Oscar--M--LopezChristmas is about giving thanks

The story is told in the Gospel according to St. Luke 17:11-19 about the 10 lepers who were healed by Jesus:

“Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, 10 men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, ‘Jesus, Master, have pity on us!’

“When He saw them, He said, ‘Go, show yourselves to the priests.’ And as they went, they were cleansed.

“One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked Him—and he was a Samaritan.

“Jesus asked, ‘Were not all 10 cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?’

“Then He said to him, ‘Rise and go; your faith has made you well.'"

Ungratefulness is as old as time. We ourselves have often acted like the nine lepers who were healed by Jesus and just went on with their lives. We don’t bother to give thanks.

What did Jesus mean when He told the grateful leper that his faith has made him well? One interpretation says Jesus made the man know that he had experienced healing for his body like the other nine, but more importantly, healing for his soul.

Healing of our souls is what we all need as we journey through life. And as this biblical story suggests, we can’t have it unless we learn to express gratitude. Perhaps, because of our ingratitude, we do not feel our blessings as we should.

Coming at the end of the year, Christmas is a good time to count our blessings of love, friendship and life itself. It is the time we give thanks for the ultimate blessing of all—the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We have not paused often enough to give thanks to God for the blessings He pours out for us each day of the year. Now is the time to do that and more.

Christmas is about remembering the many wonderful people who bless us all the time. This is why I like that ABS-CBN station ID released for the Christmas holidays. It focuses on the need to give thanks. If only we took time to give thanks, our joy would be complete.

Starting right now, let us thank those who bless us day in and day out. Then say a prayer to thank Our Father in Heaven for sending His only Son on that first Christmas to bring us salvation and eternal life.

Thank you and a Merry Christmas to everyone!

OSCAR M. LOPEZ

Chairman emeritus, Lopez Group