Giving Thanks In A Covid 19 World

Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Luke 17:11-18

Last night I woke up in the wee hours of the morning thinking about this story. Such things happen to me from time to time, and I’ve learned to pay attention to them. As I lay there reflecting on it, I was struck by the question Jesus asked. Why didn’t the other nine men return to give thanks to God for the great blessing they had received?

Although the word translated leprosy could reflect any number of skin diseases in the 1st century, to have such a condition not only had physical implications, but it also impacted one’s spiritual life. In the day lepers were thought to be under the curse of God. Thus they were ostracized from family and synagogue for fear of catching the disease and the curse. So to be healed from it would be akin to being miraculously cured from Covid 19 after having been on a ventilator waiting to die. In other words, it was a game changer. But only one of the ten came back to give thanks. Why?

The more I reflected on this, a disturbing thought came to my mind. The Samaritan had heard his whole life that he was considered a substandard person because of his racial background. Thus God wasn’t really interested in him and certainly wouldn’t do a great work on his behalf. The other nine, however, were fully Jewish. They were a part of the chosen race. As a result, they viewed themselves as favored. Therefore, in a sense, they believed they were entitled to special favors from God. So when the healing came, the Samaritan returned to offer praise to God from a thankful heart while the other nine continued on their entitled way.

I became even more disturbed when I started thinking about myself. Here I am in a warm house that’s fully furnished. I have plenty of food, reasonably good health, and a decent retirement income. My family is intact. There are no wars being fought in my city. I am free to worship online or in person. Wonderful medical care is only minutes away from my house. I could go on, but I think you get the point. I am blessed beyond measure.

So why is it that I struggle sometimes being thankful? Why do I complain about what I don’t have when I have been blessed with far more than most people in the world can even imagine? And why is it especially hard for me to be thankful this year with all the restrictions due to Covid 19?

Could it be that I have more in common with the nine men in Jesus’ story than with the Samaritan who returned to give thanks to God? Is it possible that I have some of the very same entitled attitudes that the nine men in the story may have possessed? It’s tempting to want to dismiss the answers to these questions by telling myself that I’m different than those men were. I’m more grateful. But truth is that I have some of their ungrateful blood flowing in my veins.I suspect that I’m not alone.

Don’t get me wrong. It’s perfectly acceptable to be disappointed that cherished family routines are disrupted because of the pandemic. And for those who have been painfully impacted by the virus, expressing lament is a needed and helpful thing. However, we are not entitled to observe the holiday the way we always have just because we are Christian or live in America. Furthermore, regardless of how disruptive this pandemic is to our way of life, we don’t have to allow it to squelch our expressions of gratitude.

So on this Thanksgiving whether you gather with family or opt for a safer holiday observance, take the time to give thanks for how God has blessed you during this very challenging year. At the same time, do a kind deed and offer a word of prayer on behalf of those who have lost loved ones, are no longer employed, or are currently sick because of the virus. And if this year has brought pain to your life, acknowledge that to God as well. Just don’t stop there. Like the Psalmist, even in the most trying of times, God is still worthy of our praise.

Yes, Thanksgiving Day 2020 will be different, but it can still be full of gratitude.