A MESSAGE FROM FR. KIKO - OCTOBER 7, 2022

Jesus Christ encounters ten lepers and heals all ten of them. However, we see that only one returns to give thanks. When we look deeper into the Gospel, we find that Christ is raising us to a new relationship with him based on gratefulness. To be grateful is not matter of doing wrong or right, but rather it is dependent on the reception of the gift. If I believe that a gift is due to me, then I will see it as an obvious thing that I receive. For instance, at work, you expect a paycheck. It is normal to believe you will receive it when it is due. No one will accuse you of being ungrateful if you don’t receive it. Why then did only one of ten lepers return to give thanks? What did the one see that the other nine did not? The one who returned simply did not expect that it was due to him. This heart that nothing is due to you means what is given is truly a gift.

We expect God to “do” many things for us because we care more for the gift than the giver. The real gift is that God placed his eyes on this leper; in other words, the fact that he exists in front of someone, namely Jesus. Christ doesn’t despise the other nine but wished they would see the pearl they missed: Jesus Christ; God himself. This leper prostrates and to gives thanks to God. Brothers and sisters seek the Lord and everything else will be given to you in abundance. If we see we don’t have a grateful heart, let us examine truly our hearts. Let us place ourselves in front of the Lord who has died and resurrected granting us his Spirit, which heals the real leprosy of man: sin.

In Christ,

Fr. Kiko