Some people just don’t understand gratitude or are just not good at it. In the situation in the Gospel ten lepers are healed, no, they are given their life back.  Being cleansed of leprosy means you can enter society again and be treated like a regular human being. In order to be admitted back into regular society, they needed the chief priest to sign off on their cleanliness. And so it happens and nine of them rejoiced and went on their way.  One of them realized he had been healed, came back to thank Jesus.   

For some it is difficult to say thank you or at least give a gesture of gratitude toward the people who help them. Some may be too proud to acknowledge the generosity of others because it makes them seem weak because they need help. Sometimes we get out of practice and the words, “thank you” are physically and emotionally difficult to say. Of course, practice makes perfect.

It’s a good habit to build within ourselves.  Saying thank you for small things makes it easier to show gratitude in the bigger things.  It’s as if our gratitude muscle needs to flexed and strengthened in order for it to be more proficient.

This story in the Gospel also has to do with recognizing the good that God does for us and then express our gratitude to God who gives us so much. If we are not used to saying thank you to God, it is similar to learning how to be grateful to those around us for their kindness and generosity. It seems that we should be thanking God far more than we should be asking God. 

Run2Win4Him,

James Kirby