Time to Give Thanks

From the Desk of Father David

Dear Friends in Christ,

In recent years, there has been much research done on the health benefits of being grateful. Did you know that back during the Roman Empire in the year 300 BCE, Cicero wrote that gratitude is the parent of all virtues. Late in the first century, Marcus Aurelius wrote, “When you rise in the morning think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love.” In other cultures giving thanks is also praised. Gautama Buddha is the founder of Buddhism in India. He is credited with saying: “Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn’t learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, if we didn’t learn a little, at least we didn’t get sick, if we got sick, at least we didn’t die; so let us all be thankful.” The list continues of cultures that promote the virtue of giving thanks.

Catholicism goes deeper in promoting being grateful by asking us to be grateful for the redemption we have received in Jesus Christ. St. Paul, in his many letters, tells us of the saving power of God, His faithfulness, unconditional love and patience. Because of these characteristics we should be able to give thanks to God in all situations. The heart of the Mass is to give thanks to God. We not only remember His saving action but we are present to those events. We are present at the Last Supper, Jesus’ death and Resurrection at every Mass and these events are still redeeming us and saving us. After communion we are all called to give thanks to God especially for receiving the greatest treasure on earth, His Body and Blood.

May our generous God help us to recognize the many gifts we have received and be generous in responding to the needs of others.

In thanksgiving,

Fr. David