Thanksgiving

During this month of November, our attention always seems to turn to thanksgiving.  Maybe first and foremost we focus on the chance for our families and friends to be together.  Relatives that we have not seen in a while come home and students come back from university.   And maybe secondly we are focused on the great food that we will all share.  At any Thanksgiving Dinner I have ever been at there is usually more food than you can possibly eat at one meal, but of course all of it is absolutely delicious.  A very amusing story that I share about Thanksgiving occurred last year when a priest from the Nordic Catholic Church joined us for Thanksgiving dinner.  When we sat down to dinner, he leaned over to whisper in my ear asking if this was a special occasion, or do we eat this much food every day of the year.

It is usually after these first reactions that we look beyond to the true meaning of thanksgiving.  We look to the “why” behind our gathering.  In this context we can examine some of the proclamation of President Abraham Lincoln for our present holiday of Thanksgiving which was proclaimed on October 3, 1863.  President Lincoln writes: “The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. … No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People.”

In this way we see that in reflection on the year past, as well as our entire life, we are somehow moved and pointed to a spirit of thanksgiving.  And it is important that we consider this when we examine and confront our lives as Christians as well.

As a part of our Catholic Christian life we gather each week for the celebration of the Eucharist, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.  The word “Eucharist” itself means “thanksgiving” and this word has been used for the primary act of worship within the Church since the first centuries of the Church.  We see in fact that the giving of thanks is a vital part of all that is done. We see the actions of our Lord Jesus Christ during the institution of Communion when the priest says: “having lifted His eyes to heaven, to You, His Almighty Father, giving thanks to You, He blessed it, broke it and gave it to His disciples saying: Take this all of you and eat it, For this is My body which is given for you.”  As a part of this most holy rite of the Church, giving thanks to God is an integral part of Jesus becoming present among us in Holy Communion, the Holy Eucharist.

So then we must admit to ourselves that thanksgiving for a Christian must not be something that we celebrate only once a year, during the month of November, but rather thanksgiving is an every week celebration.  We must remind ourselves that each week when we come to Church for Holy Mass, we are gathering for Thanksgiving – Eucharist.  And we must also know that the celebration is of the same sort as well.  Thanksgiving – Eucharist is the time when family comes together.  On any given Sunday or Holy Day, it is the family of faith, the family of brothers and sisters in Christ that comes together.  We should each desire to be there because we know that our family is getting together.  In the early church, to not be a part of the worshipping community on Sunday, without a very good reason, was considered an insult to the rest of the community.  It was considered of tremendous importance for the family of faith to be together each week.  And also like our November Thanksgiving, we also gather together for a meal, but rather than the abundant quantity of food, we have here the abundant quality of food at the Eucharist.  We share the very food of eternal life itself, the Body and Blood of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  It is the food given to us by Jesus.

So my brothers and sisters in the family of faith, I wish you all a blessed and holy Thanksgiving holiday on November 27, 2014.  I hope that you share in the blessings of family and friends and enjoy a meal together in this love.  But I also wish that we see that all of this is available to us each Sunday as we gather for Holy Mass – Holy Eucharist.  I pray that we all see that the family of faith gathers together in love and faith and dedication on each Sunday.  I pray that in sharing the food of eternal life, the Body and Blood of Christ, each person is filled with thanksgiving for the life of Christ in each one and in the Church.

Have a joyous thanksgiving, this month and each and every week as we gather together as God’s holy people, who give Him thanks.