Tuesday, 14 November 2017

THE OTHER NINE?

PRAYER PAUSE  


Wednesday 15 November 2017, Albert


THE OTHER NINE?


Pause. Enter into the stillness of God within.


Reading: “Were not all ten made clean? Where are the other nine? It seems no one has come back to give glory to God, except this foreigner.” (Luke 17:11-19)



Reflection. So, one out of ten said, “Thank you!” The rest took it for granted. That in itself makes us pause. But then what does saying “thank you “ do? It acknowledges a relationship, a dependency. And it softens the heart. It says, “you have helped me and I am grateful.” It is like accepting forgiveness. It softens the heart. It makes us willing to forgive others because we have had an expereinceof being forgiven. To be ungrateful, unforgiving, is to refuse to accept that we “live at one another’s expense” (W.H Auden). We need each other. It is not a sign of weakness to accept that. It bonds us. It softens us. It breaks through the fear we have of being indebted to others. “I don’t need others. I can manage on my own” Can we?   


Prayer. Lord, may we learn to be truly grateful. May our hard hearts be broken. Our hearts of stone become hearts of flesh. May we learn to be open – one to the other. Amen.

































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