Thanksgiving is not a holy day of obligation nor is it an official Christian holiday. This day of food, family and football is considered to be secular in nature, but it has its origins in the idea that, when we offer thanks for all that we have, we must acknowledge where those gifts originate from and give all thanks and glory to Almighty God.
In his Thanksgiving Proclamation in October of 1789, George Washington explained that it is “the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God and to be grateful for his benefits.” He recommended to the people of the United States that “a day of public thanksgiving and prayer be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many favors of Almighty God.” In Lincoln’s 1863 proclamation officially designating the last Thursday of November as a national day of Thanksgiving and prayer, he acknowledged Almighty God and called upon Him to help heal the wounds of the nation brought about by the events of the Civil War. The founding fathers and early leaders of our country realized that giving thanks to God was not only paramount to our survival as a nation but to our overall well-being.
As Catholics, we are called to live a life of thanksgiving. In everything we do, all glory and thanks should be given to God. It is a core aspect of our faith and understanding thanksgiving in that context can provide a solid foundation for us to convey our blessings. We may not realize it, but each time we attend Mass, we are participating in a prayer of thanksgiving. The central part of the Mass, the Eucharist, is as stated by the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “an act of thanksgiving to God.” In fact, the word Eucharist comes from the Greek word eucharistia which means “to give thanks” and each time we receive the body and blood of Christ, we are reminded as followers of Jesus to be thankful for His sacrifice and the many blessings in our lives. When we receive the Eucharist, it is the perfect time to thank God for all the gifts He has provided and to express our gratitude. As the Priest prays during the Eucharistic prayer, “Let us give thanks to the Lord our God,” and after our reply of “It is right and just” he continues, “It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks.”
In Thessalonians 5:18 Saint Paul instructs us “In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus”. Acting on the words of St. Paul, we should give thanks to God, always and everywhere, in every circumstance, in both good times and in bad. This can be difficult to do and may not always be top of mind, especially during the tough times. It is easy to be thankful when things are going well, but when we are struggling, giving thanks can be the furthest thing from our mind. Taking a step back from a difficult situation to pray to God and express gratitude for our blessings is important because gratitude fosters hope and from hope we can begin down a path of thanksgiving. The good times are easy but when we are dealing with life’s setbacks, we are challenged to be thankful in the face of difficulty. This is no easy task but developing a lifestyle of thankfulness, no matter the situation, will help lead us closer to God.
At our Thanksgiving meal, my family has a tradition of going around the table and allowing each person the opportunity to say what they are thankful for. This is one of my favorite parts of the day. So much so that we have implemented a similar practice with our kids during nightly prayers. After praying together each evening, we reflect and then take turns sharing what we are most thankful for from our day. This provides a powerful reminder and a great example for them that no matter how their day went or what struggles they encountered, there is always something to be thankful for. It also helps to instill the attitude that, while we have a national holiday set aside for giving thanks, this practice should continue for the other three hundred and sixty-four days of the year. Another exercise we can add to our daily routine to foster gratitude is to create a list of our blessings, which when reflected upon, will call our attention to the constant presence of God in our lives. Acknowledging the ways God is at work in our lives will help cultivate gratitude in our hearts and when that happens, we will find ourselves giving thanks in all circumstances as Saint Paul suggested.
It is easy to get caught up in our daily struggles and lose sight of all that God has done for us. The difficult part is to look past our burdens and the crosses that we must bear each day and see God’s goodness and the grace and mercy that He has bestowed upon us. The realization of these gifts is key to living a life of thanksgiving.
So, as we gather with family and friends for our Thanksgiving celebrations, let us do so with gratitude in our hearts while giving thanks to God and praying: Heavenly Father, we come before you today with honor and praise. We thank you for your love and mercy and all the gifts you have provided to us this past year. Most importantly we thank you for the gift of your son. Shower us with your grace so that we may approach every situation as an opportunity to draw closer to you. We ask for your blessings on our family, our friends, our health, and this food we are about to eat. We thank you for the gift of this celebration. Be with us today and every day and guide us to do your will in everything we do so that we may share in your glory. Amen.
Have a Blessed and Happy Thanksgiving!