October 13, 2019

Eucharist means thanksgiving

We know that the word “eucharist” means thanksgiving. But sometimes, we forget how important giving thanks to God truly is. The Gospel, this weekend, reminds us to recognize our blessings and to give thanks. It always amazes me the attitude of some in our community who are so negative and are filled with doom and gloom! They remind me of the characters on the old television show, Hee Haw. You know who I am talking about? The fellows who would lay on the floor and sing their song lyrics “Gloom, despair, and agony on me. Deep, dark depression, excessive misery. If it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all. Gloom, despair, and agony on me!”

This is not the song of a Christian. A true believer is one filled with hope and optimism even in the face of great challenges. Why? Because we have a Savior who said that we would have difficulty in this world, but to take courage because he has overcome the world! (John 16:33)

All ten lepers were cured in the Gospel, but only one returned to give thanks to God. Each day all of us in this community of Lawrence County are filled with God’s many blessings, the gift of life, of family and of friendships. Yet, there are only a few who return each day and each week to give thanks to God. And even among those who do return, how many of us are truly grateful. It is very easy for us to focus on the  negative and fail to realize the abundant mercy of God and the infinite blessings we have all received on a daily basis.
On this special weekend, inspired by the word of God, let you and me, both, examine ourselves before God more closely and articulate to Him with sincere gratitude the many gifts for which we are truly grateful. Some in my list would have to include the wonderful staff that we have here at Holy Spirit Parish, the talented, and very dedicated, priests, deacons and religious, as well as lay ecclesial ministers and support staff.  We are truly blessed! I am grateful every day for their devoted service to all of you and their gracious team work. I’m also particularly grateful to all of our parish volunteers who assist, not only in the countless fundraising activities, but more importantly, all of those who volunteer to teach the next generation our faith in Jesus Christ as catechists and catechist volunteers! There are so many who do so much on a daily basis. Let us never take all of these gifts that make our parish truly the body of Christ for granted.

May I suggest to you a little project to be done with your family at home? How about if today, or some day this week, when you have your family meal, you all go around and state what it is you are most grateful for.  I know families that do this practice and find it very enriching for all of them. As we give thanks to God, sometimes automatically, or even without thinking as we pray before we eat, it is good to stop and truly articulate what we are grateful to Him for besides the grub set before us. Don’t be afraid to break out of your old routines and try something new to enrich your own spiritual life and the spiritual lives of your children.

Only one leper realized they were cured and returned to give thanks to God. In the end, they received an even greater gift than that of the physical cure, they received the ultimate gift of salvation! We don’t know if the other nine ever received “that gift.” They received a physical healing for sure, but without a grateful heart, did they receive the gift of faith and of salvation? Among all the gifts God bestows on us, the gift of salvation and his mercy is the ultimate gift and one that we might miss because we just aren’t paying attention and we fail to be grateful!

God love you,