Gratitude and Salvation (Wednesday, Week 32, Year 2, St Martin of Tours)

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The gospel story (cf. Luke 17:11-19) is a lesson on gratitude. Amongst many things that we can learn from that story is the fact that gratitude is and should be an expression of faith. Ten lepers were healed but only one returned to give thanks. It is quite surprising to learn that the one that returned to give thanks was a Samaritan (a foreigner, an outsider, not bound by the covenant, not among the God’s chosen people). Sometimes, we may feel that there is no need to be grateful; maybe, we don’t consider ourselves as having been blessed like others. May the story of this grateful Samaritan remind us that we don’t need to have all the blessings on earth before we can give thanks to God! Some of us may see no need to express ourselves in gratitude even when there is need for us to do so maybe because we see ourselves as second class citizens, as those outside the camp of the “chosen ones”. Whenever such thought fills our minds, let us remember that the leper who came back to give thanks was a Samaritan, one outside the camp of the “chosen ones”. This story teaches us that gratitude is an act of faith and not dependent on any other factor. 

To the Samaritan who returned to give thanks, Jesus said, “Rise and go, your faith has saved you”. Ten were healed but only one was saved. The Samaritan’s sincere act of gratitude SAVED Him: he TURNED BACK, praising God. Such a moment for him was a time for turning back, not just a time of feeling so good that he physically healed but a time for spiritual healing, a time for repentance in response to the healing mercy extended to him by Christ. This reminds us that the most sincere act of gratitude is a repentant journey back to God. And that is the only way we can be saved. 

I could remember my father telling me that the best act of gratitude from a child to his parents is being obedient to them. Thus, the only way we can as well show that we are truly grateful to God for the many blessings that come to us is resolving to be ever obedient to Him: obedient to his commands and obedient to those He has constituted as my leaders and guides. That is why St Paul told Titus (cf. Tit. 3:1-7) to remind everyone to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient and to be ready for any honest work. Let us not just give thanks with our lips. May our acts of thanksgiving come from within and show forth in a life of perfect obedience to God and to the duly instituted authorities in the society and in the Church, Amen.



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