Thanksgiving is rapidly approaching in the United States! There are many traditions associated with this holiday, which vary between families. In my family, and in many other households, one tradition is that each person at the table takes their turn saying what they are thankful for. These typically include good things like family, friends, good food, and joyful events of the year, among other things.

Although Thanksgiving is a secular, national holiday, it teaches us to reflect on the things that God has given us. While this is an especially good time to reflect on God’s generosity, Christians are called to “always and in everything give thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father” (Ephesians 5:20 RSVCE). Not only on Thanksgiving, but every day of every season, we are called to give thanks to God.

How often do we forget to give thanks in prayer! It is far too easy to treat God like a vending machine: to input our desires, receive what we asked for, and be on our merry way. The Gospel passage from Mass last Wednesday was the story of the ten lepers, which illustrates this perfectly. Ten lepers cried out to Jesus to heal them, and He told them to show themselves to the priests. On the way, they were all healed, yet only one returned to thank the man who changed their lives forever (Luke 17:11-19 RSVCE). When we are faced with difficulties, and fall on our knees in prayer, do any of us return to our knees when the difficulties pass?

Prayer is not meant to be transactional. In our wretched, sinful condition, we cannot hope to give God anything equal to the gifts He has given. Even if we were perfect, our very existence comes from God; what could we give that does not already belong to Him? The sooner we recognize that we are nothing apart from God, the better. It is only then that we begin to comprehend the amazing love and generosity of God, and only then that we can give thanks in true humility.

However, there is a catch to this thanksgiving. We are called to give thanks for everything, not just the good things: “Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 RSVCE). While the holiday season is a time of joy for many, there are others whose sorrow and suffering is increased during this time. The pain of loss, strife among family members, and struggling to make ends meet are just some of the burdens that grow heavier as the holidays approach, and it can be hard to thank God for anything, much less the struggles themselves.

God, in His immense love for us, has allowed us to suffer. The Christian life is inseparable from the Cross; it is Christ’s suffering that redeems us, and it is our own suffering that unites us to Him and allows us to grow in holiness and love. Fr. Jean C. J. D’Elbée writes that “The Cross is a means for Jesus to lead back to Himself those who do not love Him, to bring closer to Himself those who do not love Him enough, and to consummate in Himself those who do love Him” (I Believe In Love, pg 200). Every Cross is given in perfect love for the one who carries it. Though it often hurts dearly, each Cross we carry prepares us more for Heaven, and there is much merit and grace given to those who accept their Crosses with love and humility. Jesus does not leave us to carry our Crosses alone either; if we allow Him, He will give us the strength that we need in every situation. Even in the midst of great pain, we can rejoice with the saints, who suffered terribly, yet rejoiced that they had been found worthy to share in the suffering of their Savior on the Cross.  We have only to look at the Beatitudes to see the great reward for those who carry their Crosses well: it is the meek, the mourning, the poor in spirit, and those who are persecuted and reviled who shall be the most blessed in Heaven (Matthew 5:3-12 RSVCE).

This Thanksgiving, let us rejoice for all of our blessings, even those disguised as pain, hardship, and suffering. Let us fall on our knees in praise of God who loves us without ceasing; our God who embraced the Cross in order to save us, and who now allows us to partake of it ourselves, that we might one day partake of His Heavenly glory as well. This Thanksgiving, I encourage you to pray the prayer of Job, who received both incredible blessings and incredible sufferings, yet remained faithful to God through it all: “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord!” (Job 1:21 RSVCE).

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you all have a restful holiday and a very blessed week. Please continue to pray for my sister and her classmates as they prepare to go on retreat next week!