Gratitude, Utang ng Loob, Giri Ninjou, Psychospiritual Health, and Salvation - Reflection of the Gospel Narrative for the 28th Sunday Year C

We all want to be happy. In particular, Christians desire salvation. 

Atheists may think that they can attain happiness through their own efforts, not needing God. But, Christians believe that we cannot be truly happy without God’s grace and mercy, as we cannot be saved without God’s such care. We humbly understand that we cannot save ourselves – no matter how hard we work and no matter how pious we may be. To Christians, it is an ego-driven illusion to believe that our efforts alone are all needed to save ourselves. Such a belief totally ignore or discount grace and mercy of God. 

Buddhists, especially those in the Japanese Shin Buddhism, also share a similar belief that we cannot be saved by our own efforts along but with the immeasurable light of Amitabha Buddha’s mercy. This Buddhist concept is called “Tariki Hongan” in Japanese Buddhism term, meaning that we, the bompu (ordinary people with problems of kleshas) are saved Amitabha Buddha’s salvific desire. Just as Christians believe that God’s mercy is necessary to be saved, no matter how diligent and pious we maybe, Buddhists believe that Amitabha Buddha’s mercy is necessary to be saved. This acknowledgement of our need for mercy of greater being, such as Christ or Amitabha Buddha, also leads us to humility.

Both Christianity and Buddhism teach us that our own efforts alone cannot make us truly happy as these alone cannot save us. No matter how wise we, the humans, may become, and no matter how diligent we work with our advanced wisdom and knowledge, we still cannot attain truly meaningful life, peace, and contentedness. 

Human wisdom, knowledge, and our own work alone will only get us to increase our desire more and more, thus, resulting in more dissatisfaction and frustration, because our desire outgrows our satisfaction. And, this was the problem that Bro. Leo had, as I explained in my last blog entry, “St. Francis as a Morita Therapy Practitioner – A Case Study of Bro. Leo”(10/13/13). Because of his ignorance (one of the Three Poisons in Buddhist teaching) to the truth in our need for God’s grace and mercy in attaining our goals and satisfying our desires, Bro. Leo locked himself in his attachment to the ego, resulting in his frustration and depression. In response, St. Francis guided him to realize that he needs God’s grace and mercy in order to attain what he was seeking happily, along with his efforts and fidelity. And, this awakening led Bro. Leo to alleviation of his psychospiritual distress. 

Think about the reality of the 21^st highly advanced health care system today. Medicine as a science is far better from what it was 20 years ago, even a decade ago. It is true that more and more patients, who could have been dead, are now able to live, because of the advance in medicine. Far more past incurable diseases are now curable. But, we still have many diseases and illnesses that cannot be cured with the highly advanced medicine. And, ironically, today’s advanced health care has brought new unprecedented challenges, such as new difficult infectious diseases due to overuse of antibiotics. Such diseases can be very grave. This is just one aspect to humbly acknowledge that human wisdom, knowledge, and efforts alone cannot bring complete happiness and salvation. It is a reminder that we do need a help from God. Along with our wisdom, knowledge and diligent efforts, as well as our faith, we do need God’s grace and mercy in order for salvation, which literally means the fullness (restoration or redemption of the fullness).  That is why a good health care system always comes with compassionate and competent a pastoral and spiritual care program.

With this acknowledgement, it is helpful to read and reflect the Gospel story for the 28^th Sunday Year C – Luke 17: 11-19.The Gospel story begins with a story about ten lepers, who were desperately begging mercy of Jesus, as he was their last hope. In biblical context, leprosy means hopelessness, because it was an incurable and untreatable disease at that time. Even the top doctor, with all his wisdom, knowledge, and skills, could not cure this disease. So, these ten lepers had to place their last hope on Jesus. Otherwise, these lepers could have been perished already in irreversible despair before knowing Jesus’ coming – if they had nothing to hope for, beyond doctor’s care and all human wisdom. 

The lepers were also outcast, totally cut-off from the rest of the world. Nobody dared to even think of talk to them as they were afraid of getting infected with this incurable disease. They were hopelessly waiting to die in despair, along with agony in all the painful symptoms. No doctor can do anything. Not to mention, they cannot heal themselves.

This aspect of the lepers is actually a metaphor to ordinary people, us, in the Christian theological context. We, as sinners, have our own faults and shortcomings – problems and struggles, no matter how hard we work and pray – no matter how faithful we think we are. Even we have received the Sacrament of Baptism and the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the mark of the Original Sin remains. Thus, we carry the disposition to sin and sin again. In a way, we go through a vicious cycle of sin and absolution through the Sacrament of Reconciliation until the Lord calls us for the judgement. This aspect of Christianity is similar to Buddhist teaching of reincarnation, which is a vicious cycle of birth and rebirth with suffering through the six realms – hell, hunger, animality, anger, humanity, and heaven, until attaining Nirvana, breaking free from the wheel of samsara, the vicious cycle of reincarnation, upon attaining the status of Bodhi with enlightenment and the status of Buddha with awakening.

