God stands at the center of our lives just as Jesus stands at the center of the Gospel story. Jesus is the source of the gift of healing, but he is easily forgotten. He does not force himself into the lives of the ten lepers. Only one of them makes the connection between his good fortune and the role Jesus plays in it, and he is the one you would least expect to make it. The story of the ten lepers . . .teaches us that not only do most people forget who they are, but that the one who remembers is someone whom we think can teach us nothing. And yet in the story, he is the only one who shines. He is the only one with real insight into life. God is central to our personal story, but he is easily forgotten. God will not usually overwhelm us. Jesus portrays God as knocking at the door of our lives, waiting to enter. He will not come uninvited.

– Father Brendan Freeman, O.C.S.O.