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Commentary on the Gospel According to St. Luke, Chapter 17:

Jesus and his followers continue travelling toward Jerusalem, an opportunity for Jesus to continue teaching the disciples. The collection of teaching demonstrates that while sin will occur in the lives of Jesus’ followers, forgiving others (vs. 3-4),  growing in faith (vs. 5-6),  recognizing our own need for Jesus’ mercy (vs. 13), and cultivating the virtues of humility (vs. 10) and gratitude (vs. 18) forms us as disciples. Then the Pharisees ask “when the Kingdom of God was coming” (vs. 20). There’s an irony to their timing, since the actions and virtues of discipleship Jesus had just taught reveal the Kingdom of God already present, in an incomplete, yet growing form. The Kingdom is “in your midst” (vs. 21)--present in Jesus and those who are responding to the announcement of Good News. Jesus then gives his disciples a more detailed answer than he gave to the Pharisees, explaining through examples that the fullness of the Kingdom will come suddenly and unexpectedly, yet will not be missed (vs. 22-37).

The Gospel According to St. Luke, Chapter 17:

Some Sayings of Jesus

1 And he said to his disci­ples, “Temptations to sin are sure to come; but woe to him by whom they come! 2 It would be better for him if a millstone were hung round his neck and he were cast into the sea, than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin. 3 Take heed to yourselves; if your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he re­pents, forgive him; 4 and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, and says, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”
5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” 6 And the Lord said, “If you had faith as a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this sycamine tree, ‘Be rooted up, and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.
7 “Will any one of you, who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep, say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down at table’? 8 Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, and put on your apron and serve me, till I eat and drink; and afterward you shall eat and drink’? 9 Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? 10 So you also, when you have done all that is commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’ ”

Jesus Cleanses Ten Lepers

11 On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a dis­tance 13 and lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” 14 When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. 15 Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; 16 and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. 17 Then said Jesus, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? 18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”

The Coming of the Kingdom

20 Being asked by the Phari­sees when the kingdom of God was coming, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not com­ing with signs to be observed; 21 nor will they say, ‘Behold, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst.”
22 And he said to the disci­ples, “The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and you will not see it. 23 And they will say to you, ‘Behold, there!’ or ‘Behold, here!’ Do not go, do not follow them. 24 For as the light­ning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of man be in his day. 25 But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. 26 As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of man. 27 They ate, they drank, they married, they were given in marriage, un­til the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 Likewise as it was in the days of Lot—they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built, 29 but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and brimstone rained from heaven and destroyed them all—30 so will it be on the day when the Son of man is revealed. 31 On that day, let him who is on the housetop, with his goods in the house, not come down to take them away; and likewise let him who is in the field not turn back.
32 Remember Lot’s wife. 33 Whoever seeks to gain his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will preserve it. 34 I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. 35 There will be two women grinding together; one will be taken and the other left.” 37 And they said to him, “Where, Lord?” He said to them, “Where the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together.”

*Daily Lectio Divina Question:

Jesus healed 10 lepers, but only one leper who was healed came back to Jesus to show his gratitude. When Our Lord heals you or works in a noticeable way in your life, how do you express your gratitude to Our Lord who is drawing you more deeply into relationship with Himself?

Biblical Commentary provided by the Catholic Biblical School of Michigan, an adult faith formation apostolate. Catholic Biblical School of Michigan (cbsmich.org/join). 

Revised Standard Version; Second Catholic Edition. (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2006).
Permission to use the RSV-2CE given for Bishop's Year of the Bible by Ignatius Press. Many thanks to Ignatius for this.
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