Sermon for the Eighteenth Sunday After Pentecost
October 9, 2022
By: Pr. Sergio Rodriguez
“…When he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a Loud voice (Lk 17:15).” 
Hallelujah! Let us give thanks to the Lord, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, with our whole hearts. Amen.
The Samaritan’s faith, as deeply rooted in Gratitude, Gratitude for God’s restoration through Jesus, is the heart of my message today, entitled: “Gratitude: The deeply rooted response of faith.” In particular, I would like for you to consider two key gestures of gratitude embodied by the Samaritan:
First, Recognition. The Samaritan, as soon as began to his that his flesh was transformed, recognized Jesus as the conduit for God’s gifts.
Second, Response. The Samaritan had to rush back and with his entire being responded with a bodily praise. His faith in God has rooted in him God’s restorative neighbor, the kingdom if you will.
Consider last week’s announcement that, “our revival task now…the stewardship task ahead: to translate our rootedness and revival in faith more deliberately into the way we see ourselves and use the time, talent, and treasure we have been given.” This task of translation begins in gratitude. First, in recognition of God as source for all that we briefly possess during our life on earth. And then in a response of praise where we bear witness to what has occurred within us. It is through Gratitude, that not only do we bring forth fruits to feed the world, but we are even more so deeply rooted in God.
Several of you have shared with me your experiences with her — a strong, independent, dependable, and trustworthy confidante, always attentive, an active listener. With deep admiration, you have written of her as an accomplished and admired educator, education administrator, and educator of educators. You tell about the depth and breadth of her caring, especially for young adults, particularly those experiencing disruptive and seemingly endless transitions; how she was “there” for them. You each have fond and very personal memories of Joen, memories I cannot share nor dare interpret. I didn’t know her. But I do know of her courage as she faced the power of death; I do know her faith and yours; and I do know Christ, as you all do; and because of all of that; and because we are determined, even at the grave to sing “alleluia,” I want to tell you a story — a conversation overheard, or at least imagined, a private conversation between a husband and wife– she on her deathbed, he seated close beside, both of them hoping still to say what needed saying most before the end.
: Proverbs 25:6-7, Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16, Luke 14:1, 7-1