Lenten Message

Lord,      
             Open My Hands
                                       With Gratitude






We often either 
         forget       
    to thank God 
             for all the gift and blessings we have 
      
             Or       
                 we take them for        granted
     Or
                         we don't even notice them at all             


In this reading from Luke 17    
                    Jesus heals a group of 10...

But only        one           returns 
                                                 to express any       gratitude.  
                                        
        And the author mentions that the 10th leper was a Samaritan.    
Under normal conditions, 
          the Israelite and the Samaritans had a 
   "Hatfield & McCoy"    hate-feud going -- 
   
                          Real   distrust and suspicion 
                                                      all the way around!  





As Jesus continued on is journey toward Jerusalem, 

                              he reached the border between 

                   Galilee and Samaria. 

 As he entered a village there, 

                              ten lepers stood at a distance, 
          crying out,
                              "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!"


He turned towards them and said, 

                  "Go and show yourselves to the priests."

And as they went, 

                they were cleansed 

                                                               of their leprosy.


   One of them, 

                    when he          noticed          he was healed,
             came back to Jesus, 

                                                shouting, 

                                                                        "Praise God!"


He fell to the ground at Jesus' feet,
                                    thanking him for what he had done.


                   This man was a Samaritan.

Jesus asked,       

                    "Didn't I heal ten of you?
                                                               Where are the other nine?

       Has no one returned to give glory to God 

                        except this foreigner?"


And Jesus said to the man,

                   "Stand up and go.

                                             Your faith has healed you."










           "Has no one returned to give God glory?"

                                                      Let us thank God... 

                                                         let us thank God...

                   With our hands open...

                                               Let us thank God.




Colossians 2
        And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, 
                            you must continue to follow him. 
                 Let your roots grow down into him, 
                                          and let your lives be built on him. 

    Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, 
                                
                               ....And you will overflow with thankfulness.