A Day of Thanks

Gospel: Luke 17: 11-19

For the Christian, whenever their nation celebrates their Thanksgiving Day, it is a day of profound irony.  On the one hand it is a right and good thing to set aside a day of thanks, for gratitude is a great virtue that produces abundant graces.  At the same time the Christian realizes that every day is a day of thanks for her, for she knows that thanksgiving is foundational to the Christian life.  The word Eucharist means thanksgiving, and is the very center of our lives as followers of Jesus.

The origin of many Thanksgiving celebrations in nations is often about the end of a war or the conquest of a land or some other event that brought harm to other people.  However, in the Christian life we celebrate the Eucharist and give thanks for the person of Jesus, for his conquering sin and death in our lives, and in making it possible for us to find the way to the kingdom of God both in this life and in the one to come.  It is something we can be thankful for for ourselves and for all people.  

The Samaritan returned to give thanks to Jesus for healing and restoring him.  He could not show himself to the priests who would reject him as a hated foreigner.  He could not return to his homeland and tell them a Jewish rabbi healed him.  He went to the only place he could to offer thanks - to the One who healed him.  We too go today and each day to the One who has healed us, to the One who has healed and restored all people with his love and mercy.