“Go and show yourselves to the priests.” Now, as they went their way, they found they were cured. One of them, as soon as
he saw he was cleansed, turned back praising God in a loud voice, and throwing himself on his face before Jesus, he gave him thanks. This
man was a Samaritan. Then Jesus said, “Were not all ten healed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to
God but this alien?” And Jesus said to him, “Stand up and go your way; your faith has saved you.”

Reflection

Today we are taught on what true gratitude is
all about. One grateful leper returned out of the
ten who were healed. But he could not be considered
a representative of the other nine who were also
healed. Gratitude cannot be delegated. It is personal.
It is simply unfitting that gratitude for graces
personally received should be delivered by an agent.
Personal gratitude develops trust and leads to selfrender.
Where God is the author of grace received,
self-surrender can be total because the recipient
learns by experience that God is reliable. Where
self-surrender is involved, gratitude is too attractive to
escape God’s attention. And the gratitude of the person
must involve the whole of him or her. Gratitude must
not only capture the heart but also the mind as well.
For only those who think can truly thank.