Step #1: Lectio / ReadClick the link below or open your Bible to the passage and read through the reading at least once, paying attention to what is happening in the text. Step #2: Meditatio / MeditateUse the following meditation to help you reflect more deeply on the Scripture (you may want to read the passage again). Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! We all know the meaning of thanksgiving, but have we ever really thought about it? It's easy to see why our Church chose this Gospel passage to read for Thanksgiving day. These persons with leprosy were outcasts in society. If you had leprosy back then, you were seen as unclean and no one in the town would want to associate with you. So, when these people saw Jesus they immediately knew He wouldn't treat them like everyone else. They must have heard all of the rumors about Him, and decided to test their faith to see if they were true or not. And true they were. However, only one person realized he was clean. One man out of ten people. It's important not to gloss over the fact he was a Samaritan. This man understood the pain of separation. He knew to the depths of his being what it meant to be a social outcast. A Samaritan AND sick with leprosy? It affected him deeply that Jesus healed him from his sickness. The words of Christ remind us how important it is to give thanks every day. It is the cornerstone of our salvation. Jesus says "go, your faith has saved you" to the man who thanked him for his healing. God bestows so many blessings on us every single day, but we have to open our eyes of faith to see them. If we are not grateful to God for our many blessings, then they are lost on us. Why would we want that? Shouldn't we want to praise the Lord for all of the good things He has done for us? Jesus didn't have to heal them, but He did anyway. Gratitude is crucial to our relationship with Him. Take some extra time today to especially remember the Holy Spirit's work in your life and be truly grateful! Step #3: Oratio / PrayThese questions are to be used to talk to God; have a conversation with the Lord about these questions and what is going on in your heart as you pray today. What are some gifts and blessings in your life that you have forgotten to thank God for? Are there any people in your life who you have forgotten to thank and express gratitude towards? Is there anything keeping you from living a life of gratitude? Step #4: Contemplatio / ContemplateIn this step, you listen. Stop talking, let God speak to your heart. You may repeat one of these short phrases to focus your mind on the Lord. "Thank you, Lord." "All that I am and all that I have is yours." "Open my eyes, Lord." Step #5: Actio / ActIn light of today's reading and your time spent in prayer with the Lord, what concrete action or actions will you take to let this encounter with Lord bear fruit in you today? Take time today to thank the Lord for the many blessings He has bestowed on you. Also, think of someone in your own life that you have not properly thanked or expressed your gratitude for. Take a moment today to let them know how grateful you are and how much you love them. Smartphone Lock ScreenThe following image is here for you to save and use as a background or lock screen on your smartphone or device to help you carry today's Lectio Divina with you the rest of the day.  Today's prayer was prepared by Sarah Lundgren, a student at the University of Dayton studying Religious Studies.
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