Bishop Lucas on Thanksgiving

In his weekly column, "Grace and Mercy," the Most Reverend George J. Lucas gave consideration to the upcoming national holiday.

Noting that "prayer of thanksgiving is the type of prayer that most characterizes Catholic prayer," his Excellency said we give thanks "that all of creation is set free from sin and death by the death and resurrection of Christ." He continued:

This week we offer special thanks for the fruits of creation and for the truth that this world is being transformed by grace. We have our citizenship in heaven, as St. Paul tells us. Yet we live as fully as possible here, because this is where God has put us. To live fully in this world means to live in Christ, to be transformed by grace ourselves and to lead all of creation in a prayer of thanksgiving for the gifts of life and redemption. Each baptized person shares in the priesthood of Jesus Christ and is therefore able to speak a prayer of thanks to God in and through Christ, on behalf of all creation.

Any prayer of thanksgiving of ours will be shallow if we fail to take account of the burdens of our brothers and sisters, even as we count our own blessings. At a minimum, we must be aware that the peace and plenty which most of us enjoy this Thanksgiving are not the experience of so many. In particular, we must admit that peace and plenty are not ours by right, especially if they are had at the expense of others. A prayerful attitude of thanksgiving to God draws us out of ourselves and helps us see the world as God sees it.