2 Kings 5:14-17 / 2 Tim 2:8-13 / Luke 17:11-19
There is a particular habit that affects most of us, if not all of us.
That common habit is called procrastination.
In simple terms, it means to keep delaying something that needs to be done.
Usually, we will procrastinate because the task at hand is difficult, unrewarding and boring.
So, we will procrastinate doing housekeeping and spring cleaning, while the mess keeps piling.
We keep procrastinating our annual medical check-up, though there are nagging pains here and there.
We keep procrastinating our projects and assignments, although we know that the deadline is approaching.
The common excuse is that we say we are busy and have no time.
So, we delay and delay. Maybe we have this notion that if we procrastinate long enough, the problem will resolve by itself, or even disappear altogether.
But we should know better, that some things must be done, sooner or later.
In a gospel, when Jesus entered a village, ten lepers came out to meet Him.
They stood at the distance and called to Him, “Jesus! Master! Take pity on us.”
Jesus said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.”
It was as simple and as straightforward as that. Those ten lepers just have to go and show themselves to the priests.
But they could have wondered: Is it just like that, just go and show ourselves to the priests?
But they didn't procrastinate, and along the way they were cleansed.
In the 1st reading, Naaman was told to go and immerse himself seven times in the River Jordan.
Naaman did not procrastinate. Rather, he protested, by saying that there were better rivers in his homeland, so why must it be the River Jordan.
But Naaman's servants urged him to obey by saying it was not a difficult thing to do.
And so, Naaman relented and he was cleansed of his leprosy.
The gospel and the 1st reading tells us that the wonderful works of God comes about through obeying simple and ordinary instructions. Norman had expected some elaborate rituals for the cleansing of his leprosy, but he just had to immerse himself seven times in the River Jordan.
The ten lepers may have expected Jesus to come to them and lay His hands on them, but they were told to go and show themselves to the priests.
This teaches us that we need to be humble and obedient in order to understand and experience the wonderful and marvellous ways of God.
And God would not procrastinate in showering His blessings on those who trust in Him.
But there is also another teaching, and that is to be quick in giving thanks.
Surprisingly, it was Naaman and the Samaritan who were quick to give thanks to God.
Even Jesus wondered what happened to the other nine lepers who were cleansed.
That should remind us to give thanks to God for the little simple and wonderful blessings in life.
There is this story of a holy man who had a vision of an angel carrying two baskets of prayers to heaven.
The holy man saw that one basket was full of prayers, but the other basket was rather empty.
So, he asked the angel about the disparity between the two baskets.
The angel replied: One basket is full of prayers of petitions and needs. The other basket has just a few prayers of thanksgiving.
And the angel commented: People are quick to offer prayers of petitions and needs, but they procrastinate in offering prayers of thanksgiving.
The 2nd reading tells us that though we may be unfaithful, God is always faithful.
We may procrastinate in giving thanks but God will still be quick to answer our urgent prayers.
But let us remember that when we begin our prayer with thanksgiving, the doors of God's blessings are already opened to our prayers of petitions.