As part of our formation in the seminary, we were appointed different kinds of pastoral work. One of my class-mates, Paschal Hanrahan, spent one summer working in the slums in one of the big south American cities. I forget which one. He shared some of his experiences with us. He said that one night he was sitting outside the hut of the family he was staying with and he was feeling very depressed about the terrible poverty that was there and how much the people were suffering and how there seemed to be no resolution to it. Then the father of the household came outside and sat with him. After a few minutes he said, ‘Paschal, we have so much to be thankful for. God has blessed us so much.’ My friend was taken completely off-guard by this comment. He could only see what was wrong and what they didn’t have, yet the man living there in this terrible poverty was full of gratitude. He could see what they had and was not concerned about what they didn’t have. This really opened his eyes and helped him to see things differently.
I have often come across people who have worked in some of the poorest parts of the world, where there is not only terrible poverty, but often terrible injustice as well, but they will always tell you that you will find more joy in people there than in any first world countries, where we have so much materially.
I was reading the account of a priest who worked in Sweden. He said that it was probably one of the wealthiest countries in the world, materially. The government takes care of everything you may need, but that there was so much hatred and despair there. They had a crucifix on the door of their apartment and he said that three times it was ripped off the door.
When we live in places where there is so much material wealth and where we have so much choice, it is very easy to become focused on what I want and no longer see what I already have. If I live in a place where most people don’t even have the basics, then I am more likely to be grateful for anything I can get. People in poor countries aren’t looking to material things to make them happy, because they don’t have them. So they tend to be more joyful.
The readings today are a reminder of how important it is to give thanks to God for everything. In the first reading, Naaman comes back to Elisha to give thanks to God for being healed. In the Gospel, one of the ten lepers goes back to Jesus to give thanks for his healing and note Jesus’ comment, ‘Where are the other nine?’ In other words, we should make a point of giving thanks, not just for when prayers are answered, but for everything we have in all situations.
One of the remedies for the anger and anxiety that so many people are feeling at this time, is to give thanks. Yes, the country is not in a good place right now, but we have so much to be thankful for. When you get up, give thanks for the gift of another day, for your health, for your faith, that you have enough food to eat, that you have a place to stay and people who love you. Give thanks to God that God has created you for eternal happiness. Give thanks to God for making that eternal happiness possible to you through the death and resurrection of Jesus. Give thanks to God for all the people you love and for those who have gone on to the next world, that we can be with them again when we die. Give thanks to God for all the people in your life, those you like and those you don’t like. Why should we only give thanks to God for what we like and nothing else?
The Scriptures always teach us what God expects of us. If you look at the accounts of the last supper, the most important meal in history, where Jesus gave us the gift of his Body and Blood, note the words Jesus spoke. In Matthew, Mark and Luke’s account of the last supper, they each say that Jesus took bread and after he had given thanks, He broke it…
St. Matthew: ‘Jesus took bread and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to his disciples saying, “Take and eat. This is my body.” (Matt 26:26).
St. Mark: ‘While they were eating, Jesus took some bread and when He had given thanks, He broke it…’ (Mark 14:22)
St. Luke: ‘He took bread, gave thanks and broke it and gave it to them saying, “This is my Body.”
St. John’s account of the Eucharist is given in the account of feeding the five thousand with five loaves and two fish in chapter 6. Note Jesus’ words: ‘Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted.’ (Jn 6:11)
It also says that after everyone had eaten, Jesus tells the people to collect all the food that is left over so that nothing is wasted. That is also a way of showing gratitude.
When Jesus is about to raise Lazarus from the dead, He starts off praying to the Father saying, ‘Father I thank you that you have heard me. I know that you always hear me, but I say this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me’ (Jn 11:41). Then He cries out, ‘Lazarus, come out.’
St. Paul writes, ‘Rejoice always, pray continually, in all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.’ (1 Thes 5:18).
Where it says, ‘In all circumstances give thanks…’ does that mean that we should give thanks even when things are going wrong? Yes it does. Why should we only give thanks to God when things are going our way, or when things suit us? Giving thanks to God when things are going wrong for us, is not thanking God for whatever it is that has gone wrong, rather it is giving thanks to God, because God is God. It is a way of acknowledging God’s greatness, his holiness and his providence.
Whenever you are feeling down, or disheartened with anything, our world our country, or any situation in your life, start by giving thanks to God for everything you can think of. It helps us to turn the focus outward toward God, instead of inward.
‘Rejoice always, pray continually, in all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.’ (1 Thes 5:18).
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