"One of the most intriguing incidents in the early ministry of Jesus involved the cleansing of a leper. The Gospel of Mark (1: 40-45) records that a man with leprosy approached Jesus, knelt before him, and begged to be cured. Jesus, 'moved with pity' cured the man but then 'warned him sternly' not to tell anyone what had happened. 'See that you tell no one anything,' Jesus demanded. . . .
"What an ungrateful wretch this man was! How could he disobey Jesus so quickly, so boldly, just after Jesus had performed a life-changing miracle for him? If I were Jesus, I would have been so angry! I would have been tempted to re-impose the leprosy upon the ingrate, just to teach him a lesson. But then, I'm not Jesus.
"The incident prompts an
examination of conscience. As we think about all the gifts God has given
us, the miracles Jesus has worked in our lives, how do we respond?
Hopefully, much better than the man in the Gospel. . . ."
In a recent commentary, Bishop Thomas J. Tobin, of the Diocese of Providence
(RI), reflected on some of the ways we can express gratitude, including being aware of our blessings and taking care of and sharing our gifts.
To access Bishop Tobin's complete essay, please visit:
The Imitation of Christ: How Do We Show Gratitude? (18 NOV 21)
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