Daily Gospel Reflection for November 12, 2025

Join us as we reflect, ponder, and pray together inspired by today's Gospel.

Today's Gospel: Luke 17:11-19

There is an old saying “Give credit where credit is due.” A person deserves to be acknowledged for the good things they do. It seems simple enough, but it is not always easy to remember to give praise when it is merited. 

For example, when our children do what they are supposed to, do we stop to acknowledge their good behavior? Do we thank them for being obedient? I often would forget to do that when our children were younger. Positive reinforcement can be a critical factor in molding our children’s characters, and I regret that I missed some of those valuable opportunities. I did not always give credit where credit was due.

Another example is when someone does something that benefits us and we fail to recognize it. In this regard, I think of our priests. They have taken on a daunting responsibility in shepherding God’s flock here on earth. It can be a lonely, thankless, and demanding task and one that frequently goes unnoticed. Who stops to thank them at the end of Mass? Who thinks of them over the holidays or compliments a homily? Even priests who are seemingly mediocre (or rub us the wrong way) deserve to be given credit where credit is due.

On an average day, there are countless opportunities for us to acknowledge the good things that people do. Acknowledging the good around us leads us to have a grateful heart, and a grateful heart leads us closer to God. We see this in today’s Gospel. Ten lepers begged for a cure, and Jesus cured all ten of them. But only one returned to thank Jesus. Perhaps we can strive to be more like the Samaritan leper by giving credit where credit is due.

Ponder:

How can I become more like the Samaritan leper?

Pray:

Jesus, I often am unobservant and ungrateful toward others. Please help me be more like the Samaritan leper in giving credit where credit is due.

Copyright 2025 Marge Steinhage Fenelon