Saying thank you and recognising the help given.

Homily

28^th Sunday of Ordinary Time

9^th October 2022

 

Thank you for coming to Mass today. Thank you for listening to the words I am about to say. Let’s thank God for helping us make it through the day, as we thank him for getting us through the night just gone. Today, the Gospel message is all about saying thank you. In giving thanks and recognising the help we are given in every moment of our lives. Even when things are difficult, and we don’t know what is going on or cannot understand how we managed to get to this point.

About thirty years ago we lived in Belfast, and life was tough. It was hard to find work. Some people were giving up hope. Things seemed dark. You could be shot walking down the street for simply being there. There was a lot of uncertainty. I remember walking to a local shop to get some milk. My mind was full of anxiety. Where could I get work? How could I make some money in time to pay various bills? How could we go on? I was totally looking inward on myself. Hardly noticed what was going on around me. I passed a car. There was some activity going on around it. I wasn’t really taking it in.

“Please can you help me?”

The words cut through my noisy thoughts. I snapped out of myself to see a young woman struggling to change the wheel on her car. Her tyre was flat, and she needed to change the wheel. The pneumatic drill at the tyre service station had screwed the bolts on too tight, and she could not budge them. Without thinking, I said yes. I was younger then and had a bit more strength in me than today. Together we managed to get the wheel off and put the spare on. And she was on her way, but not before saying, “Thank you. I appreciate your help.”

It made me think about how, with all that was going on in my life, all that seemed to be a struggle, I was there just at the right moment to be able to help that young woman in her moment of need. All the decisions I had made up to that point, whether good or bad, put me at that spot.

Before I knew it, the young woman was driving away, a smile on her face. I didn’t get the chance to thank her. In many ways, she had done me more of a service snapping me out of myself and becoming more aware of what was going on around me. It’s not all about me. It’s about us. You and me, together.

Elisha told Naaman to immerse himself in the Jordan seven times, and by doing so the leprosy left his body. Elisha did not want to be rewarded, saying he was only serving the Lord. Praise should go to God for the miracle that had happened.

Jesus meets ten lepers and when they ask for his pity, he tells them to see the priests. On the way, they were cured but only one returned to give him praise and thanksgiving. Only the foreigner had realised he needed to say thank you. His faith had saved him.

The Good News is that Jesus Christ took on our sins and died for us. He is risen from the dead. Through Christ Jesus, we have salvation and the eternal glory that comes with it. For this, we need to be thankful.

You may have heard the story of the driver late for work trying to find a place to park. “Dear Lord, please give me a place to park my car?” Suddenly, a car moves out of space and drives off. “It’s okay, Lord. I’ve found one. Don’t worry.”

Like the nine cured lepers, the driver forgot to praise God and give thanks. He did not recognise what had been done for him. How often have we done the same?

So, thank you for being here with me today, to listening, and remember we are all here to give praise and thanks for what Our Lord Jesus Christ has done for us.

Dear Lord, your words are spirit, and they are life; you have the message of eternal life.

Amen.

 

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