Word to the Wise
Thursday, November 24, 2022 - 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.... [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, with all the discourse and all knowledge....[1 Cor.] "Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine? Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?" [Luke]
On this Thanksgiving Day, a phrase from St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians, quoted above, caught my attention: "I give thanks to my God always on your account..." Two things come to mind. The first is an ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE. This is suggested to me by the word ALWAYS. Yes, Thanksgiving Day is set aside to express gratitude for blessings received, but the "attitude of gratitude" is more than a one-day observance. I suppose my increasingly "advanced age" (I am almost 80) makes me want to be grateful for each additional day of life and the blessings of each of those days,. But an "attitude of gratitude" can shape every day, despite the challenges that may arise. I am certainly aware of the desperate lives of those afflicted by hunger, war, political oppression and disease throughout this planet and my meager prayers on their account.
The second thought comes from the words ON YOUR ACCOUNT. There are many material and political things that we Americans enjoy and for which it is appropriate to be grateful. But I find that what I am most grateful for are the people in my life, which includes all those who read my reflection every day. (Google Analytics tells me that this reflection is read internationally!). More immediately, my family, my Dominican brothers and sisters, and the wonderful students with whom I minister at Texas Tech and parishioners at St. Elizabeth University Parish here in Lubbock are a big "account" to be grateful for. But they give me life and blessing in a way that no material advantage can give. Know that my gratitude for you all is immense and my prayers for you are daily and not only on Thanksgiving Day!! The "attitude of gratitude" in First Corinthians and the prayer from Sirach will keep us from being in "the other nine" in today's gospel who failed to return and give thanks to God.
To each and every reader of THE WORD TO THE WISE, I wish a blessed and grateful THANKSGIVNG DAY. I will remember you all at our parish Mass of Thanksgiving today. AMEN!