Eucharist

28 Nov

“The word ‘Eucharist’ means literally ‘act of thanksgiving.’ To celebrate the Eucharist and to live a Eucharistic life has everything to do with gratitude.  Living Eucharistically is living life as a gift, a gift for which one is grateful.” ~ Henri J.M. Nouwen

We recently celebrated the national holiday of Thanksgiving.  In it, we remembered all that we have been through as a nation and gave thanks to God for being with us through the years.  Our thanksgiving helped us to focus upon the abundant gifts from God and challenged us to use those gifts for the betterment of others.

Even more, we heard the challenge to be thankful.  The Gospel was the telling of the story of the ten lepers who were healed when they asked the Lord.  Sadly, only one returned to give Jesus praise and thanks and that one was an enemy of the Lord’s people, a Samaritan.  None of the Lord’s people came to give Him thanks.

We oftentimes say that we belong to the Lord, that we are His people; but, our words and our deeds often prove otherwise.  We need to learn to live lives of gratitude and praise to God.  Focusing upon all that God has done for us is a great way to be thankful for, if we focus upon God’s gifts, we cannot help but be overwhelmed by the generosity of God’s love.

If you haven’t done so already, thank God for the gift of your life this day.  Thank God for your health.  Thank God for your family and friends.  Thank God for whatever it is that He has done for you and is doing for you.

Thank Him and then prove to Him that you are thankful by embodying your thankfulness in your words and actions this day.

FAITH ACTION:  Spend some time in front of the Eucharistic Lord today, if at all possible, or else in a quiet place at home and recount all the things God has done for you or given you.  Express your gratitude to Him in the silence of your heart as well as in the witness of your life.