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Dear Living with Christ reader,

October greetings!

This month there is an abundance of Gospel readings focused on faith and gratitude. 

On October 5/27th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Jesus tells us “If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you” (Luke 17.6). Our faith has the ability to bring about the seemingly impossible. Earlier in the Gospel of Luke Jesus says, “For nothing will be impossible with God” (Luke 1.37). Our Christian faith can fluctuate – like the pulse and throb of a heartbeat. We can sometimes be stronger or weaker in our faith, depending on the season of life and the experiences we go through. As with anything good in life, a strong faith requires a consistent effort and spiritual discipline. We cannot get close enough to hear God’s heartbeat if we are not immersing ourselves regularly in prayer, the sacraments, God’s Word and living a life worthy of the gospel. St. John Chrysostom (whose feast is September 13) famously said: “You… must surrender everything but your faith: money, body, even life itself. For faith is the head and the root; keep that, and though you lose all else, you will get it back in abundance.”

On October 12/28th Sunday in Ordinary Time, we read a narrative where Jesus heals 10 lepers, only one of whom returns to thank and to worship Jesus. It is a fitting Gospel to read on Thanksgiving weekend. How do we practise gratitude in our lives (not only on Thanksgiving weekend, but all the days which are filled with God’s countless blessings)? The lone leper might have been grateful because he was an outsider, a Samaritan. Perhaps, as an outsider in the community, he experienced an extra layer of hardship that the other lepers did not. Maybe the other nine lepers, being “insiders,” simply took it for granted that by virtue of their Jewish faith God would heal them. Do we also sometimes have certain expectations of God simply because we call ourselves Christian and subscribe to certain religious practices? 

All ten lepers received a miracle. The leprosy was gone! What is the one thing in our life we would wish went away – a health problem, a financial problem, a relationship problem? We all have a struggle we could live without and our lives would be so much better as a result. What is the first thing you would do if your problem was solved? Where does gratitude for God’s manifold grace fit in your life?

Prayer for Thanksgiving

God of all Creation,
grant us on this day hearts of gratitude
for the uncountable gifts you give us –
gifts not only for our survival but for our pure pleasure.
For why else would you give us maple syrup
and autumn leaves and puppies?
We give thanks for our food, our families and friends.
We give thanks for lakes and mountains and sky.
We give thanks for more gifts than we can name or count.
Grant us also on this day hearts of generosity and compassion
for those who benefit less than we do
from the bounty of the earth,
for those who do not have enough food to eat
or whose lives are fraught with suffering.
Help us, in our blessedness, to reach out to them
and share our bounty.
And grant us on this day hearts of justice
so that we not only desire but act
for a world in which your gifts are shared by all. Amen.

(Christine Way Skinner)

On October 19/29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, we are reminded about the necessity of persistence in prayer. Although the judge in the Gospel parable was an unjust man without any fear of God, he granted the widow her wish simply because she persisted in her plea for justice. “Will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them?” Jesus asks (Luke 18.7). On this day, we also observe World Mission Sunday. Turn to pp. 184-187 for a message from Pope Francis for this occasion. The full text can be found here. 

Finally, on October 26/30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, we are reminded of two different approaches to prayer: through our own self-righteousness or through the righteousness of God. The story of the Pharisee and the tax collector each praying in the temple reminds us that before any kind of outward displays of piety or religious practice, we need to examine the disposition of our heart: are we steeped in the pride of “our goodness” or rather in the humility of our need of God’s goodness and mercy, for all good things come from above (James 1.17). 

October gives us much to ponder. May the Gospels of this month guide our prayer journey and lead our hearts to grow closer to the heart of our Father, in love and in gratitude.

Thanksgiving blessings!

Yours in Christ,

Natalia Kononenko
Editor, Living with Christ
lwc@novalis.ca

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The Pope’s Prayer Intention for this month

For collaboration between different religious traditions

Let us pray that believers in different religious traditions might work together to defend and promote peace, justice and human fraternity.

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