“Striving for Grateful and Faithful” by Beth DeCristofaro
And now, bless the God of all, who has done wondrous things on earth (Sirach 50:22)
And when he saw (the lepers), he said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” As they were going, they were cleansed. Jesus said in reply, “Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine? Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?” Then he said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.” (Luke 17:14, 17-19)
Piety
“On this Thanksgiving Day like no other,
even now, O God, your name is worthy to be praised.
For in your mercy and kindness
no thought of ours is left unguarded,
no tear unheeded, and no joy unnoticed.
For the blessings we have known,
and for those we have yet to recognize,
to you we give our grateful thanks...”
(Prayer used throughout is: A Thanksgiving Prayer, in Time of Pandemic,
“Give us this Day, Copyright © Diana Macalintal, 2020.)
Study
Years ago, I was riding the metro to graduate school when a group of boisterous teens clomped through the car, and one stamped deliberately on my foot. As they laughed at me, I felt paralyzed. What? Could that have happened? An elderly African American man in the seat beside me said sharply, “Hey, what are you boys doing? Stop acting like that.” They continued to snicker but backed up a few steps as the train pulled into my stop at Metro Center. I still felt my throat and mouth full of cotton – I could not talk but could move and exited. But I did not say anything to the boys or to the man who dared to intervene. I looked at him for a long moment, and I only hope my eyes spoke the thanks and admiration that my mouth refused to utter. A small degree of embarrassment still accompanies the memories of this incident. So, I relate to the ten lepers.
“For life that reminds us how fragile we are
and also, how strong we can be: We thank you, O God.
For sheltering that urges us
to rediscover what truly matters: We thank you, O God.
For communication that allows us
to connect in ways new and old: We thank you, O God.
And for mindfulness that shows us
how much we rely on one another: We thank you, O God…”
For all things great and small, how simple it is to be grateful. Yet, it takes an effort to put ourselves forward. It calls for us to be aware that not all things are about us but that we are privy to so much wonder, even the mundane wonders of breathable air and potable water. When that wonder is muted or absent, our God understands that he experienced it with us by choice and sanctifies our struggle in his suffering. Being grateful asks us to step into the space of another. Gratitude asks us to be as vulnerable as our Savior putting his reputation and the believability of his message on the line for the ten lepers.
“Watch over your family, Lord, gathered here
and at tables separated by miles,
and bless those who work tirelessly to keep us all safe.
Though we may be kept apart
on this day that calls us together,
we know your Spirit draws us close.
Lord, we ask you to ease the pain of empty chairs
that bring to mind our beloved dead.
Let our grieving find its rest in your Son, Jesus,
in whose Resurrection is our hope...”
Action
Let us today be lavish with our hope and thanks, especially for those things for which we have neglected to praise God. Spend time praying, thanking God for those who think, act, and even pray differently from us but whom God loves. Share the thanks with other humans, too!
“Grant your Spirit to be present here
that this meal may become a foretaste of your heavenly table
where every tear shall be wiped away, every hunger fed,
and no distance can separate us from your love in Christ,
from whom all good things come.
Amen.”
Prayer: A Thanksgiving Prayer, in Time of Pandemic, “Give us this Day, Copyright © Diana Macalintal, 2020
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