The theme of today’s liturgy is
gratitude. The First Reading
tells us that the prophet
Elisha cured Naaman of his leprosy
and he was very grateful for it. He
offered a present to the prophet.
But the prophet did not accept it.
Acknowledging the cure as coming
from Yahweh, Naaman began to
worship the God of Israel (cf. 2
Kings 5:19).
The Gospel tells us that Jesus
cured ten lepers. “One of them,
when he saw that he was healed,
turned back, praising God with a
loud voice; and he fell on his face
at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks”
(Luke 17:15-16). Out of the
abundance of the heart the mouth
speaks. This man is not silent. He
cannot restrain his voice. He can-
not bear that his thankfulness is felt
only within himself. He must utter
it and utter it aloud. All should
know how he rejoices for the mercy
bestowed on him. All should hear
him thank God for what he has
done for him. He felt that there was
a God in the world and that God
was good. What greater joy can be
imparted to the heart of man than
that which this truth, thoroughly
embraced, imparts?
While Jesus was happy by the
gratitude shown by this man, he
complained about the ingratitude
of the other nine saying: “Were
not ten cleansed? Where are the
nine? Was no one found to return
and give praise to God except this
foreigner?” (Luke 17:17-18). How
many times has Jesus asked this
about us? Certainly our lives have
been full of divine cures, invitations
and encounters. St. John Chrysos-
tom wrote that the gifts we receive
from God greatly exceed the grains
of sand on the seashore.
It is only human that we should
have a clearer sense of what we
need over and above what we have
received. Perhaps this would go
some way to explaining why we
typically do not appreciate what we
have, and why our gratitude can be
insufficient. Maybe we think that
we are somehow owed a pleasant
existence. We need to forget the
message St. Augustine drew from
today’s Gospel narrative: What is
our own but the sins which we have
committed? (St. Augustine, Sermon
176,6). “What do you have that you
did not receive?” (1 Cor. 4:7).
Gratitude is the memory of
the heart joined to the desire of
repaying in some way the favour
received. It is unfortunately true
that we take for granted God’s gift
as though we have a natural right
to them. Man seems to look upon
all good things which God gives as
his birth right. He claims to have
natural, inalienable claim to them.
He only complains if he does not
receive them.
If a man has a hair’s breath escape
from drowning, or comes safe out
of a disastrous railway accident,
he kneels down and thanks God
for such a signal mercy. Or if some
long-desired but long-denied
things comes into his life, he will
say, “What a cause for thankful-
ness!” But the daily bread that
nourishes him, the daily health
that makes life a joy to him, the
friendships that cheer him, the
love of so many that fills him
with brightness and comfort, are,
or become, so much a matter of
course that it hardly occurs to him
that they should be received with
thanksgiving.
We must do our utmost to realize
the truths which have so long
been uttered in our hearing. How
many blessings we all have received
from God for which we have not
returned thanks at all!
“Where does the corn come
from?” “From the ground” says
materialist. “From God”, says the
Christian. And there is a whole
world of difference between these
points of view.
Our lives should be a continual
act of thanksgiving. We should
frequently bring to mind the many
natural gifts and graces the Lord
has granted us. We should not lose
our joy when we are in need. This
experience of poverty, when things
are going badly, may be a prepara-
tion for our receiving some greater
good. The Psalmist reminds us:
“Remember the wonderful works
he has done” (Psalm 104:5). Let
us not forget that the Samaritan
came to know Jesus by means of
his dreadful disease. Because of
his gratitude the Samaritan won
Christ’s friendship and the priceless
gift of faith: “Rise and go your
way; your faith has made you well”
(Luke 17:19). The other nine who
were cured deprived themselves of
the best part of the generosity of Je-
sus. St. Bernard teaches that he who
humbly acknowledges his indebt-
edness will naturally be promised
even more. Whoever is faithful in a
few things will justly be entrusted
with many things. Conversely, he
who is ungrateful for present fa-
vours has probably been ungrateful
for past ones (St. Bernard, Com-
mentary on Psalm 50,4,1.
Today’s Responsorial Psalm
proclaims: “I sing a new song to the
Lord, for he has worked wonders
(Psalm 97:1).
Thankfulness for redemption was
the motive power of a life like that
of St. Paul in the Second Reading:
“Remember Jesus Christ, risen
from the dead, descended from
David, as preached in my Gospel,
the Gospel for which I am suffering
and wearing chains like a criminal.
But the word of God is not chained.
Therefore I endure everything for
the sake of the elect, that they also
may obtain the salvation which
in Christ Jesus goes with eternal
glory” (2 Tim.2:8-10).
Our gratitude, like love, must be
expressed not merely in words, but
in deed. We must do all the good
we can, by all means we can, in all
the ways we can, in all the places
we can, at all times we can, to all
the people we can and as long as
we can.
Lord grant us a grateful
heart to show appreciation
for your numerous gifts in
our lives through Christ Our
Lord. Amen