In Christian belief, until our souls is completely purified in purgatory, ordinally sinners may not rest in the Kingdom of God, heaven.  Similarly, in Buddhist belief, until we, the bompu, the ordinally people with kleshas, resolve ego and overcome kleshas, and attaining the Nirvana and Buddhahood by awakening to the Dharma truth.  Whether it is the Kingdom of God or Nirvana, attaining this ultimate freedom from any influence of sin or kleshas is our soteriological goal. Thus, entering into the Kingdom for Christians or into the state of Nirvana for Buddhists is the salvation, the attaining the fullness and freedom. Until we reach the Kingdom or the state of Nirvana, we continue to struggle with “indelible” or “incurable” influence of sinful disposition or kleshas, either of which can bring suffering. And, human wisdom and intervention alone cannot solve this problem. Only the salvific mercy of God or the merciful light of Amitabha Buddha can resolve this problem with cyclical nature. Thus, in this regard, we, the sinners and bompus, are all like the lepers in the Gospel story, needing grace and mercy of the greater being, God the Christ or Amitabha Buddha. 

In seeking and begging God’s mercy, some “faithful” and “pious” people become angry at God to a point of breaking away from God in resentfulness, because they feel that their faithful efforts are not rewarded at all. Sounds familiar? 

Even though they do not necessarily distance themselves from God, some of those who are disappointed about their efforts and faith, may sink into despair, like Bro. Leo.

In my last blog entry, “St. Francis as a Morita Therapy Practitioner – A Case Study of Bro. Leo”(10/13/13), I described that Bro. Leo’s depression was due to his narcissism-driven ignorance of the truth through some clinical and pastoral perspectives, drawing upon psychology and theology. And the truth that Bro. Leo was not aware of was that he cannot attain his goal: the purity of heart through his efforts and fidelity alone as these will not bear fruits unless we humbly open ourselves to the Lord’s grace and mercy, while finding our true identity in the fullness of Christ. 

Bro. Leo was depressed because his efforts to attain his goal: the purity of heart only put him deeper in his psychospiritual distress. And, what was behind this was Bro. Leo’s mistaken thinking that his own efforts and fidelity were what he needs to attain his goal: the purity of heart for his salvation. The problem with this was that Bro. Leo was not aware of the truth that no efforts of our own are truly helpful unless we gratefully accept Christ the Lord as our brother, friend, and savior – unless we find our true self in Christ, receiving His grace and mercy with joy and gratitude.  According to St. Francis, this is how we attain the purity of heart, as Christ, the one we find our identity in, seeking His grace and mercy, is the ultimate pure of heart. 

But, those who are not aware of this may experience frustration as Bro. Leo did, finding their own efforts only to make their lives more miserable. 

One contributing factor for Bro. Leo’s suffering was his unawareness of his need of Christ’s mercy. It was what St. Francis guided Bro. Leo toward in order to liberate him from his psychospiritual distress. 

Speaking of unawareness, it can also lead us to become indifferent to gratitude, like the nine lepers, who did not express their gratitude to Jesus in the Gospel story. Such persons may become aware of their own needs, such as needs of healing, and express their needs, as the lepers in the Gospel story begged. But, they are not sensitive enough to have a sense of gratitude for what they receive. 

In healthy interpersonal exchanges and relationships, it is not all about asking and receiving but also giving and giving back. We must be sensitive not only to our own needs but also what others need. When we receive, we must be sensitive enough to give something back – at least, to give thanks. 

In the Philippines, there is this concept called “utang-na-loob”, which literally means “debt to the inner self”, and, in Japan, there is this concept called “giri ninjou”(義理人情), which literally means “duty and compassion”.  These Asian concepts are about what we are expected to do upon receiving. Both of these teach us the virtue of returning favors. 

As long as we practice these virtues of returning favor, the circles of good wills will not be broken. And, in doing so, we are not to return favors as obligations but out of willingness and with joy. This is what is expected on us, as the Gospel story indicates. 

