then do as you will.”) We’re not just a social service agency: We have a duty to love God. We’re not just an adoration group: hence the teaching about loving our neighbor. The two “loves” go together: You can’t love God properly WITHOUT loving your neighbor (everybody), since we are all a family and are all brothers and sisters.

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