285 part i: sunday meditations for the entire year souls had been cleansed, to cleanse them also from the leprosy of their bodies. Hence, He ordered them to show themselves to the priests. Believe that the leprosy of your soul also cannot be cleansed unless, by the admonition of Christ, you go to a priest to do penance. 3. “Go and show yourselves to the priests” (Lk 17:14). O the dignity of priests! It is exalted above that of kings, above that of the angels, and above every dignity of men! It is equal to that of God! The God-Man respects it so much that He makes clear (as if diminishing His own power and declaring that it cannot be extended so far) that someone, asking to be cleansed by Him, would not get his wish granted without showing himself first to a priest. With what great reverence, therefore, should you respect priests, to whom God Himself granted so much dignity that He did not want to do what belongs to their office. But, Omy Jesus! Since You are also said to be the Priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek (cf. Ps 110:4), I go before You today and I want to be cleansed by You from my spiritual leprosy. Therefore, use Your power, office, mercy, and goodness. After Holy Communion 1. “Then one of them” (Lk 17:15). Consider that Christ healed ten lepers yet only one came back to give Him thanks. The same heavenly Physician also cleansed today the leprosy of many souls throughout the whole world. But there are very many of them who really did not express thanks for such a great benefit; or whose thanks were dry, insipid and scant; there were very many who, immediately after the Lord’s banquet, returned to the drinking contests and the muddy cisterns of Egypt, that is, to worldly delights and carnal temptations. Therefore, you should imitate that Samaritan and continually give thanks to your Physician, Who has returned to your heart and, Who dwells there to heal your spirit. It is better to follow the
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