In the Gospel narrative, Jesus healed ten lepers on his way to Jerusalem from Galilee.  These lepers were pleading to Jesus from a distance. “Ἰησοῦ  (iesou…Jesus), ἐπιστάτα (epistata…master), ἐλέησον (eleeson…have mercy on) ἡμᾶς (hemas…us)” (Luke 17:13).  In the time of Jesus, lepers were outcast and the untouchable.  They were to die in isolation. But, when they learned about Jesus, the lepers were putting their last hope on Jesus as they must have heard about his healing power.  Their very last resort was the ἔλεος (eleos…mercy, compassion) of Jesus.  And, they got what they hoped for as Jesus healed them all, as “eleos” of Christ is the only hope for the hopeless.  But, out of these ten lepers, who were healed by Jesus, only one, a Samarian leper, came back to Jesus and thanked him, while the other nine lepers never thanked him. 

In terms of salvation, aren’t we all like the lepers, who were begging the “eleos” of Christ, crying, Ἰησοῦ  (iesou…Jesus), ἐπιστάτα (epistata…master), ἐλέησον (eleeson…have mercy on) ἡμᾶς (hemas…us)”, because we always plead, Κύριε, ἐλέησον”(Kyrie Eleison!...Lord have mercy!), at every Mass.  Whenever we make a plea, “Kyrie Eleison”, we are also humbly acknowledging that we need the Lord’s mercy because we cannot save ourselves, no matter how much effort we make and how pious we may be. In Catholicism, salvation is like “Tariki Hongan” (enlightenment through the mercy of Amitabha Buddha) of Japanese Shin Buddhism, possible only though the mercy of Christ the Lord.  Thus, in order to be saved, we are all like the ten lepers in need of healing, pleading for mercy. 

So, which leper are you?

One of the nine lepers, the Samaritan, who never thanked Jesus? Or, the Samaritan leper, who thanked Jesus?

This Gospel story is pretty much straight-forward. There is no hyperbolic expression.  Thus, it is easy to figure out which leper you are. 

It is always a good practice to reflect on a scripture passage in this way – placing ourselves, our own lives, in the context of the scripture narratives. A University of Chicago Catholic theologian, David Tracy, calls this kind of practice, “mutually critical correlation”, an attempt to understand Christian text through our own lived life experience, mutually and critically correlating our lived life experience to the scriptures “ (“Particular question within general consensus” in “Consensus in Theology? A Dialogue with Hans Küng and Edward Schillebeeckx”, ed. Leonard Swidler) .  This way, the scripture is not an irrelevant text only for those who have studied theology but rather becomes a resourceful text to draw upon meaning of life. 

If I asked you which leper you would identify yourself with in public or in group, you would probably say, “the Samaritan one”, because the Gospel narrative describes him as the one Jesus was pleased with. In fact, though all of these ten lepers were healed, only the Samaritan leper was saved upon thanking Jesus (Luke 17: 19) .  

We must be honest in identifying which figures in the biblical narrative we may be. It is not to be confused with who we want to be. 

It is important that we first examine our own lives. 

So, are you generally happy? Or, do you find something to complain and grumble about more often than something to be grateful and happy about?  Do you always find some time to write letters, respond to phone calls and emails? Or, are you too busy to keep up with all the messages you receive in your smart phones? 

We must really look into how we live every day. 

If you happen to be a kind of person, who find more things to complain about but hardly find anything to be grateful about, then, chances are, you are more like the nine lepers, who did not come back to Jesus and thanked. Maybe these lepers were “too busy” to thank Jesus. 

But, no matter how busy you are, if you always find time to return phone messages, emails in timely manner, then, you also find more things to be thankful for, then, you are more like the Samaritan leper, who managed to find a time to visit Jesus and thank him. 

It is important to note in the Gospel narrative that only the one who took time and made efforts to thank Jesus was saved, though all ten lepers were healed by Jesus.

It is like these words of Jesus – Many are called but only few are chosen (Matthew 22:14).  So, we can say,” many are healed but only few are saved”. And, those few who are saved make special efforts to thank God for all He does, no matter how small God’s grace may be at a time. Such a thankful person has a high level of mindfulness. It takes an advanced degree of mindfulness to recognize even a small thing to be thankful for and to express appreciation. 

Giving thanks is what the Samaritan leper did, and he was saved, not just healed.

Are you a person, who is always grateful for what you have, mindful of every single blessing you receive, no matter how small it may be? Or, are you a person, who tends to see what you don’t have and feel unhappy about your life? 

If you fall into the former, then, you are likely to identify yourself with the Samaritan leper, and on your way to salvation. But, if you are the latter, then, you are more like the nine lepers who never expressed their gratitude to Jesus. 

The question: whether we are like the Samaritan leper or the other nine lepers – whether we are like a person who recognize more blessings and things to be thankful for or like a person who see what lacks in life and complain, is like the question: whether you see a glass half full or half empty. Namely, this is a matter of our attitude and the way we perceive the reality. 

To see a glass half full or half empty is a metaphor often used in cognitive and cognitive-behavior therapy. It is also used to explain how cognitive therapy works. 

