Memorial of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, Virgin
At the end of the nineteenth and during the beginning of the twentieth century, St. Francis Xavier Cabrini lived an inspiring life of holiness dedicated especially to the care of immigrants making there way to the United States. Within a span of 35 years, she surmounted incredible obstacles to found 67 institutions established for the care of the poor, the uneducated, the sick, the orphaned, and the migrant. In her encounters of those outcast and neglected by the rest of society, she saw the dignity of the foreigner. In the face of the unknown stranger, she saw something familiar: she saw the face of Jesus, whom she loved.
Similarly in the Gospel today, we hear of the dignity of the foreigner as well. During the time of Jesus, there was a deep cultural feud between the Samaritans and the Jewish people. And, from the perspective of many of the Jewish people and leaders, Samaritans were seen as despicable, detestable idolaters. As a result, when Jesus healed the ten lepers and only a Samaritan returned glorifying God and giving thanks, the Lord would have surprised and probably upset many by praising the Samaritan and highlighting particularly his faith.
In this Gospel passage, Jesus shows us how the least likely of all turned out to be the virtuous and honorable one who returned. And this reversal of expectations is a theme that frequently recurs through the Gospels: The discounted are often those who are exalted. This thought should give us pause the next time we find ourselves inclined to discount and neglect another, for it is often these who will be the first to come to enter the kingdom of heaven.