On the third Sunday of Luke, Fr. Matthew Howell retells the stories from the book of Numbers about the Israelites who desired to return to the slavery of Egypt. He connects that to us by reminding us that we often return to our carnal passions after baptism, and in a way similar to the Israelites in the desert, we complain about God and seek death instead of life. He then explains that moments of ingratitude become small deaths that turn us away from Christ, who gives His life-giving body to us in The Eucharist (literally "Thanksgiving" in Greek) just as He sustained the Israelites in the desert on manna. He posits that if we want to encounter the life-giving body of Christ and be resurrected like the son of the widow of Nain, we must practice gratitude. Along the way, he references a recent article that claims that there are 35 scientific benefits of practicing gratitude, and he tells a couple of stories of examples of giving thanks and how the effects impacted those who practiced daily gratitude.
Previous Homilies for the gospel reading for the third Sunday of Luke:
Epistle: 2 Corinthians 11:31-33; 12:1-9
Brethren, the God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed for ever, knows that I do not lie. At Damascus, the governor under King Aretas guarded the city of Damascus in order to seize me, but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped his hands. I must boast; there is nothing to be gained by it, but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven -- whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. And I know that this man was caught up into Paradise --whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows -- and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses. Though if I wish to boast, I shall not be a fool, for I shall be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. And to keep me from being too elated by the abundance of revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I besought the Lord about this, that it should leave me; but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.Gospel: Luke 7:11-16
At that time, Jesus went to a city called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. As he drew near to the gate of the city, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow; and a large crowd from the city was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, "Do not weep." And he came and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, "Young man, I say to you, arise." And the dead man sat up, and began to speak. And he gave him to his mother. Fear seized them all; and they glorified God, saying, "A great prophet has arisen among us!" and "God has visited his people!"
