Gospel Reflection

November 14, 2012

Wednesday – Weekday  – Year of Faith

by Rev.  Fr. Nilo Mangussad (Rector Our Lady of Peace Quasi-Parish)

Lunch Mass at Shrine of Mary, Queen of Peace (Our Lady of EDSA)

Reading 1 Ti 3:1-7

Beloved: Remind them to be under the control of magistrates and authorities, to be obedient, to be open to every good enterprise. They are to slander no one, to be peaceable, considerate, exercising all graciousness toward everyone. For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, deluded, slaves to various desires and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful ourselves and hating one another.

But when the kindness and generous love of God our savior appeared, not because of any righteous deeds we had done but because of his mercy, he saved us through the bath of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he richly poured out on us through Jesus Christ our savior, so that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 23:1b-3a, 3bc-4, 5, 6

R. (1) The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
Beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
He guides me in right paths
for his name's sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
With your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

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 lepers met him. They stood at a distance from him and raised their voice, 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."

HOMILY

Good afternoon, my dear brothers and sisters.

We are a thankful people. We know how to give thanks and we know how to appreciate, especially those who give their services to us. But sometimes, we forget. When I say we forget, we only thank those who are visible to our eyes, but forget those who we do not see. There is a saying that goes, "We thank the trees and praise them for the fruits that we enjoy, but we forget the grass that we trample on for keeping the trees green."

When we do not see, we do not know how to thank. When we do not see God's hand helping us, we do not know how to thank. We only thank if our requests are granted.

I remember this week, when I visited one of my friends whose husband has Stage 4 cancer. The husband has two bags - one for the refuse, and one for the urine, because he cannot use his system anymore. But my friend was saying, "I thank God for the gift of life for my husband. Despite the fact that he may be dying, I thank God because He gave me my husband to love. I thank God because He keeps him alive through my faith, and through His love. I thank God." The hand of the Lord is no longer visible in the dying man, but the wife thanks God.

How many of us can do the same thing? How grateful are our hearts for the gifts that God has been continuously giving to us?

It is good to be reflective on the gratefulness of our hearts. Do we thank, not only God, but everybody around us, even if we don't see them helping us? Or are we so selfish that when things do not go according to our plans, we become bitter?