Many people across the country are preparing to celebrate Thanksgiving this week. The holiday brings families and friends together for meals, parades, and football games. Offices will close and many will begin to hear Christmas music on the radio.
While Thanksgiving is not a religious holiday, it offers an opportunity for people to express gratitude. “It’s a response we recognize at Mass, that greatest feast of thanksgiving, when we acknowledge ‘our duty and our salvation’ to thank God always. And it’s a response that feeds the very root of peace and joy throughout our lives, even – or especially – at times of difficulty and darkness. Few gifts are greater than the opportunity to express gratitude, for and with our loved ones, to the God who loves us with such infinite tenderness.”
The message also acknowledges that Thanksgiving can be challenging for some individuals. Large gatherings may cause tension or bring up past issues, while others may feel lonely or face hardships during this time. Even those looking forward to celebrations might find themselves distracted by preparations and busy schedules.
The statement continues by sharing advice from St. Catherine of Siena: “To the servant of God, every place is the right place, and every time is the right time.” This sentiment was passed along by Br. Edward Mancuso, one of Belmont Abbey’s monks.
“Every place is the right place, and every time is the right time. Because God is there,” reads another part of the message.
As people move through their days during this season and beyond, they are reminded that each moment holds meaning: “There are no ‘filler’ passages in the stories of our lives. Every day is a thanksgiving feast because the root of our hope and our gratitude lies not just in knowing that God sends us gifts, but even more that He bears them personally into our lives and makes every moment a place to encounter Him, the Giver.”
