The 12th Sunday of St. Luke: Gratitude

Gratitude is a fundamental human reality, and an essential Christian virtue.  It is impossible to be either human being in the full sense of the word, or to be a Christian, without gratitude.

Gratitude, like every virtue, must be cultivated.  It doesn’t exist on its own, no more than a garden just grows on its own. 

In cultivating the virtue of gratitude we have two great obstacles: ingratitude, and complaining. 

We might not think that being ungrateful, or complaining, are a big deal.  But Holy Scripture speaks otherwise.  Regarding ungratefulness St. Paul writes:

Know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! (II Tim. 3:2-5)

He equates ingratitude with greed, pride, disobedience, slander, and evil of all sorts. 

Regarding complainers, we read in the epistle of St. Jude:

They feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.  Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.” These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage. (Jude 12-16)

We read in the Gospel of St. John, that when Jesus was teaching the Judaens, they complained about Him:

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. . . The Judaens then complained about Him, because He said, “I am the bread which came down from heaven.” And they said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” Jesus therefore answered and said to them, “Do not murmur among yourselves. No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. (Jn. 6:35, 41 – 44)

It’s interesting that when Jesus Christ Himself walked the earth and preached to people face to face there were people – people who were very “religious” - who were complaining about Him and murmuring against Him. 

Regarding complaining we can even discern a spiritual rule – to the extent that someone complains, to the same extent they are ungrateful.  The more complaining, the less gratitude.

In our society one of the great obstacles to the cultivation of gratitude is the “feeling of entitlement” which is manifested by so many people.  Many people feel they have a “right” to money or prestige, a nice house, a nice car, a pretty wife, successful children, etc.  But it is obvious that in a world where sin and death are inescapable realities no one can have a “right” to, or be “entitled” to, good health, or financial well-being, or peace, or respect, etc.  Life is messy.  Things happen.  Jesus says as much in the Gospel of Luke: “There were some present at that very time who told Jesus of the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answered them, ‘Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered thus?  I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen upon whom the tower in Silo′am fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”  Why is it that we ourselves, here in Hamilton, are not suffering from war or famine, persecution or plague, wildfires or other natural or man-made disasters?  Are we somehow better than people in the Middle East, Ukraine, Los Angeles, or Africa? 

Today we heard in the Gospel about the ten lepers that Jesus healed.  Of the ten, only one came back to thank Jesus.  We all know what a horrible disease leprosy is.  But we might suggest that a lack of gratitude might be a worse disease than leprosy.  Leprosy is a horrible physical disease, but spiritual diseases are worse in their effects and consequences than physical diseases.

Thankfulness is a fundamental Christian virtue.  Let us cultivate this virtue in our hearts, in our words, and in our thoughts.  Let us turn away from ungratefulness, let us stop complaining, let us accept health, wealth, peace and good fortune, as well as illness, poverty, or persecution as gifts from the hand of God Himself given to us for our purification and salvation. 

In the words of St. Paul:  Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (I Thess. 5:16-18). Amen. 

Fr. Bohdan Hladio
19 January 2025