Putting the 'thanks' in Thanksgiving

By REV. JOHN YANAS- | Comments: 0 | Leave a comment

From the early days of my misspent youth, I have been an avid sports fan. I've spent countless hours watching sporting events on television.

In retrospect, It may have been wasted time. Nevertheless, I can boast of many enjoyable moments watching my favorite teams win games and, in addition, seeing skillful players perform well in their respective sport.

As Thanksgiving, one of our great national holidays, nears, it is surely worth noting that in many televised postgame interviews, the standout athlete publicly acknowledges his faith and expresses his gratitude.

One often hears the words, "First, I wish to thank God," or the more entertaining (though theologically suspect), "All credit goes to the man upstairs." How utterly refreshing it is to hear someone who has achieved great fame say, "Thank you, Lord!"

What is most remarkable is that many luminaries of the sports world were born into poverty. Their parents and pastors taught them well!

Sadly, in our affluent and secularized American society, the virtue of gratitude seems to be conspicuously absent in many quarters. Entitlement and personal rights have eclipsed our Christian duty to be thankful for all we have received. Even common courtesies are forgotten or ignored.

Author Donald Demarco, in "The Many Faces of Virtue," reminds his Christian readers that they are obligated to show thanks and that their thanks be heartfelt, not insincere. He writes: "Christians are commanded to give thanks to God for everything. 'Give thanks in all circumstances,' St. Paul writes, 'for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you' (1 Thes 5:18). It is easy to be thankful for good things, but to be thankful for difficulties -- rejection, sickness, death and so forth -- at first glance seems to be absurd. But Christian communities are like this. They demand the seemingly implausible."

Let us be mindful that, on the night before His hideous death, Christ offered a prayer of thanksgiving during His farewell meal. He anticipated His saving death by offering a prayer of thanksgiving to his Heavenly Father: "Then He took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it" (Mk 14:23).

A particularly illuminating story in St. Luke's Gospel recounts the incident of the 10 lepers whom Jesus cured (Lk 17:12-19). What remains most troubling about this episode is not the miraculous cure, but why only one of the 10 returned to offer thanks. Our Lord asks: "Were not all 10 made clean? The other nine, where are they?"

We sense a deep disappointment in His words. It would seem that a person who is suddenly and completely cured would be only too eager to give thanks!

In Jewish folklore, there is a lovely story about giving thanks. According to an ancient Jewish legend, when God finished creation, He asked the angels what they thought of it. One of them replied that the world was so vast and so perfect that there was nothing wanting -- except a voice to offer God that which is owed Him, an expression of gratitude.

If you should be at Mass on Thanksgiving weekend, give careful consideration to the many opportunities which are given to you to offer a prayer of thanksgiving. After all, "It is right to give Him thanks and praise." May our blessed Lord grant to each of us a grateful heart as we reflect on the many gifts bestowed upon our great nation this Thanksgiving day.

(Father Yanas is pastor of Sacred Heart parish in Troy.)[[In-content Ad]]