Word to the Wise
Thursday, November 26, 2020 - 4th Thurs. in Nov. - Thanksgiving Day
[Sirach 50:22-24; 1 Cor 1:3-9; Luke 17:11-19]And now, bless the God of all, who has done wondrous things on earth; who fosters people's growth from their mother's womb, and fashions them according to his will! May he grant you joy of heart and may peace abide among you; May his goodness toward us endure in Israel to deliver us in our days. [Sirach] I give thanks to my God always on your account for the grace of God bestowed on you in Christ Jesus, that in him you were enriched in every way...[1 Cor.} And one of them, realizing he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice; and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. Jesus said in reply, "Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine?" [Luke]
Understandably, the three scripture passages chosen in the USA for Thanksgiving Day mention different ways of being thankful. Sirach speaks of gratitude for God's providential care of all people. In 1 Corinthians, Paul speaks of his gratitude for Christ Jesus' blessings on the Corinthian Christian community. Last, but not least, a Samaritan gives thanks when the other lepers seem to have forgotten to do so or took their healing for granted. Jesus' question, "Where are the other nine?" should give us something to think about on Thanksgiving Day.
Perhaps we could give some thought and gratitude for the things we take for granted: good health (especially during this pandemic), food, shelter, family, friends, employment... Perhaps we might, in that same thought, remember those who are going without those blessings! We might remember to avoid the prayers of the Pharisee, who said, "I thank you, God, that I am not like the rest of people, including this tax collector!" [Luke 18:10-14) As Pope Francis says in his latest encyclical, Fratelli tutti, we are all brothers!
Losses during the past year since last Thanksgiving, especially during this time of pandemic, may cast a cloud of sorrow which should indeed be acknowledged in our prayers. (I lost a younger brother whose funeral I could not attend in person because of the pandemic. I will be thankful for his life and love and now, his prayers) We may have only the promise of a "tomorrow" to be thankful about. But Sirach, Paul and the Samaritan leper offer us encouragement so that we do not join the "other nine" but return to give thanks for whatever blessings we can count. AMEN
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