Where Are the Other Nine?

Memorial of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini

~~~ Wisdom 6:1-11 ~~~ Psalm 82 ~~~ Luke 17:11-19 ~~~

 

We are given one more important miracle of faith,

 as we come to the close of this year dedicated to faith.

 

 “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.”

Our faith is one of the vital components for miracles of healing.

The ten lepers kept their required distance from Jesus, as they were 'unclean'.

They called out to him,

“Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!”

 

They addressed Jesus as Master, a title of respect.

In Luke the disciples address Jesus as Master seven times.

 

The only one of the ten to return in gratitude is the Samaritan, the outsider.

Luke is noted for including Samaritans in his gospel writings.

Why is it that only one returns to give thanks?

We are too often ready to gripe, complain, and criticize;

but less likely to praise, rejoice, and give thanks.

 

We shy away from giving God credit for the good in our lives,

yet are quick to blame him for the bad.

 

In a few weeks we will be setting aside an entire day precisely to give thanks.

It has to be put on our calendar...too be scheduled.

 

The other nine lepers who were healed went on with their lives.

We are never told that they returned in thanksgiving,

but does that mean they were not thankful? Probably not.

I have written here about giving thanks before and will again in the future

because it is so important.

 

 

Take the opportunity today to consider how your faith inspires you to give thanks.

Perhaps we need to begin with asking, 'does my faith spark any gratitude'?

 

The diseased Samaritan found reason to give thanks for his physical healing,

but he was also giving thanks for a much deeper healing.

Was in fact the cured Samaritan giving thanks to Jesus for his extreme kindness?

The Samaritans were not among the favored people;

they were the outcasts.

 

Even Jesus regularly gave thanks to the Father...

raising his eyes up to heaven.

 

It is fitting that today we celebrate the life of Mother Cabrini.

She dedicated her life to serving and caring for the needs of the stranger...

the immigrants of our time.

In 1946 Frances Cabrini became the first United States

citizen to be canonized.

She left her life as a model for how

we are to care for the poor.

She was inspired in her life of good works

 by what she knew of the life of Jesus.

 

Giving thanks and caring for the poor go hand and hand.

When we recognize what we have

 we should be moved to give thanks and then

 be inspired to care for the poor.

 

Blessings come in returning to give thanks.

God may not need us to thank him,

but we need to give thanks

 for the routine health and maintenance of our soul.