Jesus grants us a great many gifts in the course of a lifetime; family, friends, a home, unique talents, a beautiful world in which to live—all things for which we should be thankful every day. And many of us are. But how many occasions do we let slip by where we don’t thank God for the graces and blessings He has bestowed upon us? How many different ways do we fail to love Him?
Jesus healed ten lepers; only one—a Samaritan—returned to thank Him and glorify God (Lk 17:11-19). It’s never said that Jesus took back the healing from the nine who did not return. They were obedient to what Jesus said. They went to the priests, returned to the community, and very likely began to forget the horror of their disease once it was removed. Once Jesus was out of sight, He was out of mind.
I think it’s interesting to note that there are two things the Samaritan did once he was healed. First, he “returned, glorifying God in a loud voice.” This is a significant description of what happened. He did not just return to say thank you, rather, his gratitude was expressed in a very passionate way. Try to imagine this leper shouting and praising God out of a sincere and deep gratitude.
Second, this man “fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked Him.” Again, this is no small act on the part of this Samaritan. The act of falling at Jesus’ feet is another sign of his intense gratitude. It’s not only that he was excited, he was also deeply humbled by this healing. This is seen in the act of humbly falling down at the feet of Jesus. It shows that this leper humbly recognized his unworthiness before God for this act of healing. It’s a beautiful gesture which acknowledges that gratitude is not enough. Instead, profound gratitude is necessary. Profound and humble gratitude must always be our response to the goodness of God.
This story should remind us that in this journey we are all on, it is good to return frequently to Him who gives us all good things and profoundly thank and praise Him for His wonderful generosity. Our faith, a great spiritual gift, not the physical gifts, is what ultimately brings us to the salvation who is Jesus Christ.
Every day, every morning when we wake, we should say a prayer of praise for the very act of waking up. We should thank God for His gift of life, even if we aren't feeling like it's very much of a gift at the moment. We should thank God both for the trials that strengthen, and the consolations that give hope.
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