Don't take life for granted. Be thankful!

Luke 17:11-19

11 It happened that as Jesus made his way toward Jerusalem, he crossed over the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he entered a village, ten men, all lepers, met him. They kept their distance 13 but raised their voices, calling out, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" 14 Taking a good look at them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." They went, and while still on their way, became clean. 15 One of them, when he realized that he was healed, turned around and came back, shouting his gratitude, glorifying God. 16 He kneeled at Jesus' feet, so grateful. He couldn't thank him enough--and he was a Samaritan. 17 Jesus said, "Were not ten healed? Where are the nine? 18 Can none be found to come back and give glory to God except this outsider?" 19 Then he said to him, "Get up. On your way. Your faith has healed and saved you."

Food for thought!

The lepers kept their distance.

This was in accordance to Lev.13:45-46 that stated “Any person with a serious skin disease must wear torn clothes, leave his hair loose and unbrushed, cover his upper lip, and cry out, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ As long as anyone has the sores, that one continues to be ritually unclean. That person must live alone; he or she must live outside the camp.

Another injunction was in Num. 5:2 that banned from the community anyone who has an infectious skin disease. It was because of these Old Testament commands that made the lepers stand at a distance, lest they contaminated Jesus and his disciples. In other words, Jesus's healing was not only of the disease; it was of the isolation, discrimination and separation as well. But like many of us, these lepers took their new life for granted.

No story in all the gospels so poignantly shows man's ingratitude. The lepers came to Jesus with desperate longing; he cured them; and nine never came back to give thanks. So often, once we get what we wanted, we never come back.

(i) Often we are ungrateful to our parents. There was a time in our lives when a mother's neglect would have killed us. Of all living creatures man requires longest to become able to meet the needs essential for life. There were years when we were dependent on our parents for literally everything. Yet the day often comes when an aged parent is a nuisance; and many young people are unwilling to repay the debt they owe. As someone once said: "How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child!"

(ii) Often we are ungrateful to our fellow-men. Few of us have not at some time owed a great deal to some fellow-man or woman. It often happens that a friend, a teacher, a doctor, a surgeon does something for us which it is impossible to repay; but the tragedy is that we often do not even try to repay it.

(iii) Often we are ungrateful to God. In some time of bitter need we pray with desperate intensity; the time passes and we forget God. Many of us never even offer a grace before meal, let alone after meal. God gave us his only Son and often we never give to him even a word of thanks.

We need to know the force of being gratitude and thankful. Thanksgiving is a creative force that, if lived on a continuous basis and not just for one day each year, can create more good in your life; take a look at your life and count your blessings. Counting our blessings can transform melancholy into cheerfulness. Even in situations that at first appear difficult or unpleasant, see all the good you can and bless the good you can see! Praise the good and watch it multiply. Learn to give thanks for your problems and challenges.

A second way to experience thanksgiving is to give thanks ahead of time for whatever good you desire in your life. This is what the Samaritan did. And this is why Jesus told him: "Get up. On your way. Your faith has healed and saved you."

When looking at the glass that symbolizes our life, we can view it as half full or half empty. The choice is ours. The person who sees the glass as half empty may bemoan his lot. But the person who cultivates an attitude of gratitude will more readily see the glass as half full, and this positive outlook is self-perpetuating. The more joyful we are, the more attractive we become. When we feel gratitude for our experiences, it becomes easier to see the good that always exists. When we give a smile to someone else, we are likely to receive one in return, and that smile reflects a happy heart that is open and receptive to what the good life has in store.

"Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits." (Ps.103:2.)