Let us never forget those who dug the well just because we’re now drinking from the tap. Thankfulness is the song that never goes out of tune before God. Jesus encountered ten lepers who came to him desperately for healing. These men were considered outcasts and unclean and were exiled because of their infectious disease. Jesus had mercy on them and healed them. By doing so, he took away their shame, and they were able to return to their families and communities. Surprisingly, only one out of the ten came back to express gratitude. The other nine were nonchalant. Sometimes, we too behave like the other nine when we take the blessings of God for granted. God gives us health, breath, strength, work, family, friends, food, shelter, clothing, and many more, and we take these for granted. In a cartoon about ingratitude, someone prayed before a meal saying, “Dear God, we paid for all these ourselves, so thanks for nothing.” This person forgot that without God, nothing is possible, not even the meal on the table. Let us be grateful for the blessings we enjoy daily. Gratitude is the greatest prayer we can offer to God and St. Paul says, “Give thanks always for that is what God expects of us in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Meister Eckhart, a philosopher, theologian, and mystic says, “If the only prayer you can say in your life is ‘thank you,” that would suffice. Do we always remember to express gratitude for the goodness of God and the kindness of other people? Luke 17:11-19; Wednesday, 32nd Week