MINISTER’S NOTES 12 OCTOBER 2025
This Sunday we hear the story of ten lepers who
cried out to Jesus for mercy. All were healed, yet
only one – a Samaritan – returned to give thanks. His
gratitude opened the door to a deeper healing,
one that touched not only his body but his soul.
It’s easy to read this story and think it’s simply about
saying “thank you.” But it’s really about something
more profound: the way gratitude transforms how
we see ourselves, God, and the world. Gratitude
draws us closer to the Giver, even when life hasn’t
turned out as we hoped.
Many among us continue to pray for healing – for
our bodies, our loved ones, or our world – and
sometimes the healing we long for doesn’t come in
the way we imagine. Yet even there, gratitude can
still find a home. It reminds us that God is present
with us in every season – holding, strengthening,
and sustaining us.
Gratitude doesn’t deny pain or disappointment; it
helps us live through them with faith and hope. Like
that one grateful man, when we turn toward Jesus
with thankful hearts, we, too, find ourselves made
whole in ways we didn’t expect.
May we, this week, practice noticing the quiet
blessings around us – and discover that in giving
thanks, our hearts are renewed.
Blessings,
Vuyelwa.