“Some people are always grumbling because roses have thorns; I am thankful that thorns have roses.” ~ Alphonse Karr
Today is Thanksgiving Day. This is one of those days that is met with different thoughts and emotions. Some people use today to recall their many gifts, talents, and blessings and thank God for them. Others take the time to thank the people in their lives who mean or who have meant much to them. Still others pray for those who are missing from Thanksgiving celebrations perhaps because of illness or distance.
And then there are those who say, “There’s nothing I am thankful for.” They look at the world as a “glass half empty” kind of place. They never have enough, at least in their own estimation, and they are always looking for more and resentful of those who have more than they possess. They would definitely be the ones who grumble because roses have thorns. They cannot see the beauty of life through all the pain and sorrow of life.
Thanksgiving provides the time for us to put our lives into proper perspective. Sure, we could all sit down with paper and pen in hand and write a list of the things that are wrong in our lives and/or with the world. But, that would not do us any good. We need to use this day to render thanks to God who blesses us incredibly with life and love and who sustains us throughout our lives and calls us to Himself when our lives are over.
I don’t know about you; but, the thought of heaven is definitely a glass full or a blooming rose kind of thought. Eternal life with God is worth all the grief that we may have to face while here on earth.
On this Thanksgiving Day, I give thanks and praise to God for several things:
- I am very grateful that He has provided a bishop-elect to the Diocese of Gary.
- I am grateful for the family and friends that I have who care about me and support me.
- I am grateful for the members of my parish family who are responsive to my ministry.
- I am grateful for the employees of the diocese’s Pastoral Center. Their love of the diocese is quite evident in their work.
- I am grateful that God gave me another day of life.
My personal resolutions reflect my gratitude:
- I resolve to be faithful in my ministry as Administrator of the Diocese of Gary until our new bishop can take possession of it.
- I resolve to do my best to keep in contact with family and friends better than I often do and let them know that I care about them and am thankful for them.
- I resolve to do my best each day to serve the members of my parish family even while my “second job” as administrator often keeps me away from the parish.
- I resolve to be as supportive as possible to the employees of the diocese who will continue their ministry at the Pastoral Center even after I finish my time there.
- I resolve to show my gratitude to God for my extra day of life by living it with a perspective of loving and serving those whom I encounter this day.
As I have written above, Thanksgiving provides the time for us to put our lives into proper perspective. I have just tried to do so for myself and I encourage you to attempt to do the same today. Think about the things for which you are grateful and make appropriate resolutions to reflect your gratitude.
I pray that you and yours have a blessed Thanksgiving Day and I pray, as well, for all those who feel that they have very little for which to be thankful. May the starving be fed, the homeless be provided shelter, and those distant from us because of school, work, or military service know of our love for them.
FAITH ACTION: Take some time on this national holiday to consider your many blessings and give proper thanks to God for all that you have.
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