Gratitude

10-09-2022Weekly ReflectionKathleen Foley, Director of Mission Advancement

Thank you. Two very powerful words that can convey the state of a person’s heart. Surely any of us can recall a time when our mother reminded us to say “thank you” for gifts, for help, and even for a piece of candy. Learning to acknowledge someone’s kindness is part of our basic formation as children. As adults, even though it is mostly second nature, we may forget from time to time to say thank you.

From a simple thank you at the grocery store, to a profound thank you to a doctor who has just pronounced you cancer-free, gratitude is a key aspect of being human. When we take the time to express appreciation, we share a sincere form of love for one another.

The Old Testament reading today begins with the result of Naaman’s miraculous healing from leprosy. The previous 14 verses provide some interesting context leading up to this event. Naaman was an army commander from Aram, who had a servant girl from Israel. With her upbringing in the Hebrew faith, she knew the God of Israel could provide healing. So, at her suggestion, he finally goes to see Elisha the prophet. Naaman was used to having power and prestige, so he arrived with certain expectations.

Elisha sent him the message: “Go and wash seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will heal, and you will be clean.” But Naaman went away angry, saying, “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand there to call on the name of the LORD his God, and would move his hand over the place, and thus cure the leprous spot. Are not the rivers of Damascus, the Abana and the Pharpar, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be cleansed?” With this, he turned about in anger and left. (II Kings 5:10-13)

It's not difficult to see how Naaman’s pride got in the way of his ability to believe. It took a reality-check from his servants for him to relent and go to the Jordan River. We might experience this same disbelief today when we feel like we must jump through hoops to get to where we want to be.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus encounters ten people who beg Him for pity and healing. It’s not beyond the realm of possibility that more than ten people are begging Jesus for pity every second of every day. Our prayers of supplication might often outweigh all our other prayers, whether for ourselves or for family and friends. We seek out Jesus in prayer, believing He has the power to change any situation. These ten people had heard of Jesus, probably for a long time, and knew He was capable of healing them. Perhaps they had heard the stories of Jesus healing the blind with mud or the deaf and mute by putting His fingers in the person’s ears. Perhaps they called out to Jesus with expectations of strange and grand gestures of healing.

Similar to the Old Testament reading, Jesus tells the ten lepers to go show themselves to the priests. Did they walk away grumbling about how they had tried this before or wondering if it would do any good at this point? Maybe they were so caught up in their own thoughts, expectations, or pride, that they didn’t even notice that, “As they were going they were cleansed” (Lk 17:14). There was one exception – the Samaritan.

Stories like this serve as a reminder for us to stay focused on Jesus and not on ourselves. If we lose sight of how He is working in our lives, then we are easily blinded by our pride and our own expectations for how things are supposed to turn out for us. What are the best ways to stay focused on Jesus? Praying, certainly, and cultivating an attitude of gratitude. Where do we begin? With the Eucharist!

The Eucharist is an action of thanksgiving to God. The Greek word “eucharistein” means “to give thanks” or “be thankful” or “grateful.” When we celebrate the Eucharist, we recognize it as a sacrifice of thanksgiving and praise to God the Father. The Church expresses her gratitude to God for all He has accomplished through creation, redemption, and sanctification. (See Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1328, 1358, 1360.)

When we sit in quiet adoration of Our Lord in the Eucharist, when we participate in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and when we receive Jesus in Holy Communion, we are ultimately saying, “Thank you God for saving me from my sins.” Perhaps, like Naaman, we have a hard time understanding or believing that Jesus is truly present – body, blood, soul, and divinity – in that small host. Jesus promised to be with us, even until the end of time, and chose a simple way to do so. We need our friends to remind us that it doesn’t need to be a grand gesture to be effective.

Beyond this, we can take time to consider what we are thankful for each day. Do you remember this children’s Sunday school song? “Count your blessings, name them one by one; Count your blessings, see what God has done.” It’s true! All good things come from God – especially when He brings good out of evil! If we keep a gratitude journal, or even write them on a sticky note, naming our blessings helps us keep our focus on Jesus. Even psychologists tell us that those who write down the good things happening in life report being happier. How much more then should we, who believe in the goodness of God and the joy we have in the hope of eternity with Him, appreciate God’s work in our lives?

Here’s a challenge for you: from now until Thanksgiving, use your calendar to jot down three things you are thankful for on each day without repeating! People in your life, blessings in your family, pets, friends, jobs, homes… all these and more will help you cultivate your attitude of gratitude!

This month, as we share with you the annual stewardship report, know that the staff and clergy are deeply grateful for your generosity in praying, serving, and giving at Corpus Christi. Our vibrant parish is possible because of all of you! THANK YOU!