“Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine? Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?” Lk 17:18
The feast of Thanksgiving is a time to return to the God who has so often healed us, to pause and remember all those who God has given us as companions in faith, who have accepted our faults and lifted up our strengths. Honestly, if any of us began to name all of these people today, the list would stretch around the world. Today let us sing alleluia for friends and enemies who showed us God's face even when we were distracted by self absorption or lost in self pity.
We also thank God today for allowing us to play a small role in the healing of others. Broken families, shattered marriages, lonely teenagers, desperate older people and the mentally ill, to name just a few, have all been given to us as gifts. Today we thank God especially for never thinking that the healing relationships we have been privileged to share with the lost have been our doing. Most of the time the only thing we had to give others was time itself, and to our surprise, that was more than enough.
Today, find a quiet place to breathe in gratitude for all God has given you and breathe out hope to those who find life an overwhelming burden.
Who or what forces you to your needs in gratitude?
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