Oct 12th 2025 Sermon
Thank God NOT for how heavily laden is your Thanksgiving table. Instead, cultivate the spirit of gratitude in your daily life, celebrate your shared humanity, and thank God for your will to lift up those in need.
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Let us take a moment to reflect. Almighty God, we thank you for this new day and year, an opportunity to celebrate your abundant love and gifts. It is my hope that we can nurture gratitude within our hearts and share generously with those in need. I pray that we will uplift those who struggle and help place them on a higher ladder. This is our prayer, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Illusion of Thanksgiving
A few days ago, I saw something on TV that made me pause: scenes of farms showcasing pumpkins, everywhere. It led me to ask myself: What are we really going to do with all these pumpkins? Will we make endless pumpkin puddings and cakes and spread them across the world? Of course not. In reality, only those who can afford it will buy pumpkins, turning them into soups, puddings, and pies for Thanksgiving.
Despite all this bounty, it's sobering to remember that many people still go hungry. In a world filled with abundance, the gap between rich and poor continues to widen. Those with plenty celebrate, but what about the rest of us?
The Misconception of Gratitude
It's time to shift our perspective on what Thanksgiving truly means. Thanksgiving is not about indulgence. Rather, it's about holding each other’s hands and lifting one another. Let’s revisit the gospel story of the lepers.
In those days, being a leper meant living without rights. Lepers were forced to live on the outskirts of town, isolated from society. They couldn’t even see their children. They had no visitors, no place in society. When Jesus met them, they cried for mercy, hoping for healing. But instead of simply cleansing them, Jesus instructed them to show themselves to the priests. At that time, lepers were considered ritually unclean—a label with spiritual implications, branding them as sinners deserving of punishment.
One of the lepers, though healed, was wise enough to return to Jesus to express his gratitude, whereas the others, likely Jewish, needed a priest to declare them ritually clean to be accepted back into society. The Samaritan, a foreigner, did not need a Levite or Jewish priest; his healing and gratitude came from a higher spiritual place.
Gratitude and Human Existence
"Praise the Lord!", we often hear. To give thanks and show gratitude is an innate human responsibility, not just because of who we are, but because of who God is. As Paul said, we should pray unceasingly, giving thanks in all circumstances. Gratitude is fundamental to our existence.
Imagine giving your child a gift and not receiving thanks in return. Often, we find ourselves reminding them of the magic words: "Thank you." How different are we from the one leper who returned to express his gratitude? Let us embody that spirit of thankfulness.
Conclusion
Ultimately, it is our duty to be grateful to God for the countless blessings bestowed upon us. We did not create ourselves; we were created by Him. So let us be thankful for everything, even the smallest blessings.
In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.