During his general hearing, Pope Francis reflected on the importance of gratitude in prayer. The healing of the ten lepers by Jesus is an example.
By author of Vatican News staff
In his series of catechisms on prayer, Pope Francis this week, during his general audience, reflected on the importance of gratitude in prayer, which he says makes the world better and brings hope.
The ten lepers
As an example, 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 return to meet them. Sometimes he exceeded the restrictions imposed by the law and touched, embraced and healed the sick person. In this case, however, there was no contact”:
He heard their prayer, called them for mercy and sent them to the priests appointed by law to confirm their healing and allow them to return to normal life. But on the way, when they were healed, only one returned to thank Jesus and praise God before going to the priests. That man was a Samaritan, a kind of “heretic” for the Jews of that time. And Jesus says, “Has no one found him coming back and praising God except this stranger?” (17:18).
Grace precedes thanksgiving
The delivery, according to the pope, “divides the world into two: those who do not give thanks and those who do; those who take everything as if they owe it, and those who welcome everything as a gift, as grace. The Catechism says, “Every event and need can become a thank offering.” The pope therefore said that the prayer of thanksgiving always begins with the acknowledgment that ‘grace precedes us’. ‘We were thought of before we learned how to think; we were loved before we learned how to love; we are coveted before our hearts have received a covetousness. “‘If we look at life that way,’ ‘thank you’ becomes the driving force of our day. ‘
Gift of life
Pope Francis then explained that the word ‘Eucharist’, the most important sacrament, is derived from the Greek word, meaning thanksgiving. And Christians, like all believers, bless God for the gift of life. “All of us were born because someone wanted us to have life. And this is only the first of a long series of debts we incur by living. Debt of gratitude. After God, educators, catechists and others’ looked at us with pure eyes and performed their roles in addition to what was required of them. They provoked us to be grateful. Even friendship is a gift for which we should always be grateful. ‘
Love begets gratitude
The pope continued with his catechism, saying that this “gratitude” grows in the encounter with Jesus. Jesus often inflicted joy and praise on God in those he met. We are also called to participate in this tremendous rejoicing, as the episode of the ten lepers indicates. They were happy to restore their health, which enabled them to “put an end to the incessant forced quarantine that excluded them from the community.”
The joy of meeting Jesus
Only one among them experiences an “extra joy” in his healing. “He was delighted when he met Jesus. He’s now sure he’s loved. “And that’s the crux of the matter. It is the discovery of love as the power that rules the world, the pope said, quoting the Italian poet Dante. For Christians, the pope said: ‘it means we have a house, we live in Christ and from the’ dwelling ‘we think of the rest of the world that seems infinitely more beautiful to us.
The Holy Father therefore encouraged Christians to always remain in the joy of meeting Jesus, and never to forget to give thanks. “If we carry gratitude,” he said, “the world itself will get better, if only a little, but it’s enough to convey a little hope.” “Everything is united and connected, and everyone must do his or her part wherever we are.”