“There were ten who were healed; ….Why is this foreigner the only one who came back to give thanks to God? “
Do you thank the Lord enough? Or do you even thank the Lord at all?
This Sunday’s gospel is a story about healing and thanksgiving. Ironically, of ten lepers healed, only one comes back to thank the Lord. Are you among the nine or are you the “foreigner “, the samaritan, the non-Jew who returns to thank the Lord?
Many times over we cry and beg the Lord to “heal” us – when we are sick, when we are jobless, when a loved one dies, when calamity hits, when the family is broken but is GOD in your HEART during the good times – when you feel you are on top of the world, laurels here and there, parties everywhere and unlimited food with gusto?
We are so blessed for the Lord gave us this vast wide world with everything to enjoy, to use and to take good care of – an unlimited supply of blessings. Being thankful for all these means saying “thank you” and “I’m sorry”, doing a good turn always, caring for the poor and the sick, keeping clean our streets, our waters and the air. In short, let’s give back to the Source, the Almighty God.
In closing, I would like to share a little story of giving back. Some time ago , I handled a livelihood program where I put in my talent, my time and my treasure- my way of thanking the Lord for my many blessings. The program helped in the schooling of some kids. The parents who benefited from this found joy in their hearts and tithed from their sales, cleaned the church , served as greeters/collectors , joined the choir. Tremendous gesture of thanksgiving. This group of four families is the “foreigner”- the lowly housekeeper, cook, laundrywoman who didn’t forget to pray, express joy and thank the Lord despite all odds that confront them in their everyday life .
As shared by my priest friend, there’s this saint who said “gratitude is the memory of the heart.”
Let’s keep that memory alive.
