During his general audience, Pope Francis reflected on the importance of gratitude in prayer. The healing of the ten lepers by Jesus is an example.
By the Vatican News staff writer
Continuing his series of catechesis on prayer, Pope Francis, during his general audience this week, stressed the importance of gratitude in prayer, which he said improves the world and brings hope.
The ten lepers
As a case in point, he took the episode of the healing of the ten lepers in the Gospel of Luke. The ten suffered not only physically but also social and religious marginalization. “However, Jesus did not hesitate to meet them. Sometimes, he overcame the limitations imposed by law and touched, embraced and healed the sick person. However, in this case, there is no there was no contact “:
He heard their prayer, their cry of mercy, and sent them to the priests appointed by the law to certify their healing and re-admit them to normal life. But on the way, when they were healed, only one returned to thank Jesus and praise God before addressing the priests. That man was a Samaritan, a kind of heretic to the Jews of that time. And Jesus comments, “Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this stranger?” (17:18).
Grace precedes thanksgiving
This episode, the Pope said, “divides the world into two: those who do not give thanks and those who do; those who take everything as if it were due to them, and those who receive everything as a gift, as a grace ”. The Catechism says, “All events and needs can become an offering of thanksgiving.” Therefore, the Pope said, the prayer of thanksgiving always begins by acknowledging that “grace precedes us.” “They thought of us before we learned to think; we were loved before we learned to love; they wanted us before our hearts conceived a desire. ”“ If we see life like that, ”he noted,“ then ”thank you“ becomes the engine of our day. ”
Gift of life
Pope Francis then explained that the word “Eucharist,” the most essential sacrament, derives from the Greek word, which means thanksgiving. And Christians, like all believers, bless God for the gift of life. “We were all born because someone wanted us to have life. And this is just the first of a long series of debts we incur living. Debts of gratitude. ”After God, educators, catechists, and others“ looked at us with pure eyes and exercised their roles beyond what was required of them. They provoked our gratitude. Even friendship is a gift we should always be grateful for. “
Love generates gratitude
Continuing his catechesis, the Pope said that this “gratitude” grows on knowing Jesus. Jesus often brought joy and praise to God in those whom He knew. We too are called to participate in this immense retirement as the episode of the Ten Lepers points out. They were happy to regain their health, which allowed them to “end that endless forced quarantine that excluded them from the community.”
The joy of meeting Jesus
However, only one of them experiences “additional joy” in their healing. “She is glad to know Jesus. Now he is sure to be loved. And that is the crux of the matter. It is the discovery of love as the force that rules the world, the Pope said, citing the Italian poet Dante. For Christians, the Pope said: “This means that we have a home, that we live in Christ, and from this” house “we contemplate the rest of the world that seems infinitely more beautiful to us.
The Holy Father, therefore, urged Christians to try to remain always in the joy of meeting Jesus, never forgetting to give thanks. “If we are bearers of gratitude,” he said, “the world itself will be better, even if only a little, but that is enough to convey a little hope.” “Everything is united and connected and everyone has to do their part wherever we are.”