Stewards of God’s Gifts (Part 4) – An Attitude of Gratitude

 - October 8, 2015

 

With the exception of Christmas, no other holiday conjures up the image of family life as does Thanksgiving. Mother, father, children – perhaps grandparents and a few uncles and aunts as well – gathered around a table, sharing the traditional turkey and pumpkin pie, thanking God for his bountiful generosity: for food on the table, for love around the table. If only it were such for all families! For we live in a time and place in which the struggle to live a family life rooted in unity, mutual love and respect, is threatened by so many factors: economic burdens, moral ambiguity, cultural norms which undermine the foundations on which a solid marriage and family life can be built. It isn’t easy to make a marriage work, to build a strong and loving family.

So as we continue to pray for Pope Francis and all the delegates attending the Synod on the Family in Rome over the next few weeks, let us be grateful for the gift of our families, however imperfect. Let us continue to make of our parish a community, a family where each member has a special place at the table.

As you leave church today, you will be offered an apple. A simple gift. A gift of the earth. Apples are a fruit we can get pretty much year-round, and relatively cheaply. We tend to take them for granted. But an apple is also full of vitamins, and fiber, and natural sweetness: a symbol of human health and flourishing: popular wisdom suggests that it can even “keep the doctor away.”

As you receive this apple, let it speak to you. If you want to eat it on the way home, take a nice big bite and be grateful for the gift of your strong teeth; for the sweet, fresh flavour; for that crisp, crunching sound; for the nourishment it gives your body. You may choose to give it to someone. Think of the pleasure it will give to the one with whom you share this gift. You might even decide to pick up a few more apples at the store – or pick some from an orchard – and turn them into applesauce, or muffins, or apple crisp, or even a pie. If you do that, be thankful for your ability to cook, and for the friends or family who will eat what you have prepared. Be grateful for the union of God’s gift in creation and your own God-given gift as his creature. “Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.” Be conscious of the many and diverse ways in which God is gifting you. Then we will be truly thankful. Then the spirit of Thanksgiving will penetrate into our hearts, our homes, our families: for all who find a welcome at our table. Amen!