28th Sunday OT
Fr. Philip Neri Powell, OP
OLR, NOLA
Jesus
heals ten lepers. How does he do it? He doesn't pray over them, or
spit on them like he did the man born blind; he doesn't allow his
tunic to be touched, or command the leprosy to begone. He tells the
men to go tell the priests that they are healed. And they are healed
as they run off to report to the priests. In other words, they hear
Christ's Word and they obey it. By listening to and complying with
Jesus' order, the men are healed. Nothing fancy. No big drama,
nothing worthy of an audience. Just hear his Word and obey. The drama
comes after one of the healed men returns to Jesus to thank him for
the miracle. Just one. . .of the ten. And this one grateful soul is a
Samaritan – a member of a heretical Jewish sect that the majority
of Jews believe to be unclean. Jesus says to the man, “'Has none
but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?'” Then he
said to him, 'Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.'” Nine are
healed. One is both healed and
saved. What's the difference between the nine and the one? The one
who offers his thanks to God is not only healed of his disease, he –
a foreign idolater – is also restored to righteous with the Father.
Gratitude is more than good manners; it's soul-saving.
Once,
not too long ago, a seminarian asked me what would my motto be if I
were ever made a bishop.* I said, “I'd be a good Mississippi bishop
and my motto would be 'Y'all Come!'” Actually, it would be “Deo
gratis!” Thanks be to God. The rock hard center of prayer – and
thus the center from which we grow in holiness – is gratitude.
Nothing beats gratitude for growing in genuine humility, and humility
is the essential ingredient in prayer. If I cannot or will not
acknowledge my total dependence on God for everything that I have and
for everything that I am, then I cannot be humble; in fact, I dwell
in ruinous pride, and my fall will be long and painful. Giving God
thanks does nothing for Him. He doesn't need my thanks or praise or
good wishes or compliments. He doesn't need my prayers either. God
is God – unchanging
and unchangeable by anything He has created. Like all prayer,
gratitude changes the one praying. As I give thanks, I grow in
humility. As I grow in humility, my prayer life deepens and improves.
As my prayer life deepens and improves, I am better able to receive
the grace God has always, already given me. The better I am to
receive grace, the more I resemble Christ.
That
one grateful Samaritan was not only freed from leprosy, he was freed
from sin and death and given a place at the heavenly wedding feast.
He not only became physically whole again, he became spiritually
reunited with his Father. His obedience to Christ's Word cleansed his
body, and his gratitude cleansed his soul. He is once again a whole
human person given over to the mission and ministry of Christ Jesus.
What happened to the ungrateful nine? We don't know. We do know that
they were Jews, that is, not Samaritans. More than the foreign
idolater who remembers to give thanks, these nine should've known
that their healing was a godly miracle. Yet, they never returned to
give Christ thanks. Given their education, cultural traditions,
religious upbringing, they should've known to praise God for their
own good. But they didn't. Why? Maybe they were too excited at being
healed? Maybe they were too stunned to speak? Or maybe, having grown
up in their religious tradition, they had grown complacent,
spiritually-lazy, and had allowed contempt for God to creep into
their souls. Whatever their reason or excuse, they miss a chance to
heal their relationship with the Father with the simple act of
thanksgiving.
So,
here's the question: are
you the one who gives thanks, or are you one of the nine?
Like me, you are probably like the grateful one half the time and the
ungrateful ones the other half. Remembering to be grateful in our
entitlement culture can [be quite the challenge]. The mantra of “my rights”
and “I am owed” and “Give me mine” can drive even the holiest
Catholic to forgetfulness. Like any other act of virtue, being
grateful is a good habit, one developed over time with constant
practice and a sense of determination to succeed. Singers, musicians,
actors rehearse. Athletes practice. Christians pray and give thanks.
It's what we do and who we are. With our thoughts, words, and deeds;
with our every day lives, warts and all, we are prayers
of thanksgiving.
Here's my challenge to you: this next week, make giving God thanks
for everything you have and everything you are you number one prayer
priority. Don't ask for anything. Just give Him thanks and praise.
Nothing more. Even thank Him for what you haven't yet received. I
predict that your prayer life, your life in Christ, will change
dramatically. Pray gratitude and receive all the Father has already,
always given you.
* I can't express in mere words how horrible this would be for me. Seriously, I can't think of a better way for God to punish me on earth for my many sins. [shudder]
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