28th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME C

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GRATITUDE LIFTS US UP

Today’s gospel (Lk 17) happily illustrates how thanksgiving made Jesus’ day and gave him joy. Even if only one healed leper remembered to return and give thanks, the Lord’s joy over this leper is obvious.

In our life filled with daily challenges and many sufferings, from morning til night, day in and day out, one of the most difficult things to do is open our lips and utter words of thanks to the Lord.  It is hard to remember praise and thanksgiving when life seems to be giving us a hard beating each day.

But the gospel tells us a very important law in spiritual life – gratitude and praise to God lifts us above our sufferings and gives us hope, peace and joy… even if the pain lingers, we are already victors because we know how to give thanks.

One of the tendencies that stem from suffering is the destructive spirit of victimhood. Instead of confronting life, we embrace perpetual defeat, we incessantly look for someone to blame, we live a life of complaints and bitterness, demanding that we be treated with understanding and care forever.

But if only we learn to give thanks to God always, even for the little things around us each day, our attitude towards life, its challenges and cares, will develop from frustration to hope. Are there not good things that occur in our lives each day through the kindness of others, and especially, through the great Providence of God?

A sense of misery and helplessness cuts us off from grace, but thanksgiving opens us up to God’s many gifts of love. At Mass, the great sacrament of gratitude, let us thank the Lord. After Mass, before the simple signs of God’s love, let us be thankful that God is near and never abandons us. To others, let us not just complain, let us also learn to say a word of thanks.


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