“As he entered a village, ten lepers[a]approached him. Keeping their distance, they called out, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” When he saw them, he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were made clean. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus asked, “Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.” Luke 17:12-19
This Gospel about the ten lepers reminds us to return to give thanks to God for all He has done in our lives healing the wounds and even bringing us back to life.
Of the ten lepers healed by Our Blessed Lord Jesus, only one returned to thank Him, and that one was a Samaritan. The Samaritans were outsiders and were not thought to be among those who were of the household of God. There is a lesson here for you and me.
We are the ones who attend the Divine Liturgy and Mass Sunday after Sunday. We can very easily fall into the temptation that we are “safe” and different from the unwashed pagans who surround us. In today’s story we see it was the foreigner who was justified.
By what act of humility can I truly express my gratitude to God for all He has done to heal my soul from the leprosy of pride, lust, anger, vanity, gluttony, envy, acedia and greed? One way you may wish to give thanks to God for healing you is by spending a few moments in prayer today simply thanking Jesus for His gifts in your life.
It doesn’t matter how, just don’t be one of the nine. Thank God now and often for what He’s done in your life. Thank Him as you begin your daily prayers and end your day. Thank Him at the start of every prayer between. The more you make the point to thank God, the more you’ll see you have for which to thank Him. Thanks and praise!