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Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost
October 14, 2007 Sermon by The Rev. Bill Van Oss, Rector
                                                                                       Readings                                                                                    

Once upon a time a Lutheran Pastor stopped at a barber shop to get his hair cut. When the barber had finished, the Lutheran Pastor reached for his wallet to pay, but the barber would not allow it. “No, no payment needed, Reverend,” the barber said, “for clergy haircuts are free.”

And the pastor went off, and the barber went home that night, and when the barber returned to open his shop the next morning, outside the door he found a box of chocolates and a thank you card from the Lutheran Pastor.

Well, it seems that particular day, a Jewish Rabbi came to get his hair cut. After he was done, the rabbi reached for his checkbook to pay, but the barber insisted, “No, no, Rabbi, for a man of the cloth, haircuts are free.”

And that night the barber went home, and when he returned the next day he found, outside his barber shop, a bottle of wine and a beautiful handwritten thank you note from the Rabbi.

Well, it seem that day an Episcopal priest came to the barbershop to get his hair cut and after the barber had finished, the priest reached for his wallet, but the barber wouldn’t allow it. “No, no father, for ministers, haircuts are free.”

And that night the barber went home, and when he returned the next day, outside his barber shop he found! - 3 more Episcopal Priests!

Gratitude – saying “thank you” – it’s one of the first things we learn as children – hopefully. When they receive something we ask our children, “What do you say?” over and over and, hopefully, they reply “Thank you.”

We attempt to teach them that they are not the center of the universe. We want to counteract some of the natural narcissism that goes with being a child. We try to add the words, “Thank you” to a vocabulary that often seems to be limited to, “No” and “Mine”.

When given a gift, we prod our kids with the question, “Now, what do you say?” And hopefully, they learn to reply, “Thank you” so it becomes a habit.

Some mother or father needed to ask that question, “Now what do you say?” to those 10 lepers who were healed in today’s Gospel – because 9 out of 10 forgot to say “Thank you.” A simple “thank you” – two little words – simple, and yet very powerful words.

To say “thank you” is to admit that you are not the center of your own universe. These two simple words help break down the trap of entitlement that is so easy to fall in to.

To say “thank you” is to realize that who you are and what you have are gifts from a goodness and beauty beyond yourself – from God.

To say “thank you” is to be humbled and also to be elated that you are so loved. To say “thank you” is the beginning of faith – and gratitude is what helps to deepen our faith.

Giving thanks is what we do when we gather to celebrate the Eucharist. Indeed, the word itself, “Eucharist” means “Thanksgiving”.

To give thanks to God for all that we have and are is what we do when we gather around this table to pray, (to sing), to hear God’s word and to break the bread and share the cup.

“Thank you, God” is what we day, acknowledging, in the most profound of ways, that this gift of God’s self – of God’s love – is what makes our lives worth living. It’s what gives us life.

This gathering, this Eucharist is not only about what we get, it si about what we have to give, namely: our praise and thanks to God.

Two simple words – “Thank you”. 9 out of 10 of the lepers forgot what their mothers had taught them. But the one, the outsider, the stranger, the Samaritan, remembered.

It sometimes takes an outsider to remind us to be grateful, because it is so easy to simply take things for granted.

Imagine an outsider coming to your home and commenting on how wonderful your children are – imagine this visitor saying, “Thank you”, for the meal you’ve eaten a thousand times in silence – or commentary on how nice your home is. It’s so easy to take blessings for granted, to feel entitled to the goodness which is a gift of a loving God.

Let us pray that our gratitude will be apparent and sincere as we pray at the font and at the table this day.

Let us pray that God will hear our heart-felt “thank you” for the gifts of life and love which flow so freely from the font and from the table.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God – for it is right to give God thanks and praise. Amen.

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