On this Thanksgiving Day we pause to bless God, who blesses us - as it is related in the Book of Sirach in our first reading today! Yes, because we are his holy and special people, we can bless him and bless others with our own goodness and desire to be grateful for all that God gives us, provides for us, and blesses us with!
God wants to give us what will bring joy to our hearts and peace in our midst. We pray that his goodness will endure among us to deliver us from all that we need delivering from.
And so we cry out: Blessed be the name of the Lord for ever!
In the second reading today, St. Paul is relating how grateful he is to God for bestowing such blessings on his people (the Christian community of Corinth) - especially the spiritual gifts (graces) that are needed to make them steadfast and holy - irreproachable - right up to the Day of the Coming of the Lord. God is faithful - and he will reward those who use his gifts, follow his ways, and place all their trust in him and his promises.
The gospel passage is the obvious story of thanksgiving. The one leper - who realized that he was cured, returned to give thanks to Jesus. It is so important for us to be that one. So many in our day in age believe that they can live their lives completely on their own: they do not need God. The only resource they need for anything obtained in life, is themselves and their limited, personal view of reality. In actuality, everything comes from God. Everything! Everything is a GIFT from God - every day! Everyday needs to be “thanksgiving day” - when it comes right down to it! But maybe, just for this one day - all Americans across the land can be thankful to the True Source of all that we have so unmeritedly received. God owes us nothing! Yet, he freely and o so lovingly gives us everything! THANK YOU GOD!
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