October 13, 2019
28th Sunday Ordinary C
On the way to Jerusalem, as Jesus enters a village, standing off, 10 lepers cry out: “Jesus, master, have pity on us.†Lepers, with their visible skin afflictions, are forced to live apart isolated socially and spiritually. Jews and Samaritans do not associate except when they find themselves shunned. Of the 10 lepers we know one is a Samaritan. After their healing, he returns glorifying God, prostrates himself and thanks Jesus.
The lepers go, as Jesus directs, to the priests who can give an official OK that they are clean and able to return to their families. It is a dilemma. Do they return to Jesus to thank him for the healing or to their families after months even years of separation? Before we say anything about the ungrateful nine, we should examine our own lives. Have we expressed gratitude to a parent, friend, teacher, coach, doctor, nurse, or dentist who has done things for us that we cannot possibly repay? To the UPS driver, to emergency responder or check out at TOPS? We live in a consumer society with a sense of entitlement. We know what we don’t have and want; we fail to appreciate what we do have. Rather than coming up with a shopping list, we can come up with a “blessing list†of all that has been given to us.
“Gratitude is the memory of the heart.†An attitude of gratitude kindles hopes of blessings to come. Mass is the perfect place to give thanks. “Eucharist†means “thanksgiving.â€
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27th Sunday Ordinary C
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29th Sunday Ordinary C
