Today is Harvest Festival in Liverpool Cathedral. The Gospel reading presents Luke’s narrative of the ten lepers. The point of the narrative is that all ten lepers were healed, but just one returned to thank Jesus. In this narrative the attitude of thankfulness is more than polite behaviour, it is the gateway to salvation. The one who returned was a Samaritan. Jesus’ reply to the Samaritan ‘Your faith has made you well’ can mean more than simply healed from leprosy. The Greek could also be translated ‘Your faith has saved you’. Harvest Festival is a good occasion to prompt thankfulness and to shape changed and thankful lives.
For those of you who wanted to do some thinking and preparation for today’s service during the preceding week, I invited reflection on the image of thank you cards. In today’s picture from the illustrated communion book, The Lord is Here!, Teddy Horsley is bringing his gifts to the eucharistic celebration of thanksgiving. He brings bread, which earth has given and human hands have made. He brings wine, fruit of the vine and work of human hands.
Thank you Lord Jesus,
for all that we are.
Thank you Lord Jesus,
for all that we have.
Thank you Lord Jesus,
for all that we are called to become.
Thank you Lord Jesus.
Amen.
Next Sunday is the Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity. The Gospel reading from Matthew 21 presents the parable of the vineyard, and continues to explore the conflict between Jesus and the religious authorities. The image to help prepare for this theme is vineyard. You can find out more about that theme by looking at the Educational Resources and the Preparation Resources.
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