Like the Rorschach ink-blot projective test to assess personality, this question of whether to see a glass half-full or half-empty is to see if our cognitive scheme is more prone to find things to complain about or to find things to be grateful for. From a developmental psychological perspective, the cognitive scheme that enables to see more blessings than deficiencies in life and express gratitude is likely to have had a healthy mother-child attachment formation during early life. On the other hand, the cognitive scheme that tends to see a glass half-empty tends to suggest that the person has had frustrating early childhood because of his or her mother’s excessive love, which contributed to develop narcissistic personality as a result of a pathological attachment process. 

As adult Christians, it is important to read biblical stories to reflect our own life experiences on or to correlate our own lived life experiences with. 

As a pastoral psychologist, I often invite my clients to juxtapose their own lived life experiences to certain biblical narratives, such as this Gospel story, to see which biblical characters they identity themselves with, in order to clinically and spiritually assess their psychospiritual wellbeing. 

Ultimate goal for pastoral psychological services is to guide clients to be and stay on the right path of salvation. This path of salvation is the path of what Jung calls individuation – the path to grow into the fullness. To put this in a pastoral theological perspective, the fullness that we are to become is the fullness in the mystery of Christ, finding our true identity beyond our own selves but in the fullness of Christ.  As I pointed out in my blog entry, “St. Francis as a Morita Therapy Practitioner – A Case Study of Bro. Leo”(10/13/13), it is how St. Francis guided Bro. Leo through his pastoral psychological intervention, applying some principles of Morita Therapy, which bears some Zen Buddhist spirituality, to overcome his ego-attachment narcissism by finding his real self in the fullness of Christ. 

This way, Bro. Leo began to see his own shortcomings not as something to reproach himself and get depressed about himself but as a reason to be more intimately united with Christ, holding his fragmented aspects of self as a new clay is applied to seal the cracks of old rusty Japanese tea bowl, resulting in the “wabi-sabi”kind of aesthetic new value. And, new outcome is definitely something to be thankful for. 

With this recognition, what Bro. Leo used to see as something to be resentful about in him was transformed into something to be grateful and to express his gratitude to Christ for holding him like a beautiful “wabi-sabi” Japanese tea bowl.

In fact, the “wabi-sabi” Japanese tea bowl with marks of cracks filled with new clay is like the image of the fullness of the risen Christ. It is because the risen Christ, who is completely transcendental across time and distance, maintains the wounds from the Crucifixion, which are the powerful reminder that he suffered and died. But, in the Catholic tradition, we kneel before the Crucifix, because it reminds us of what we are truly grateful for – the redeeming us from the path toward condemnation. Thus, the indelible marks of his wounds in the fullness of the risen Christ, like the marks of the cracks of a Japanese “wabi-sabi” tea bowl, is something we treasure and express our gratitude for. Thus, in finding our true identity in this image of the fullness of Christ with the marks of his wounds, we become able to see what we used to complain about as something to be grateful for. And, this shift in perspective is a transformation of our cognitive scheme – a change in the way we perceive the reality.  This way, pastoral counseling can help to transform those who identify themselves with the nine lepers into persons who are more like the Samaritan leper. 

The bottom line is mindfulness that enables us not only to recognize our needs – what we need to receive, but also to recognize what others need and what pleases those who have given us something. In our giving back, it does not have to be something with equal value or above. This is not about equitable exchanges. It is about returning our gratefulness. After all, who won’t feel happy to hear “Thank you!”? 

In our relationship with God, there is no way we can return all the favors that God has done for us – all the graces we have received from God – in an equitable way.  What we can give back is so limited. But, unless we suffer from “gratitude deficiency” because of our lack of awareness and sensitivity, then, all we have to give back is our sincere thanks. 

When we go to God’s alter and receive the Sacrament of Eucharist, we don’t say “Thank you” but we say ‘Amen!”. But, we say ”Amen!” with our gratitude, as the word, “Eucharist” means “giving thanks”. 

The Eucharist is, indeed, a kind of gift, to which we cannot practice “utang-ng-loob” or “giri ninjou” in an equitable manner. We have no ability to match the magnitude of this God’s gift, the Eucharist, which is the body and blood of Christ, in our practice of “utang-ng-loob” and “giri ninjou”. But, if we are mindful and sensitive enough to empathize God, who gives this precious grace out of His love, then, it is our heart of compassion that prompts us to express our gratitude in place of giving back an equal or above value gift – just as the Samaritan leper returned to Jesus and gave thanks to him. 

Now we know that what we need for our salvation is our heartfelt expression of gratitude. And, it is also an indication of our psychospiritual health.

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In expressing our gratitude, we can put our grateful heart in this song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K44trVhtZX4