Lectionary 943-947: Giving Thanks

Key:

What these passages tell us about God

What these passages tell us to do

Commentary/observations

Reading 1 SIR 50:22-24                                                                       

And now, bless the God of all, who has done wondrous things on earth; Who fosters people's growth from their mother's womb, and fashions them according to his will! May he grant you joy of heart and may peace abide among you; May his goodness toward us endure in Israel to deliver us in our days.

Responsorial Psalm PS 145:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9, 10-11                  

R. (see 1) I will praise your name for ever, Lord.

Every day will I bless you, and I will praise your name forever and ever.Great is the LORD and highly to be praised; his greatness is unsearchable. 

R. I will praise your name for ever, Lord.
Generation after generation praises your works and proclaims your might. They speak of the splendor of your glorious majesty and tell of your wondrous works. 

R. I will praise your name for ever, Lord.
They discourse of the power of your terrible deeds and declare your greatness. They publish the fame of your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your justice.

R. I will praise your name for ever, Lord.
The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness. The LORD is good to all and compassionate toward all his works.

R. I will praise your name for ever, Lord.
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD, and let your faithful ones bless you. Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom and speak of your might.
R. I will praise your name for ever, Lord.

Reading 2 1 COR 1:3-9                                                                          

Brothers and sisters: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I give thanks to my God always on your account for the grace of God bestowed on you in Christ Jesus, that in him you were enriched in every way, with all discourse and all knowledge, as the testimony to Christ was confirmed among you, so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
He will keep you firm to the end, irreproachable on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, and by him you were called to fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Alleluia 1 THES 5:18                                                                             

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
In all circumstances, give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.
R. Alleluia, alleluia

Gospel LK 17:11-19                                                                                

As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem, he traveled through Samaria and Galilee. As he was entering a village, ten persons with leprosy met him.
They stood at a distance from him and raised their voices, 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."

1.    We are to give God thanks, credit, and glory for all He has done for us and others. There are endless things to thank and praise Him for; He “has done wondrous things on earth” and His “greatness is unsearchable.”

2.   Today’s readings give us examples of some of the things to thank and praise God for:

a.    He grows us into the best we can be. He “fosters people's growth,” “fashions them according to his will” (first reading). He sees that we are “enriched in every way,” and “not lacking in any spiritual gift” (second reading).

b.   He sticks with us through the process of getting there. He is “gracious and merciful” and “slow to anger” when we stumble along the way (psalm).

c.    He delivers us from difficulties and heals us from infirmities (psalm, gospel).

d.   He uses those healings not only to address our maladies, but also to help others understand His wondrous nature (for example, in today’s gospel, sending the lepers to the priest).

e.    His goodness is universal. “The LORD is good to all” and “compassionate toward all his works,” including “foreigner[s]” (psalm, gospel).

3.   Today’s readings also give us specific guidance on how to thank and praise God:

a.    We are to do it all the time; “every day,” in “all circumstances,” and “always.” We should be intentional about it, and deviate from our preoccupations to do that (like the one leper in the gospel).

b.   We are to affirmatively describe the things we are grateful for.  The psalm tells us to “proclaim[],” “speak of,”  “tell of,” “discourse of,” “declare,”  and “publish” the wonderful things God has done. In the gospel, Jesus instructs the healed lepers to “show” their healing to the priests.  

c.    We are to thank God for things He has done for and through others. The second reading is a great example of this.

d.   We are not to be so distracted by God’s blessings that we fail to thank Him.

4.   So how do we do we put that into practice?

a.    Go through the categories of things discussed in point 2 and 3(c) above and identify ways you have seen God do those things in your own experience; and

b.   For each of those experiences give God the type of explicit recognition described in paragraphs 3(b); and

c.    Repeat as often as possible.