Gratitude

  

Luke 17: 11-19

Jesus Cleanses Ten Lepers

¹¹ On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. ¹² And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance ¹³ and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” ¹⁴ When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. ¹⁵ Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; ¹⁶ and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. ¹⁷ Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? ¹⁸ Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” ¹⁹ And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”

As we were growing up, how many times did our mother or father remind us to "Say thank you?" If they were successful, the habit persists even to our adulthood, so the message of gratitude in today's gospel passage probably just needs a bit of "dusting off."   Perhaps we've grown lax in thanking God for the many blessings and answers to out prayers that he showers upon us daily: just breathing without even thinking of it, for example. Or how about the food on our breakfast table, or getting safely to our morning destination, or our families, friends colleagues?  All so easy to take for granted, and yet marvelous free gifts. Well, let's begin NOW to say, THANK YOU, GOD! 

Bro. Rene