The WORD today reminds me that I should always thank God, especially when my prayers have been answered.
They say that “desperate times call for desperate measures.” And in times of desperate needs, we would be ready to do anything to get through. We do whatever we can in our human capacity to get by. We pray hard to God, and even make promises and bargain with him. “Lord, just help me with this, I will stop smoking, or I will give up by vices”. Or “Lord, if I get through this, I promise to hear mass everyday” These are some things we tend to say and do in times of desperate need. However, when situations change, when prayers are answered, when we got by already, our attitude seem to change as well. “Lord, it’s hard to give it up, I’ll just lessen it, okay?” or “Lord, can I just hear mass twice a week, I can’t seem to do it everyday?”
This is similar to how the ten lepers acted. They were all healed when they asked pity from Jesus.
Although they did not say they will go back to Jesus or be good people if they get healed, only one of them came back to Jesus to thank Him. only one of them remembered and made the effort to look for and thank Jesus for hearing and answering their prayer – and this one is a foreigner, similar to the good Samaritan.
Hindi dapat makalimot sa Diyos.
Why did the other nine not go back? Probably they were too excited with their healing that they forgot who healed them. Probably they did not acknowledge it was Jesus who healed them. Or probably they had a sense of entitlement that Jesus should heal them, because they were his own, unlike the foreigner who came back and thanked him.
What’s important to note is what Jesus told the man – “Your faith has saved you.”Yes, they were all cleaned. Not thanking Jesus will not cause the other nine to be lepers again. however, only one was saved, because only one acknowledged Jesus. only one had faith that it was Jesus who saved him, only one searched for him, and only one genuinely experienced God in his life – and will therefore be inspired to live the remaining days of his life for Christ.
In one way or another, we have felt God’s love and blessings. However, we may not have always thanked him. We may have been accustomed to his blessings, taking them for granted. Especially now during this pandemic, a lot more people need help. They are all around. And it is a good way to thank God for all his blessings - to share them with others, especially those who cannot repay us back.
Do I bargain with God? When I have seemingly impossible requests or prayers, do I promise God something? How do I react when God grants my prayers? Do I thank Him? Do I do my best to live right and pleasing to him? Or do I go back to my old way of life, until the next time I need him badly?
May we never forget to thank God for answered prayers, and always acknowledge him as God in our lives.
Father God,
Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live! Thank you for the reminder. Lord, sorry for the times I act like the other nine. Sorry for forgetting you when my prayers have been answered. Sorry for not thanking you. Sorry for feeling entitled to blessings. Lord I pray that I be like the one leper who came back to you and remembered you. when my prayers get answered, may I not forget you and may I always thank you. and as I continuously experience your love, I pray that I may always live my life for you. Transform me and make me like you. Amen.
Blessed Day!
In Christ,
-g-
Memorial of Saint Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church
Lectionary: 493
Hear, O kings, and understand;
learn, you magistrates of the earth’s expanse!
Hearken, you who are in power over the multitude
and lord it over throngs of peoples!
Because authority was given you by the Lord
and sovereignty by the Most High,
who shall probe your works and scrutinize your counsels.
Because, though you were ministers of his kingdom, you judged not rightly,
and did not keep the law,
nor walk according to the will of God,
Terribly and swiftly shall he come against you,
because judgment is stern for the exalted–
For the lowly may be pardoned out of mercy
but the mighty shall be mightily put to the test.
For the Lord of all shows no partiality,
nor does he fear greatness,
Because he himself made the great as well as the small,
and he provides for all alike;
but for those in power a rigorous scrutiny impends.
To you, therefore, O princes, are my words addressed
that you may learn wisdom and that you may not sin.
For those who keep the holy precepts hallowed shall be found holy,
and those learned in them will have ready a response.
Desire therefore my words;
long for them and you shall be instructed.
R. (8a) Rise up, O God, bring judgment to the earth.
Defend the lowly and the fatherless;
render justice to the afflicted and the destitute.
Rescue the lowly and the poor;
from the hand of the wicked deliver them.
R. Rise up, O God, bring judgment to the earth.
I said: “You are gods,
all of you sons of the Most High;
yet like men you shall die,
and fall like any prince.”
R. Rise up, O God, bring judgment to the earth.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
In all circumstances, give thanks,
for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
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.”
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