OT XXVIII [C]: II Kgs 5:14-17; II Tm 2:8-13; Lk 17:11-19 

These biblical readings reflect powerfully on themes of healing, gratitude, and faith by comparing the Old Testament story of Naaman the Syrian with the New Testament account of the ten lepers healed by Jesus, especially highlighting the gratefulness of the Samaritan leper found only in Luke’s Gospel.

The Fathers of the Church noted three important parallels between these two healing stories. First, both Naaman and the Samaritan leper were foreigners, outsiders to the Godly Jewish people, who sought healing from a holy Jew—Naaman from the prophet Elisha, and the lepers from Jesus. Second, both were instructed to perform a simple, seemingly insignificant act: Naaman was told to bathe seven times in the Jordan River, while Jesus told the lepers to show themselves to the priest to confirm their healing. In both cases, the healing occurred only after obeying and departing from the one who commanded them. Third, both Naaman and the Samaritan leper returned to the healer, praising God and giving thanks to the prophet or Jesus.

Luke’s Gospel uniquely narrates the thankfulness of the Samaritan leper, highlighting his faith as the source of his salvation and using him as a model for faith and gratitude. Luke himself was a Gentile, which explains his delight in stories of foreigners whom God blesses. A Samaritan would have been despised or excluded by the religious Jews of Jesus’ day, yet here he is depicted as the exemplar of faith and thankfulness, in stark contrast to the nine other healed lepers who did not return.

The Samaritan’s gratitude springs from a profound awareness that he had not earned God’s mercy; as an outcast, he simply asked and received it freely. His response was to give thanks and praise, recognizing the gift of healing and the generosity of God. Moreover, because Samaritans were not accepted in the Jerusalem Temple or by Jewish priests, the Samaritan leper bypassed religious formalities and came directly to Jesus to express his gratitude—a further sign of his faith and devotion.

In Naaman’s story he nearly missed healing because he thought the prophet’s instructions unworthy of him. But Naaman’s servants persuade him: if the prophet had asked something difficult, he would have done it—so why not this simple thing? We sometimes resist God’s blessings because they do not match our expectations.

Only when Naaman lays aside pride and receives the prophet’s instruction with humility does healing occur. Healing, here, is tied to obedience and trust, even when the means seem simple or lowly. Afterward, Naaman’s gratitude is not superficial—he changes allegiance. He declares that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel. Gratitude draws him into covenant faith.

The contrast between gratitude and ingratitude is echoed repeatedly in Scripture. The prophets lament the ingratitude of Israel, likened to animals who know their masters but whose people do not acknowledge God. St. Paul in 1 Thesselonians says, In all circumstances, give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.

Psalm 107 calls us to “give thanks to the LORD, who is good, whose love endures forever.” The medieval mystic Meister Eckhart poignantly suggested that if the only prayer we utter in life is “Thank-You,” that alone would suffice. Gratitude, expressed in prayer and in daily living, is not mere politeness but a noble, generous way to touch Heaven itself.

Gratitude Requires Recognition: We cannot thank God for what we fail to notice. The nine lepers presumably returned to their families, delighted, yet they did not recognize—or chose not to dwell on the deeper meaning behind their cure. The Samaritan saw beyond the surface. In our own lives, God’s mercies are abundant but often unnoticed: a spared accident, an encouraging word, an opportunity we did not expect. Without awareness, gratitude cannot grow.

One of the practical Ways to Grow in Gratitude is to do a Daily Examen of conscience. End each day by naming three specific blessings or mercies you received. This trains the eyes of our heart to see God’s action.

The Holy Mass itself is presented as the supreme act of thanksgiving, rooted in Jesus’ own giving thanks to the Father at the Last Supper. The very name “Eucharist” means “thanksgiving.” Every Mass is an invitation to join Jesus’ eternal prayer of thanks, remembering His passion, death, and resurrection, and offering ourselves back to God. Participation in the Eucharist shapes us toward a thankful heart that acknowledges God’s saving love.

The readings should motivate us to: First, to be thankful to God and to others, overcoming the common tendency toward forgetfulness and ingratitude. Many overlook the blessings amid difficulties or fail to pause in daily prayer and thanksgiving. We owe gratitude not only to God but also to our families, friends, teachers, and all who serve us.

Second, the Eucharist is to be embraced as the highest expression of our gratitude, calling us to worship with thankful hearts, sharing our gifts in joy and service.

Third, we all bear spiritual “leprosy” in the form of sin, which Jesus longs to heal. Like the ten lepers, we must not hide our afflictions but cry out for healing and mercy. Only then can we live in freedom, light, and gratitude.

Today’s readings call us to more than noticing God’s gifts—they call us to live as people transformed by those gifts. The Samaritan leper and Naaman both received healing, but more importantly, both allowed gratitude to reshape their lives. One returned to praise Jesus; the other committed himself to the Lord forever.

This week, let us strive to recognize where God has touched us, humble ourselves to receive His blessings in whatever form they come, and return to Him with hearts that not only thank Him but live in faithfulness.