28th Sunday of the Year - C

I have just returned for a trip to Kandala, where I did my retreat. The retreat house is situated on a hill, which over sees almost the whole of Kandala. Part of the hill has now been taken over by the Tata’s. They are in charge of laying a pipeline that will being water to our homes in Mumbai. On the last day of the retreat, we took a walk to this place where they were carrying out their work and were stunned to see the work carried out the workers, 200 feet below the surface, working round the clock to complete the work by 31st December this year. And how often we have come home and open the tap and refreshed ourselves without a though or even word of appreciation for the workers who work in such dangerous situation even at the risk of their lives to give us free flowing water in our homes.

If there is one sin that most prevalent today, it is the sin of ingratitude. Quite often my dear brothers & sisters we have taken thing for granted. For example, just because we have taps at home, there should be water. Just because we have gas stove at home, there should bee food on my table, but we forget to thank the people who make these things a reality.

Gratitude is the attitude of the heart. Its not only the greatest of all virtues, but the parent of all other virtues. The word thankfulness is related to Anglo-Saxon version thinkfulness, in other words, to thing of the giver’s kindness. Hence the word thank you is other centered.

But quite often we forget the good that others have done for us. We often act like the little boy who was given an orange by a man. The boy’s mother asked, “What do you say to the nice man?” The little boy thought and handed the orange back and said, “Peel it.”

Being grateful is not confined to a day or a season; it is an attitude that we should have everyday and every hour. Once we develop an attitude of gratitude, we will clearly see how much good there is in our life.

Gratitude affirms, It builds up the person, it builds up relationships. But most of us tend to focus so heavily on the negative part of our lives that we barely see the good that counterbalances them, ultimately leading to endless dissatisfaction.

But when our lives are charged with gratitude, we will give thanks for anything or anyone who has benefited us, whether they meant to or not. Imagine a prayer of thanks springing to our lips when someone helps us or when we are in trouble of caught up in a traffic jam, or when the water flows from the tap, or the food is adequate? When gratitude is well established, it is a sign of a heart that has been made right and whole. Gratitude opens the heart and that's why it provides a fine orientation equally to the inanimate, human and divine dimensions of the world.
Take for example the leper in today’s’ gospel. They Were In An Awful Position- Luke says here they stood afar off. The disease of lepercy was a painful disease but most terrible part of the disease was that they were separated from their family and from the society they were out cast. No one knows how long it had been since they had felt the touch of their wife or the kiss of their children.

It was in such a situation that Jesus heal them. But only one turned to give thanks. Here is the key to the whole issue. All were in the same awful position. All prayed and all were healed. Yet only one of the ten returned to offer thanksgiving. Why: Because He saw a reason to praise. He saw a difference Jesus had made. He saw a change wrought by Christ. He saw an opportunity to praise God.
Where are the other nine? I have no doubt that after they were declared clean by the priest they made their way to be with their family and their friends; to hug and kiss the wife and the children; to visit with Mom and Dad; to talk with friends. Their minds were occupied on all that the blessing brought to their lives. But this one, He too loved his wife and children just as much as the others. He too wanted to hug and kiss his wife and children just as much as the others. He too wanted to spend time with his friends just as much as the others. He too wanted to enjoy the blessing just as much as the others. But he had his priorities in order. He did not get so wrapped up in the blessing that he forgot the blesser. He put family, friends and fellowship on hold so that he could worship the one that made his being with his family and friends possible. His faith not only saved him but it connected him to the one who could save him.

If we look in to our lives, we see that there are many thing that we to thank the Lord for, the fact that you and I are living today is a proof enough to thank the Lord for his abundant love for us. There are other ways by which we can develop a grateful heart:

First wake up! Wake up to the incredible universe and the surprises that occur every day around you. Be attentive to every surprise each day. As long as nothing surprises us we will walk through life in a daze. Wake up and thank the Lord for them.

Two, become aware of the opportunities. Instead of focusing on your discomfort or your problem, focus on the opportunities that are ahead of you. If one door is closed, don’t get discouraged, have faith God will open hundred other doors for you.

Three, respond alertly. Once we become awake to the surprises that are around us every day and we become aware of the opportunities that are open to us, we should be attentive to our responses. We can curse the sudden rain shower or we can see it as a surprise gift. Look at it as a gift form God to cool the atmosphere. Be alert to the way you respond to an opportunity. If you catch yourself being negative every time, it is time to check your attitude.

And finally take time every day to review the process. Look back over the day and ask your self how many times was I surprised?
· Did I just walk through the day in a daze or did I appreciate every precious moment?
· Was I too busy to notice life and all of its surprises going by?
· If I was awake did I notice the opportunities?
· Did I stop and smell the flowers?
· Did I say hello to the neighbor?
· And finally, was I alert enough to respond to the opportunities that were there for me?
· Did I over look the gift within the gift because it didn’t look attractive?

This recipe for grateful living sounds very simple and it is. But just because it is simple it does not mean that it is simple to do. Like all things that are life changing it takes practice. And like dancing, it only becomes truly enjoyable when you are no longer thinking about every step.

This week we have a perfect opportunity to start practicing. Of being grateful for all that people do for us and to thank God for the all that he does for us. Amen.