As you might be aware, the Family Rosary Crusade that eventually became Holy Cross Family Ministries was founded by Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C., because of a healing he received from tuberculosis after the medical doctors had told him that they did not have anything they could do about his illness. He turned to prayer through the intercession of Our Blessed Mother, and he was cured of that illness. The healing made him make a commitment to go out into the whole world and remind families about the power of prayer. Holy Cross Family Ministries is an organization that was founded on gratitude for a healing that was received by now Venerable Patrick Peyton.
Today we hear in Luke’s gospel about ten lepers who were healed of leprosy and only one of them, a Samaritan, a foreigner, looked for Jesus, to express his gratitude. Jesus used the occasion as a teachable moment, to give a lesson on gratitude. He asked a simple question, “Were not ten healed? Where are the other nine?” Ninety percent of those who were healed did not show up to express gratitude. Only ten percent showed gratitude. In a data-driven world, those statistics don’t look good at all. If those statistics are reflective of how our contemporary world operates, then we have a problem.
We Owe a Debt
We are living in a world where we are increasingly seeing children who won’t take care of their elderly parents, children who instead look at their elderly parents as a nuisance. Such children forget that there was a time when they were babies, fragile and totally dependent on their parents, and if their parents neglected them for two days, they would be dead. Now that their parents are elderly and can barely take care of themselves, the children do not think about the debt they owe their parents or guardians who took care of them.
There are also people who have supported our life in some way, but we never really remembered to express our gratitude. We have had neighbors, friends, co-workers, healthcare providers, spiritual leaders or partners who came into our lives when we were in great need, people to whom we owe a great debt, yet never remembered to thank.
Today, and the coming week of Thanksgiving, is a good time for us to reflect on the many blessings we have received in our lives. Let us think of other prayers that have been answered, the miracles received, the jobs we have, the relationships we enjoy, the blessings of life and health, and the good and long friendships we enjoy. Like with Venerable Patrick Peyton may gratitude become an attitude of our hearts.
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