THE FEEL OF AUTUMN CRISPNESS in the air plus cornucopias, pilgrims and turkeys as decorations are all reminders that Thanksgiving is rapidly approaching. Has it really been an entire year since last Thanksgiving? Do we remember all the gifts and blessings we have received since then? Have we counted or even noticed them? With so much violence and negativity abounding, it can be easy for positive and joyful events to be overlooked.
Let’s begin with the Eucharist, a Greek word meaning Thanksgiving. We live in a free country where we can safely attend Mass and receive the gift of Jesus, present in the Blessed Sacrament, daily if we wish. We are free to attend Catholic schools, colleges and universities without fear of reprisals or other consequences. We can post our religious thoughts and prayers online or in print without censorship. We can listen to God speak to us in the silence of our hearts, through the Bible, the Church, others and the beauty of Creation. In addition, what about the countless gifts provided by God such as our health (even if not the greatest, we can at least read or hear this article); our families and friends; our faith; and the gift of each new day as another opportunity to know, love and serve God. And do we remember the overwhelming gift of the love of God the Father in sacrificing his beloved Son who died for each one of us as if we were the only one of us, in order to offer us the opportunity for eternal life?
Sometimes we can fall into the temptation of noticing what others have – their wealth, possessions, talents, abilities, opportunities, appearance – and fail to recognize and rejoice in our own gifts and blessings. When we can focus on our good and loving God and rejoice in all we have received, we will not only be better prepared to celebrate Thanksgiving, but also well on our way to heaven, for gratitude is a shortcut to Heaven.
FOR YOUR FAMILY:
■ Prepare a Litany of Thanksgiving and pray it as a Grace before your dinner.
■ Send thank you cards to those who have been good to you.
■ Write letters of gratitude to your loved ones, telling them what they mean to you.
■ Invite someone who would otherwise be alone, to come and join you for Thanksgiving dinner.
■ Prayerfully reflect on some of the following quotes by the saints on gratitude and talk to God about them: “No duty is more urgent than that of returning thanks.” — St. Ambrose.
■ “The best way to show my gratitude to God is to accept everything, even my problems, with joy.” — St. Theresa of Calcutta.
■ “Prayer is an aspiration of the heart. It is a simple glance directed to Heaven. It is a cry of gratitude and love in the midst of trial as well as joy.” — St. Thérèse of Lisieux.
■ “The secret of happiness is to live moment by moment and to thank God for what He is sending us every day in His goodness.” — St. Gianna Beretta Molla.