In Gratitude, God is Glorified

Memorial of Saint Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church

November 10, 2021, Wednesday

Readings: Click here to read in full
    Reading I: Wis 6:1-11
    Responsorial Psalm: Ps 82:3-4, 6-7
    Gospel: Lk 17:11-19

Our liturgy today brings us to the core of our Eucharistic spirituality, and that is gratitude, for gratitude draws us to God in praise and worship. We cannot praise and worship God enough without being thankful.

In our Gospel, out of ten lepers who were healed, only one came back to thank Jesus. We know that he had no business with the Jewish priests because he was a Samaritan. But more than this unjust social milieu is the Samaritan’s response to what Jesus did to him. The Gospel tells us, "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 the only one who RETURNED, the only one who GLORIFIED God, the only one who FELL at Jesus’ feet, the only one who THANKED Jesus.

God wants us to be thankful to Him for the many things He is doing for us. We thank Him even in the most difficult times, even if we are grieving and hurting, lest we become arrogant and self-centered, like the other nine lepers who were healed. Being grateful keeps us close to God, who is always unconditional in His gifts.

In gratitude, we glorify the Giver, not the gifts. However, if we look at the gifts God gives us, we see how kind and gracious God is. Gratitude then draws us closer to Him. This is what happened to the Samaritan. His gratitude drew him to Jesus.

Going back to our Eucharistic spirituality, we understand that it is best expressed in a life of gratitude, which draws us to God whom we glorify and worship in spirit and in truth.

Fr. Joel R. Lasutaz, SSS

Image credit: pixabay.com

Zeal for the House of God

Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome

November 8, 2021, Tuesday

Readings: Click here to read in full
    Reading I: Ez 47:1-2, 8-9, 12
    Responsorial Psalm: Ps 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9
    Reading II: 1 Cor 3:9c-11, 16-17
    Gospel: Jn 2:13-22

Basilica Altar: Pope's eye view 

Today, being the mother church of the world, St. John Lateran Basilica’s celebration of the Anniversary of her dedication is celebrated worldwide. Of the four major basilicas in Rome, this Basilica the oldest and highest ranking. As the cathedral of the Diocese of Rome, this is the official ecclesiastical seat of the Pope, the Bishop of Rome. 

This feast reminds us of the essential truth that the edifice, the temple made of stones, is a symbol of the Christian community, which is the mystical body of Christ, the Church. St. Paul in the Second Reading teaches us that each person is a temple of God and thereby holy. He said: "Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for the temple of God, which you are, is holy." As all temples are, each one, therefore, is a holy place of worship where God’s presence resides. The first reading expounds that from us, as God’s temple, flows living water that gives life, that nourishes all life so that they may bear fruits that serve as food and medicine.

Since this is the essential truth of who we are, let us ask ourselves, Am I, like Jesus in our Gospel, passionately zealous for the House of God, for Jesus’ Body? How am I as God’s temple? Are others able to worship God who dwells in me? Is the water flowing through me nourishing others to bear fruits? Am I a life-giving person? In this Eucharist, let us pray for this grace, that we may truly be living our lives as God’s holy temple, as the Body of Christ. 

Fr. Joel R. Lasutaz, SSS

Image credit: flickr.com