Our scripture reading for the Sunday we celebrate Harvest Thanksgiving & National Thanksgiving is the story of Jesus healing the ten lepers (Luke 17:11-19). In the story Jesus heals them and sends them to go and show themselves that they are healed and only one of them, when healed, comes back to thank him and praise God.

Martin Luther, the great Reformation leader, was once asked describe the true nature of worship and he answered that it was the tenth leper turning back.

God does and gives us so much each and every day, that it is almost too easy for us to start taking what God is doing for granted. If there is something then that I think we need to be more mindful of, it is to do our best to be more grateful to God. The Jesuit based website ignatianspirituality.com says it well when they write, “Gratitude is the foundation of our relationship with God.” In fact, it was at their site that I found this great link to a Washington Post article written by Jesuit Dr. William Blazek called “Finding God on the Metro”. It is a great read illustrating the prayerful gift of finding God at work in the everyday.

Let us give thanks to God.