Entitled Sons
“Ten were cleansed, were they not?
Where are the other nine?
Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?” Luke 17:11-19
28th SUNDAY Ordinary Time Cycle C
We hate favoritism. It is unfair for teachers to have favorites in the classroom. Even in families siblings despise the favorite child. Think of what the brothers of Joseph did to him.
But Jesus had a favorite among the apostles, John, the one He loved. And God too had favorites. Throughout history He has always picked Israel as His special people. But this does not make Him unfair. He treats all equally well. As the gospel says He sends the sun and the rain on all regardless of one’s worth. He gives everyone his fair share. Everyone has favorites from color to persons. I guess equal treatment would justify favoritism among persons.
For instance, in today’s gospel Jesus cured all the ten lepers regardless of their nationality.
But do they all return to acknowledge God. No, only the foreigner returned to give Jesus thanks. God was fair but nine of the Jewish lepers who were cured were not fair at all to God. God is always fair but are we also fair to Him?
Maybe this was the reason why of all lepers in the time of Elisha the prophet only Naaman the Syrian was cured. Not one of God’s chosen people who were lepers were cured. Maybe they did not deserve to be cured. Maybe they did not recognize God’s benevolence all through their lives. Maybe they felt entitled thinking that as God’s chosen ones God should cure them at all costs. They thought that they did not have to do anything to enjoy God’s providence for they deserve it being His own chosen people.
There is a story about a mighty and rich general who had two sons: one was real and the other was adopted. The reals son felt entitled and so he did not at all exert effort to excel in anything. The adopted son instead worked hard to prove that he could like the real son. In the end the father left his inheritance with the adopted son.
God has favorites. But God is fair to all. So that no one even among His favored should feel entitled. All must work hard to deserve God’s love.
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