“Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” Today we are called to recognise that Jesus is having pity on us: Pity for so many of our concerns, well-being, fears, and countless other afflictions, Catholic, Anglican, and Pentecostal, alike, young and old, to all who would call upon him as Good Shepherd and Master.

In the Gospels Jesus proclaimed that he came not for the well or the ones who were good but all the afflicted. We are all afflicted with sin of one kind or another; we are the ones – precisely for whom he came.

In every instance when Jesus was confronted by people, seeking his healing power in their lives, Jesus was first of all concerned with the state of their souls and their relationship with God.

On every occasion, therefore, he sought to reconcile them to God through the forgiveness of their sins. It will be better to enter God’s Kingdom with a lame body than not enter at all.

And in today’s gospel, we see three perspectives deserving of more than a cursive glance. They can lead us to a deeper insight, invite us to reflection and a faith response that would ultimately lead to Jesus saying to us: “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

The perspectives I have in mind are the praises to God, the virtue of gratitude and the question of the true inheritors of God’s kingdom.

The Lord’s Prayer, the prayer that Jesus gave to the disciples, begins by giving praise and glory to God, echoing surely the praises of the heavenly hosts. Holy Mass, where our worship begins with praises to God, mirrors a similar structure.

Likewise, so many of our prayer meetings begin with praise and honour to God. No doubt, Jesus calls us today in everything to give God praises.

 The Lord’s Prayer continues by giving thanks to God for all he has done and continues to do for each and every one of us. So, as we turn to Jesus for his deliverance, healing and God’s saving grace, we need to show our humble confidence in God’s response to all our prayers by thanking God even before we can see his actions, his response made real.

The third perspective: Jesus commented that only the foreigner returned to give praise, for being healed. It is significant that a foreigner, one not of the “fold”, receives the gift of salvation.

Jesus demonstrates that he came for all peoples. God calls us to be with him, to serve him and more importantly to love him. We show God we love him by our obedience to Him and in our praise and thanksgiving to Jesus, in and for everything, even for the things we do not understand.

Father I believe you are my rock, my strength and my salvation. I know that you have helped me in many situations. Grant me a spirit to be always thankful and to give praise. Let me never forget all that you have done for me and continue to do for me. AMEN

Gospel Meditations for the month of October are by Richard Gomez, a teacher at Sacred Heart Boys’ and a lay minister of the Cathedral/Sacred Heart parish.