Gratitude – least of virtues, ingratitude – worst of vices
Introduction
The first part of the text from the letter to Titus sounds like prayer Intercessions for the Christian community and may therefore reflect the liturgical life of the young Church. Then the letter says that the Spirit has been poured out abundantly on us at baptism.
In the account of the cure of the ten lepers, Luke stresses the contrast between the nine Jews who, after their cure, go to comply with the rules of the law, but forget about gratitude, and the Samaritan who returns to thank Jesus. We, too, often forget to be grateful for gifts received. Maybe it is a bit humiliating to be reminded of our dependence on others… Let us not forget that God’s love comes to us usually through people who care and help. For all the good done to us, particularly through Jesus Christ, we give thanks in this Eucharist, this thanksgiving.
1 Reading Titus 3:1-7
Beloved:
Remind them to be under the control of magistrates and authorities,
to be obedient, to be open to every good enterprise.
They are to slander no one, to be peaceable, considerate,
exercising all graciousness toward everyone.
For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, deluded,
slaves to various desires and pleasures,
living in malice and envy,
hateful ourselves and hating one another.
But when the kindness and generous love
of God our savior appeared,
not because of any righteous deeds we had done
but because of his mercy,
he saved us through the bath of rebirth
and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
whom he richly poured out on us
through Jesus Christ our savior,
so that we might be justified by his grace
and become heirs in hope of eternal life.
Responsorial Psalm 23:1b-3a, 3bc-4, 5, 6
R. (1) The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
Beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
He guides me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
With your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Alleluia 1 Thessalonians 5:18
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
In all circumstances, give thanks,
for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel Luke 17:11-19
As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem,
he traveled through Samaria and Galilee.
As he was entering a village, ten lepers met him.
They stood at a distance from him and raised their voice, saying,
“Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!”
And when he saw them, he said,
“Go show yourselves to the priests.”
As they were going they were cleansed.
And one of them, realizing he had been healed,
returned, glorifying God in a loud voice;
and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him.
He was a Samaritan.
Jesus said in reply,
“Ten were cleansed, were they not?
Where are the other nine?
Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?”
Then he said to him, “Stand up and go;
your faith has saved you.”
Commentary
Can disobedience be a sign of greater faith? Judging by today’s parable, it must be so. Jesus commanded the ten lepers to go and show themselves to the priests. All ten of them obediently went their way, for they had enough faith to trust the words of Jesus and to act accordingly even when their prayer was not immediately answered. Thanks to their faith, they found themselves healed on their way. It is possible that nine of them went on, perhaps in complete obedience to what Jesus asked them to do, to present themselves to the priests as the Law had required. But one of them—a Samaritan—decided to turn back and return to Christ to thank him. In doing so, he disobeyed Jesus’s command. But in his apparent disobedience was an act of faith and a greater obedience—he showed himself to the eternal high priest whose approval alone mattered to him. Nothing or no one else mattered to him in his moment of healing except the one who healed him. He would break the Law in order to show his love and respect to the Law Giver, and in doing so, he fulfilled the heart of the Law.
Perfect obedience to the Law can sometimes make us ungrateful children of God.
However, it is famously said that, Gratitude is the least of virtues, but ingratitude the worst of vices. In fact, some say, ingratitude is the mother of every vice.
Blessing
Go on your way, your faith has made you well. May these be words we hear from the Lord as we give him thanks in this Eucharist. May almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!