Summary of a Fr. Gerry Creedon homily from October 14, 2007
"Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?" Luke 17:18
We went through a phase as a country when the French were not popular. They were not as enthusiastic as we were about the Iraq war. It was suggested we say Liberty fries rather than French fries!
I once went on a hitch-hiking tour of France as a college student. It is a lot easier to communicate with Latinos in broken Spanish. They have patience. Try mangling Francais to a proud Frenchman! Pas de patience.
I spent hours thumbing just outside Lourdes. It made me question my faith; my devotion to Mary as well as my confidence in the French. I eventually ended up on an intersection outside Avignon. I was questioned by a gendarme. I thought he was about to arrest me, when he flagged a motorist down and ordered the driver to take me on board. That may not have been the best of introductions. When we reached all the way to Lyons, the driver asked me where I was staying. When I answered 'Auverge De La Jeunesse," he said, "Non, Vous resterez chez nous." I was invited to stay at his house. I was greeted with supper and many cheeses. I was worrying about how I would make it back to Ireland for a football game that Sunday. He solved the problem. He owned a furniture factory. A driver was off to Paris in the AM. He set his alarm to wake us up at 4am so he could make my breakfast. The final touch was a bottle of Merlot that I should take with me for my family.
Now whenever I hear people generalizing about the lack of French hospitality I do not join in.
The Gospel today indicates Jesus' surprise that the words of grace and gratitude came from an unexpected quarter, a foreigner.
We are here at 9am to give thanks in the company of lepers and foreigners. I give thanks for the people of St. Charles. We are at Mass while others are still in bed. What if nobody came?! It is not easy to celebrate alone.
We come bearing gifts. We offer the wine that was once reserved for the clergy. On this Stewardship Sunday we count our blessings. The Eucharistic Prayer is one long litany of thanksgiving. "Let us give thanks to the Lord". Jesus, merci.