Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost

The Rev. Emily Boring This sermon contemplates the ten healed lepers, especially the nine who did not return to thank Jesus. Their silence is explored with empathy—shock, fear, or unready hearts may explain their absence. Healing, the preacher reminds, has stages. The Samaritan who does return becomes the first “Eucharistic disciple,” giving thanks to Jesus with the same word that grounds the Church’s central act of thanksgiving. His gratitude mirrors the pattern of worship: confession, mercy, praise, and shared communion. Gratitude, the sermon concludes, is not demanded but discovered; it moves us toward action, generosity, and joy. Stewardship is the living out of that thankful turning—faith made visible.