Our country stands out among the nations of the world as we set aside a national day of thanksgiving every year, a day during which we pause to take stock of our lives and give thanks for all the goodness we have received. Thanksgiving Day is rooted in the belief that it is right to pause and give thanks to God from whom all good things flow.
In fact, Sacred Scripture reminds us over and over again to give thanks to God. Psalm 118, for instance, beckons us to “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, His mercy endures forever.” And the Gospel of St. Luke tells us the story of the Samaritan man stricken with leprosy who returned to Jesus to give thanks for the healing he received.
Thanksgiving Day continues to be for us a time to reconnect with family and friends and to pause in prayer and gratitude for what we have been given through God’s infinite love.
As we gather this year to give thanks, let us remember that Thanksgiving should not be confined to a date in time but lived as a state of mind. May a spirit of thanksgiving take hold in us always so that the love of God which transforms us is passed on to others through us.
As we enter into the holiday season, it is with great joy and hope that I extend to you and your family best wishes for a very happy and blessed Thanksgiving.