Fr. Emmanuel Megwara, MSP - Homily for Wednesday Week 31 Ordinary time - November 11, 2020

DATE : 11/11/2020, Wednesday of the 32nd Week in Ordinary Time (A) EVENT : St. Martin of Tours (Memorial) COLOUR : GREEN READINGS : Titus 3:1-7; Resp. Psalm 22:1-6; Luke 17:11-19. THEME: GRATITUDE IS A SERIOUS VIRTUE, DO NOT TAKE IT FOR GRANTED Greetings beloved people of God. I welcome you to "My Catholic Homily Digest". As we celebrate the memorial of St. Martin of Tours, I want to reflect with us on the theme " Gratitude is a serious Virtue, Do not take it for Granted". Beloved, there is a growing sense of entitlement among many of us Christians, such that we fail to even recognise that whatever is given to us either by God or by our fellow humans is done out of goodwill and benevolence, and not because we deserve them. One of my seminary formators, Fr. Patrick Akekpe, MSP would often say, 'gratitude is the least of all virtue, but ingratitude is the worst of vices'. Also, according to William Arthur Ward, 'gratitude not expressed is like wrapping a gift in a fine pack and not presenting it'. However, I know that there are many modes of expressing gratitude, it could be verbalised, written, demonstrated or treasured in the heart. Just try and do any of the above I beg you. Beloved, in the Gospel reading of today, Jesus pointed out to us the value of gratitude. For as it was recorded, ten lepers were healed, but only one rushed back to express gratitude for the healing received. Note that, the Scripture recorded that it was only the stranger among them, a Samaritan, who came back to give thanks to Jesus for the healing. The likelihood is that, the other nine lepers, who were possibly Jews, saw it as their right to be healed by Jesus since he is their brother, a fellow Jew. Thus, they reasoned, 'if he could heal other people, is he not supposed to heal us too who are his kinsmen'. Reasoning thus, gratitude became impossible for them. Beloved, many of us are not different from these nine lepers who reasoned thus. Many of us feel that since God has blessed others, He should bless us too. Hence, we often fail to show gratitude when God blesses us, heals us, leads us safely on a journey, wakes us each morning, gives us our daily food, grants us a job or business breakthrough and a host of other innumerable things God does for us. We also fail to appreciate it when an elder brother or sister helps us, because we feel they should do it because we are their responsibility. We also fail to show gratitude to the government when they work for us because we feel it is our right and their responsibility to provide basic infrastructure and amenities. So we see no reason to express gratitude. Dear friends, gratitude is a habit, which is cultivated. And once cultivated, we will always see reasons to be grateful even for the minutest favour or help received. Hear me child of God, never you take gratitude for granted, it goes a long way to speak about you, to pave way for many more blessings, shows that you value the gifts, shows that it is umeritted, and most importantly makes the donor to feel good. So, like the Samaritan leper in today's Gospel, let us learn to be thankful to God and to men for any and every gift or favour received, so that we would be good Christian Ambassadors. God bless you #End Sars, #End Political Oppression #End Bad Governance. #End Ungratefulness Oh that today you would listen to his voice harden not your hearts (Ps.95:7-8). LET US PRAY : Lord Jesus, grant me the grace to be grateful even for the smallest favour received for by my reckoning, I do not deserve to be gifted anything....Amen HAPPY MIDWEEK BELOVED FRIENDS @ Fada Emmanuel Nnamdi Megwara, MSP. ⛪