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“Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine? Has
none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?” Then he
said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.” Luke
17:17–19
He was saved by faith through the expression of gratitude! What a
wonderful story to ponder today as we celebrate the national
holiday of Thanksgiving!
Though Thanksgiving Day is not specifically a Church holy day,
gratitude is certainly central to our Christian faith, as is
illustrated by today’s Gospel in which ten lepers were healed by
Jesus. And their communal reaction is something of which to take
note. Nine of them were healed and went about their business, not
returning to the source of their healing to thank Him. But one did.
This one leper, who was suddenly no longer a leper, returned to
Jesus, glorified Him, fell at His feet and thanked Him. This one
leper was a foreigner, a Samaritan, but he manifested a faith that
we must all strive to imitate. The faith of this Samaritan was
evident by the fact that he knew he needed to not only be grateful
for the grace of healing but that he also needed to express
it.
As we celebrate Thanksgiving Day, we are reminded that of all the
things for which we must be grateful, nothing is more important
than our gratitude to God for the immeasurable graces He has given
us. But as the story goes, it is clearly very easy to overlook the
importance of our response to God’s blessings. Only ten percent of
the lepers responded with such an expression. Therefore, it is
helpful today to examine the many reasons we should be thankful and
should work to express that gratitude to God.
First, God created us out of love. This is no small gift. It is the
first gift He has given us and one we often take for granted. God
did not need to create us. He did not need to create you. But He
did. And the gift of life, the gift of an immortal soul, is
something that we must never overlook and always rejoice in.
Second, God entered our fallen state through the Incarnation within
the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Doing so elevated our fallen
human nature to a height never known before. Humanity and divinity
were united in the Person of the Incarnate Son of God and Son of
Man, and we must be grateful for this unmerited and awe-inspiring
gift.
Third, we know the rest of the story. God, in the Person of the
Incarnate Son, suffered, died and rose again. In so doing, He made
it possible for every sin of ours to be wiped away. As we die with
Him, we are invited to rise with Him. And as we rise with Him, we
are invited to share in His glory in Heaven.
Lastly, in each and every life, there are countless graces given to
us every day. But as spoiled children, we often overlook these
blessings and take them for granted. Examples here do not suffice.
It is essential that if you want to have a grateful heart that you
learn to see these blessings in your own life. Too often we focus
on our struggles and pain. But the blessings are abundant, and the
more we turn to our Lord in total surrender, the more the blessings
flow.
Reflect, today, upon the attitude that you have toward the many
blessings God has bestowed upon you. Begin by considering the
central blessings of God’s creation and His saving acts of love.
From there, try to ponder the many small ways that God has been
with you, guided you, strengthened you, and blessed you abundantly.
If you do not see these clearly, then use this day to consciously
listen so that God can reveal them to you. As you see your
blessings, respond as this one leper. Turn to Jesus, glorify Him,
fall at His feet in prayer and thank Him. Doing so will fill you
with the same saving faith granted to this one leper.
My most generous Lord, You have bestowed upon me blessings
beyond my imagination. I realize that I will never fully understand
how good You have been to me and will never be able to express my
gratitude adequately enough. Please do fill me with a grateful
heart. Help me to see Your action in my life and to respond to You
as this one leper. Jesus, I trust in You.
Image: James Tissot, Public domain, via Wikimedia
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