28th Sunday - "Where are the other nine?"

The other day I joined my brother priests along the beautiful Oregon coast for our annual Convocation. This time of year, the weather can be sunny, foggy, rain, wind, cold but rarely very warm. Well, the weather these past three days was nothing short of spectacular. The sun was shining every day and you could see about as far west on the Pacific as possible. With blue skies, shimmering seas gently rolling towards shore and little wind, the coast was at its best. Now and then, as we met each other, everyone would take a break and step outside in the fresh sea air as we enjoyed the view. “What a beautiful day! Can you believe this weather? We really lucked out this year,” was the commentary.

However, never once did I hear, “Thanks be to God for this beautiful day.” Or, as St. Francis would have said, “Brother Sun who is beautiful, radiant with great splendor.” I found myself grateful for the weather but not particularly moved to respond in praise of God and joined the chorus of usual positive commentary on the great scene before us. I stand guilty of failing to thank the Creator for his creation so lavishly shared with us.

An attitude of gratitude might do us well now and then. Though it may sound somewhat cliché, gratitude, giving thanks or saying “thank you,” is not only good manners it is also a way to approach God.

This Sunday, our Gospel relates a well known story about those who were grateful and those who simply went on their way – the ten lepers healed, only one returned to give thanks to God.

When is the last time you said “Praise God” or “Thanks be to God” for the beauty of nature? The little daily blessings? The food we eat? The homes we live in? If we never thank God for the small things, we surely will forget to say “Thanks” for the big things.

As you read the Gospel from Luke, imagine you are among the lepers. Or, maybe imagine you are standing at a distance, because you fear the contagion of leprosy, but you notice and overhear the man who was healed and who fell at the feet of Jesus. How do you feel about what you see and hear?

God provides so much for us but, just as I failed to thank God for the spectacular Ocean view, we often take these things for granted. If we see everything as gift – we will never fail to give thanks. And, isn't that the very foundation of our Eucharist? To gather, praise,rejoice, reflect, receive and "give thanks" for God's gift of his own Son among us.

Like the leper, we fall at the feet of Jesus for without him, there would be no life. Like the leper, in a kind of resurrection image, we stand and go to love and serve the Lord in great thanksgiving.

Luke 17: 11-19

As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem,
he traveled through Samaria and Galilee.
As he was entering a village, ten lepers met him.
They stood at a distance from him and raised their voices, saying,
"Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!"
And when he saw them, he said,
"Go show yourselves to the priests."
As they were going they were cleansed.
And one of them, realizing he had been healed,
returned, glorifying God in a loud voice;
and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him.
He was a Samaritan.
Jesus said in reply,
"Ten were cleansed, were they not?
Where are the other nine?
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."