Thanksgiving Day (USA)
Scripture:
Revelation 5:1-10
Luke 19:41-44
Reflection:
Thanksgiving.
It has become such an ordinary word, thanksgiving. What does the word mean to you?
Here at Holy Name Passionist Retreat Center in Houston the retreat theme for the year is about humility. True humility is often found in thanksgiving.
This is the gift of the healed Samaritan in today’s reading of Luke chapter 17:11-19. He, ‘realizing he had been healed’, returned to give thanks, falling at the feet of Jesus. Humbling himself before the Lord.
If God is the architect, the healer, for all that is good in your life, you cannot help but to be humble. God is in control. It reminds me of the great youth ministry reminder, “God is God and You are not!!”
As we become more thankful for every little grace in our lives, then we are always looking to the Lord and not ourselves for those thanks. How can we not be thankful when we stop to look to the cross and the incredible gift of love that the Lord has presented to each of us.
Today is Thanksgiving, a wonderful day to start humbly thanking the Lord for all the small and large graces in your life. We can pray as it teaches us in Psalm 145, “Every day will I bless you, and I will praise your name forever and ever. Great is the LORD and highly to be praised; his greatness is unsearchable.”
“May he grant you joy of heart and may peace abide among you.” Sirach 50:22-24
Kate Mims is the Retreat Center Director at Holy Name Passionist Retreat Center in Houston, Texas.