IN THANKSGIVING
Today we celebrate gratitiude. We all know the beginnings of Thanksgiving Day. In 1620 in Plymouth, Massachusetts, the Pilgrims who arrived on the Mayflower and the Wampanoag Indians celebrated survival and gratitude for a bountiful harvest.
We all have so much to be grateful for and this special day is one celebrated with family, delicious but fatty meals, board games, naps and watching the Chicago Bears vs the Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys vs New York Giants. Over the years many memories have been created: feeding the homeless a Thanksgiving Dinner in downtown Houston, with linen tablecloths, china and silverware, or travelling to Colorado to be with grandparents, or simply staying at home and enjoying family. There are many jokes about family gatherings and how chaotic it can be when talking politics or eccentric Aunt or Uncle show up. Many anticipate Black Friday sales and make it a point to wake up early and fight for the "bargains".
Some can see it as days off work, others as frenetic days getting the shopping done and house cleaned. But in all these activities and the hustle and bustle of busy lives, is this what we look forward to every year? I hope not.
Though Thanksgiving is not a holy day of obligation, many go to Mass to give thanks to Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist. Eucharist comes from the Greek word eucharistia, which means "thanksgiving". We unite our thanksgiving with the perfect sacrifice of Christ in the Eucharist.
So can we change this Thanksgiving celebration to better express our gratitude? Of course, we can and should.
First, make it a point to go to Mass and receive the Eucharist, giving thanks.
Remember all that God has done for you. The many saints He has given us to follow in their example. How much He loves us.
Make it simple. Don't outdo yourself to impress others.
We still pray for the dead this month. Remember your parents, what you would have told them if given the opportunity to say "goodbye". How would you have thanked them for their sacrifices?
Look beyond the person and search their souls/hearts and see what they are most in need of.
Invite a friend (s) for dinner.
Pray for the disgruntled, overworked, those who have to work on this holiday and those who have no one to spend their days with.
Be patient with the turkey and be patient with your guests and yourself.
Acknowledge God's many blessings in our lives.
Forgive and let the day be the start of the new you.
Thank God for His priests.
Thank the priests for taking up and showing us how to carry the Cross.
コメント