Be One of the Ones

GospelLK 17:11-19

As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem,
he traveled through Samaria and Galilee.
As he was entering a village, ten persons with leprosy met him.
They stood at a distance from him and raised their voices, 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.”

I want to be one of the ones. I want to be the one who comes back to give thanks! I’ve been thinking of this a lot lately. God gives us miracles daily and yet how often do we proclaim His goodness and remember Him as the giver of all good blessings? How often do we stop to pray prayers of thanksgiving when our prayers are answered before we start petitioning the next set of needs and questions? How often do we give thanks for things we take for granted – freedom, safety, housing, food, faith, friends, family, hope, eternal life, love and education to name a few.

One of the characteristic’s I’ve noticed in the lives of the saints is their radical gratitude, in all seasons. They proclaim God’s goodness not because of what they get but because of who God is.

Are you standing in a place of abundance? Maybe it’s easy for you to give thanks this Thanksgiving as you stand in fields of plenty. Maybe you are walking through the desert where the sun is scorching, the land is cracked, and the air is arid. Either way, we are called to live a life of abundance. I’m not talking about commercialism, consumerism, Black Friday is starting at 10 pm abundance. (And believe me, you’ll be thankful I’m avoiding that tirade). No, the abundance we are called to live rests on Truth, an eternal Truth, who came to life; a Truth whose name is Love; a Truth who came in the stillness of a manger to a humble Jewish girl; a Truth who selflessly gave His very Body and Blood on the cross and who in the midst of agony proclaimed thy will be done. For even when we walk through the shadow of death we shall fear no evil for Truth has set us free. The victory’s been won, kids!

How often do we proclaim it in the midst of difficulty? Are you living as if you’ll believe more when (insert whatever or whoever you are waiting for arrives)? Are you waiting for things to change and then when they do you’ll be more grateful, thankful or more joyful?

We are called to see before we see. We are called to live the abundant miracles God has for us today. I’m more convinced than ever that miracles happen – they are happening, have happened, and will happen. Are you seeing them? Or are you the ostrich who has their head in the sand focused on what’s not going right that you are missing the beauty of the present moment?

Don’t let the miracles God wants to give you go unopened. The greatest gift we can ever delve into is our faith. By it, we come to know Love unending and enables even those of us standing in abundant fields, to live life in color.

Verso l’alto,

Kathryn

I am overwhelmed
With a joy divine

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/i-am/id740245282?i=740245353&ign-mpt=uo%3D2

Don't you go and, let the world weigh you down

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNK96nZk0Hk