Wednesday 32nd week in ordinary time "Lk 17:11-19" As Jesus entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices and said, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us." When he saw them he said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went they were cleansed. "Show yourselves to the priests." We all have sins and we can all be made clean by going to Jesus. All the saints (except Our Lady) had to be forgiven. All of them had committed sins and needed to ask for forgiveness. And they were all forgiven. Jesus can touch a leper and cure him; He can touch a sinner and make him a saint. And Jesus can decide to do it the way He wants, because He is God. Jesus could have chosen a different way: He could have said: 'Dig a hole, say your sins there and bury them' or 'Go to this wall and tell your sins there'. And yet, a wall doesn't hear, a wall doesn't understand, a wall doesn't console, a wall doesn't encourage, a wall doesn't guide you. But a man can do all that. "Show yourselves to the priests," He says. Many saints went to Confession as often as once a week, like St Josemaría, St Padre Pio, St John Paul II, St Faustina, St Teresa of Calcutta, St Francis and so many others... not because they were saints, but because they were sinners. Thank You, Lord, for the Sacrament of Confession; thank You because You always forgive all sins, and forgive everything completely; thank You for Your priests. "Go to confession to the Blessed Virgin, or to an angel; will they absolve you? No. Will they give you the Body and Blood of Our Lord? No. The Holy Virgin cannot make her Divine Son descend into the Host. You might have two hundred angels there, but they could not absolve you. A priest, however simple he may be, can do it; he can say to you, "Go in peace; I pardon you." Oh, how great is a priest!" (St John Mary Vianney) "Priests have received a power which God has given neither to angels nor to archangels. It was said to them: 'Whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever you shall loose, shall be loosed.'" (St John Chrysostom) I pray through your intercession, Holy Mary, Mother of Priests, that there will be an abundance of priests - of holy priests!