Fr. Nate's Letter - November 17, 2024

Every year at this time, the Church in the United States suggests that these days leading up to Thanksgiving be set aside for deeds of charity and penance. I don’t know about you, but I have to admit, I never really thought of preparing for Thanksgiving in quite that way, though I probably should. For most people, preparations for Thanksgiving consist more along the lines of deciding where they will celebrate the holiday, or if they will celebrate the holiday, or what to prepare and when to prepare it. Then the day comes, we celebrate it in whatever way that we do, and then it’s gone and we set our eyes on the celebrations leading up to Christmas. Yet this suggestion from the Church kind of stands there asking, “but doesn’t Thanksgiving mean more to you?” Does it mean more than just a meal, more than just gathering with loved ones, more than whatever customs we enjoy and carry out on that particular day or weekend? 
 
Ultimately, as you and I know, Thanksgiving is a day set aside to give thanks to God. But even then, to what extent is that thanks given to God? I remember one year someone came to me who was feeling rather down about how her Thanksgiving was going to play out. There were family issues, alienated family members, people who couldn’t come, and of course, family emotional baggage. This poor woman lamented that “there wouldn’t be Thanksgiving this year,” as they had called it off. No one would be enjoying a meal, or a gathering, or any family traditions that year. Since she was so distraught I tried to offer her my sympathy, but we should also ask ourselves, “Are those the things that really make Thanksgiving important?” Thanksgiving is so much more than just the things we enjoy. How many of us actually stop and thank God - not just with a general “thanks for everything” prayer - but with genuine, sincere gratitude for His many blessings to us? Isn’t it true that those people and things that bring such joy in our lives are worth more than just a general “thanks” to God? 
 
This past Wednesday we encountered the Gospel story that’s often read on Thanksgiving Day, the story of the ten lepers. One thing that always stands out in that story is the one leper who returns to thank the Lord because he “realizes” what he has received. Maybe that’s the aspect where we often fail. It’s not necessarily that we’re ungrateful, but that we just never take the time to realize what God has done for us. If we did, isn’t it true our whole life would be one long prayer of thanksgiving! And the highest prayer of thanksgiving, as you and I know, is the Mass. This is why it is always a little disconcerting when other things take priority over coming to Mass, as it’s our prayer of thanksgiving. 
 
It is suggested to you and me that beginning Monday, we approach the celebration of Thanksgiving with deeds of charity and penance - a suggestion that’s worth considering. Our charitable deeds stem from a realization of what God has done for us (and we have been blessed with many in our parish who practice these deeds in so many ways). We should continually look for even the littlest ways in our daily lives where we might practice charity. Our practice of penance comes from a recognition of how well God treats us, and sadly, how poorly we sometimes treat Him in return. As we know from the Scriptures, penance is a way of saying “I’m sorry.”
 
It certainly would be a wonderful way to celebrate Thanksgiving by asking the Lord’s forgiveness for what we have done to others, and saying thanks to the Lord for all that he’s done for us.
 
Wishing you all God’s blessings this week!
 
Keeping you in prayer - and say one for me!
 
- Fr. Nate