GOOD NEWS!

We all love good news...such as hurricane Matthew not doing as much harm in Florida as we feared. And we give thanks. There are many other occasions when we get good news, for which we give thanks. Of course, that's what Mass is all about. We celebrate good news. That's what the word "gospel" means - "Good News."

Today's gospel is all about good news: 10 lepers came to Jesus…and they begged to be healed.

And Jesus healed them! Just like that.

Imagine how they felt – to finally be able to return to their villages, go home to their families.

When Jesus healed those lepers he was teaching us how he "heals us" of our sins. Just as they were cleansed, we are cleansed. Jesus was teaching that he forgives our sins, washes us clean, just like that. You want to be clean? Well, you are. You're forgiven, just like that.

Just as those lepers cried out to Jesus, Master, have pity on us. Well, that’s what we say at beginning of Mass, Lord, have mercy on us.

Day-in and day-out, we fail. We sin. We do some things, say some things we wish we hadn't done or said. We come to the Eucharist to be cleansed. And we are. Just like that. What good news! What a wonderful feeling. What a good reason to come to Eucharist. We feel lighter, not more burdened, when we leave.

This is part of our faith, and it's part of the prayers at Mass. At the beginning, after we say three times, Lord, have mercy on us, the priest says, May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life. Just like that.

After the gospel, when the priest kisses the book he says, May the words of the gospel wipe away our sins.

At the words of institution over the cup, the priest repeats the words of Jesus: This is the chalice of my blood...which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Just like that.

Just before communion, the priest holds up the bread and the cup and says: Behold the Lamb of God…who takes away the sins of the world.

One of the great benefits of drinking from the cup at communion is to experience the feeling of our whole self, inside and outside, being washed clean by the real presence of the Lord himself.

Now that is good news. Perhaps we need to teach that more clearly. But there’s more. One of the ten returned. Why?

Were not the others grateful? I cannot believe they were not. So why did only one come back?

Because he knew that there was something greater here than a cleansing. The other nine were also grateful for the miracle of their healing, but failed to see the holy presence of the Great Miracle Worker in their midst.

No doubt we are grateful that Matthew did not do more damage, and for other blessings as well. But is there more we'd like to see?

What about a holy encounter…Jesus appearing to us…expressing his love…face-to-face?

Well at every Mass we are invited to a holy encounter with Christ, Our Lord…in the Word, in the Eucharist, and in each other.

We have a choice. We can become aware and rejoice like the one did…or remain blind like the nine and go on merrily as we leave church.

It’s no coincidence that we have this healing and this encounter in the celebration of the Eucharist, which means to give thanks, so that we can be most fully aware of this holy encounter and give thanks that transforms us.

Now that is really good news!