As Jesus journeyed toward Jerusalem, He met ten lepers who cried out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” Without touching them or saying much, He simply told them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” On their way, they were healed. Yet, only one—a Samaritan—returned to give thanks, glorifying God and falling at the feet of Jesus.

This Gospel scene captures something profoundly human: our tendency to receive blessings yet forget to express gratitude. Ten were healed, but only one remembered to return. The Lord’s question echoes through time: “Where are the other nine?” It is not a rebuke born of anger but a sorrowful reminder that thanksgiving is often the missing response to God’s mercy.

Faith and Gratitude

Faith and gratitude are closely linked. The ten lepers had faith when they obeyed Jesus’ command; but only one’s faith matured into thanksgiving. His return to Jesus was not merely polite—it was a recognition of grace. True faith always leads to gratitude, because faith sees not just the gift, but the Giver.

In a world that prizes entitlement and self-sufficiency, gratitude becomes a countercultural act. To thank God is to confess our dependence on Him. It is to recognize that “every good gift and every perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17). Gratitude transforms healing into salvation, as Jesus said to the thankful leper: “Your faith has saved you.”

The Samaritan Example

The one who returned was a Samaritan, an outsider to Jewish religious life. Often, those we least expect show the greatest faith. Jesus’ encounter reminds us that grace is not confined to the boundaries of religion or status. It flows freely to the humble, the forgotten, and those who acknowledge their need for God.

The Samaritan teaches us that gratitude opens the door to deeper communion with Christ. While the nine enjoyed physical healing, only the grateful one experienced spiritual renewal. His act of thanksgiving became an act of worship.

A Call to Thanksgiving

Each of us has received countless blessings—life, faith, forgiveness, community, and daily sustenance. Yet how often do we pause to thank God? Eucharist, from the Greek eucharistia, means “thanksgiving.” Every Mass is a call to return, like the Samaritan, to fall at the feet of Jesus and glorify God.

Let us cultivate the habit of gratitude—not only in great moments, but also in daily life. Gratitude keeps our hearts humble and our faith alive. It reminds us that salvation is not something we earn, but something we receive with joy.

May we never be among the nine who forgot, but always among those who return to say, “Thank you, Lord.”