Happy Thanksgiving! How are you today? Hope you and your families are doing well on this special day. This is traditionally a day to gather together with loved ones and friends around a table to share delicious foods and fellowship. It is a day which, appropriately enough, is meant to be filled with intentional moments of giving thanks to God for the blessings that have been received. As is the case in many other homes, my family has the custom of going around the table and saying at least one person, thing, or event that we are grateful for within in our lives. It’s always fun to hear one of my young nephews or nieces speak very simply about who it is that they are thankful for or what they are most blessed to have. Some of the most endearing answers include: “God.” “Jesus.” “Family.” “Food.”
Perhaps you already know this theological fact but the word “Eucharist” originally comes from Greek and means “an act of thanksgiving.” Every time that we gather around the table of the Lord to hear His Holy Word in Sacred Scripture and prepare to receive Him in Holy Communion we have the opportunity to make an act of thanksgiving to God for all that we have been given. Gathered together during Mass with our brothers and sisters in Christ, as members of one spiritual family, we are nourished by the Bread come down from Heaven to lead us into deeper unity.
Though we don’t share turkey or stuffing or mashed potatoes or pumpkin pie in the Eucharistic celebration we do receive the Living God who is true food for our souls. As a practical recommendation I would encourage you and your family to thank God out loud during this year’s Thanksgiving festivities. This could be done in the form of saying something that you are grateful for when seated at the table, or offering a communal prayer, or singing a Christian hymn, or another way that the Holy Spirit might inspire you.
My heart is full of humble gratitude to be able to serve here at Immaculate Conception in Columbia Heights. I’m also very grateful that you would read these weekly eNewsletters. I hope that you have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day of 2018 and whether you’re at home or at church may you always remember these inspired words, “Give thanks to the LORD for he is good, his mercy endures forever!” (Psalm 107:1).
