Each year Americans gather to celebrate one of the most traditional holidays they have. I am talking about Thanksgiving. According to The History Channel, “Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday in the United States, and Thanksgiving 2024 occurs on Thursday, November 28. In 1621, the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Native Americans shared an autumn harvest feast that is acknowledged today as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies. For more than two centuries, days of thanksgiving were celebrated by individual colonies and states. It wasn’t until 1863, in the midst of the Civil War, that President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day to be held each November.” (history.com)
However, Thanksgiving celebration is not celebrated only once a year, but every day of the year. Why? Because each time we celebrate the Eucharist, we are having a Thanksgiving celebration. The word “Eucharist” comes from the Greek word εὐχαριστία (eukharistía), which means “gratitude” or “giving of thanks”. Therefore, we come to the Eucharist not because it is an obligation and is part of the Ten Commandments, but because we want to have a personal encounter with the Lord. We want to say to God “thank you” for everything He has done for each one of us. The Lord God has given us many things, and our way to express our gratitude to Him is through the celebration of the Eucharist.
Let us celebrate the Eucharist always in attitude of Thanksgiving. What do you have to say ‘Thank you” to the Lord for?
Thanksgiving Prayer
We thank you, Father, for the gift of Jesus your Son who came to our Earth and lived in a simple home. We have a greater appreciation of the value and dignity of the human family because he loved and was loved within its shelter. Bless us this day; may we grow in love for each other in our family and so give thanks to you who are the maker of all human families and our abiding peace.
— from The Catholic Prayer Book, compiled by Msgr. Michael Buckley
Remember, The parish that we dream is the parish that I help to build. God Bless you, and may the Blessed Virgin Mary be with you always.
Fr. Jorge Ramírez
