In whatever circumstances, having an attitude of gratitude uplifts our spirits as we remember what matters most in life. Surely that's why St. Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 5, "In all circumstances give thanks, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
God indeed is the Great Source of everything, and we recognize this reality by faith. In God, we have life, and Abundant Life. When I walked into St. Edmund Church for Thanksgiving Day Mass this morning, Denise, the longtime flute player at Ascension, greeted me with "Happy Easter!" only to realize what holiday it is today. As I was about to leave after Mass, I approached her and remarked that we can give thanks even today that Christ is Risen from the dead, and we have great purpose in life because of the Resurrection.
Indeed, I'm grateful for the church community that makes the real the unseen God, as we manifest Him to each other. Going to Mass on Thanksgiving Day morning always invigorates me so deeply because the source and summit of the Christian life is the Eucharist, which is a Greek term that means "Thanksgiving". We ground our lives in Thanksgiving by attending Mass week after week, encountering God, giving Him thanks for all, and being sent forth as a response to our encounter with Him. Indeed, like Father Robert said in his homily, this day is about action. Even the name "Thanksgiving" suggests there's something we are meant to do. Today is the birthday of St. Padre Junipero Serra, a Franciscan priest born in Spain in 1783, and who established missions up and down the California coast, proclaiming the reality of God. Certainly, we are called to give thanks by sharing this Good News with others, that our God saves and gives us an extraordinary meaning to our lives.
And we participate together in thanksgiving with others, realizing what it means to belong, certainly in church community when we gather for Mass as the body of Christ, and also as we consider what it means to be in the United States of America.
It's great that this holiday comes just a couple of weeks after Election Day 2022. Regardless of our opinion about the results of the elections, we can certainly give thanks for the opportunity to participate in the process of our government and have a say in who enters into these offices established under the auspices of the US Constitution. Back in 1789, President Washington proclaimed Thanksgiving Day as a holiday to offer prayer for thanksgiving for the establishment of the US Constitution and for God's other manifold blessings, and to seek His mercy for wrongdoings, beholding that our just God is also so merciful.
I worked as an election judge on Election Day, and once again, despite being a long, tiring day, it was also so inspiring to see people come out and vote, to embrace the opportunity to be part of the democratic process of the Republic. Despite its flaws, we are still blessed to be part of a country that provides free elections as we have. And our freedoms are made possible by the sacrifices of so many, especially our veterans, who we recognized two weeks ago, shortly after the elections.
Serving as an election judge is also inspiring because of the way I can serve the community, especially the many people I know from church who came to vote that day. Certainly, human relationships grant such a strong sense of purpose to life, and are another core part of what it means to celebrate Thanksgiving Day.
Throughout the month of November, I've thought about family members, and even others outside my family, who have passed on from this life, grateful for their presence and how they made an impact on others. I am filled with joy for all the relationships I have with others around me, in my family, in the community, with my co-workers at my various jobs, and at church.
I am especially grateful for my RE students. In the midst of challenges I've faced in my life, it heartens me greatly each week when I'm in the classroom with my students. Even as I support them, they support me. Last month, I asked my students to pray for me, even as I pray for them. I invited them specifically to pray for me while I was in the midst of the application process for a new job. With great joy, I shared with them my good news that I accepted an offer for a new job.
Indeed, on this Thanksgiving Day, I'm grateful for the ways that in my circumstances, I realize what matters most in life, that there is a God, that He is the Giver of all gifts, and we respond in thanksgiving by being gift to one another.
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| Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land USA in Washington, D.C. |
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