How many times a day do I bring all the blessings and thanks back to God? How much time in a day do I set aside for Him?
So many people say that life, itself, is a blessing yet cannot give 15 minutes in 24 hours to honour praise Him in personal prayer. Isn’t it that the more He blesses us, the more things there are that we have to be thankful to Him for? I, myself, have been guilty of not thanking Him enough… There have been times where I’ve put aside my prayer time or other opportunities to thank Him. Sometimes, so much so that a day can go by when I think of praying in an hour or two, only to find myself delaying it, and delaying it to the point that the day is basically done.
The Gospel for today (Luke 17: 11-19) really stood out to me, especially in verse 17:
“Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?”
(Jesus says, as he speaks to the ONE leper that returned after cleansing ten of them)
It stood out to me because it made me realize that priorities always change. Being human, (as we grow) our ways our inconsistent. Our priorities our inconsistent, but our Lord remains constant. His love is constant, everlasting, and never-changing. From the moment I came into existence in my mother’s womb, His first and every thought from that point onwards was, “How can I love her more?”
As my mother awaited my birth, He protected me and provided me with a haven in her womb, keeping me comfy, safe, and soothed.
As I was born, He breathed life into me, and nurtured that life in a family.
As I grew and fell into ways of sin, He didn’t take away my life; He loved me still, providing me with an opportunity to repent and be forgiven, renewing His Spirit in me each and every time. He made me understand that when I die in sin, He brings me life in His Spirit.
As I fall asleep each night, He chooses to wake me up to a new day, giving me life each time.
And even in physical, human death, He sacrificed His only begotten Son to open the gates to heaven, so that I may have eternal life.
Out of choosing to always love me, He chooses to give me life.
The least I can do is give Him that love back… in my prayer time… in my relationships… and in the world He has blessed me with that cries out for His love each and every day.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.
Our Lady of Guadalupe (patroness of Cebu), pray for our brothers and sisters who are suffering from calamities, and all the souls of our loved ones who have passed in the Philippines.
Come Holy Spirit… fill us as You will…