A reflection on this year’s Thanksgiving Gospel reading by Joni…

In Luke 17:11-19, we are told of Jesus healing the ten lepers and that only one of the ten returned to Jesus to thank Him for his healing. Jesus then says to the healed man, “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.”

The man went back and made himself present to Jesus. Not only did the cured leper humbly thank Him for the gift of healing but when doing so God gave the man an even greater gift than he probably even realized he needed – the gift of salvation. “Your faith has saved you” (Lk. 17:19). That one man was the only one who received the greatest gift Jesus has for us, not physical health, but spiritual health – salvation. Because that man made himself present to God in faith and humility this man afforded himself an occasion in which God could bless him with the gift of eternal life. Something so simple as a mere “thank you” can provide this gift.

It is no coincidence that the word “Eucharist” means “thanksgiving”. When we make ourselves present at the table of the Holy Eucharist in thanksgiving to God Almighty and consume the very Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Our Lord in the Holy Eucharist, we too are promised the gift of eternal life. It is written, “Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” (John 6: 51).

That one man, putting everything else in its proper place, put God before all else. This one healed man went back to thank Jesus. I can only imagine if I were one of those healed lepers, how excited I’d be to show my priest, my family, and my friends. I’d be running around like a madwoman telling everyone in my path whether I knew them or not, that I was finally healed. But would I have first done what was needed to be done? Would I put God before all else and return to thank Him? I hope I would.

Right now, the entire world is being told to put our health first, “Stay healthy! Stay safe! Protect yourself at all costs!” The world’s gospel preaches that the most important thing is to stay physically healthy. Yes, we can and should take measures to keep our bodies healthy. But what measures are we taking to keep our souls healthy? What good is it to have a healthy body but a sick soul (Matt. 16:26)? We readily accept that we all need physical healing when we are sick. Why can’t we accept that we need spiritual healing even more? We all recognize that there is something seriously unhealthy going on in our world. But a physical healing or vaccine will do little to cure what truly ails us. We need Jesus to heal our soul.

On this Thanksgiving weekend can we be like the one healed man in the gospel who runs to Jesus in faith, love, and appreciation, for all the gifts he’s been given. You might be thinking, “But this year has sucked! I don’t feel that I’ve received any blessings.” Let me suggest that if you are reading this, then you have received a wonderful blessing amid all the heartache and chaos that this year has brought. You are alive! And God has sustained you in this miraculous gift of life for one reason – to know Him better, and to grow in love of Him as He is head over heels in love with you. Run back to Him and thank Him for this marvelous gift of life. Be in joyful anticipation of what your humble, thankful presence before God will bring. I can’t tell you that you’ll receive the blessings you desire. But I can promise you, like that one man, God will give you the blessing you need, His gift of salvation.

Now, I want to tell you a little personal story that accentuates what I’m trying to say here.

One day on our way to Physical Therapy, my son, Eric and I found ourselves with an extra 30 minutes to kill before our appointment. I suggested to Eric that we pull into the parking lot at St. Michael’s Church in Silver Spring and direct our prayers to God quietly in the direction of the Tabernacle where Our Lord waits in the Holy Eucharist. (We weren’t allowed in the church because of the early and stringent Covid restrictions.) As we prayed silently in the Whole Foods parking lot next to the church, a homeless woman knocked on our window. After trying to help her out, something very strange happened that will be with both Eric and me forever. She looked at Eric and told him things that were impossible for her to know. She also told him things that I believe, were known to God Himself and that answered questions Eric had in the secret of his heart. Her words gave him such consolation after a grueling year of three hospitalizations and intense pain and anguish.

Then she turned to me. She told me that I’ve had many operations although there was NO way for her to know that. I didn’t have my brace on, nor was my wheelchair in the car. She was a complete stranger who couldn’t possibly have known that I’ve had 5 serious surgeries in the past 3 years. Then she told me other remarkable things, many of which came to pass within the next few weeks, and of which I had no previous knowledge. This woman’s words filled my heart too, with unspeakable consolation. Then she walked away, and Eric and I drove to physical therapy in awe of what just happened.

To say I was speechless would be an understatement. I’ve had amazing experiences, blessings, and gifts from the Lord amid my life and connected to my illnesses, but THIS WAS A FIRST!!! I spoke with quite a few priests about this experience and ALL assured me that this was the Holy Spirit allowing this woman to give God’s gift of prophecy. This homeless woman spoke the Lord’s words to us in the parking lot of St. Michael’s Church and Whole Foods. Who could have ever imagined such a thing?!

So how this all ties together with my original thought above and why I feel so strongly about sharing the above message with others is this…

If Eric and I hadn’t responded affirmatively to God’s invitation to rest with Him in prayer, we would’ve missed the truly marvelous gift that God wanted to share with us. Like that one man who went back to the Lord to thank Him, God wanted to bless us too. God was there waiting for us, His children to just show up in humility, praying in thanksgiving before Him so that He could pour out His gifts on us. Jesus and this homeless woman would’ve been there whether or not we were. But we would’ve missed His blessing if we hadn’t shown. Go show yourself to Jesus. Receive the blessings that God has for you that will sustain you forever, His gift of eternal life.

May God bless you all.