“It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks, Father most holy…” Always and everywhere giving God thanks. Have you ever stopped to think about these words we hear during the Eucharistic prayer at Mass? It’s a little easier said than done!
For many of us, the attitude of gratitude comes a little easier this week as we prepare to gather with family and friends for a scrumptious feast. We will enjoy good food and pleasant company, counting our abundant blessings feeling satisfied in life – at least for a day. But what about those who experience dread as this suppose-to-be-joyful day approaches, because of sadness, hurt, need or loneliness? And what about all the struggles we face throughout the year? How do we give thanks always and everywhere, even in times of sickness, financial challenge, relationship crisis or parenting stress? In his Eyes on Jesus podcast this month Archbishop of Detroit, Allen Vigneron, suggests these spiritual practices that can help:
1. Be honest with God. In your conversation with him acknowledge your difficulty and don’t pretend you’re feeling something other than you really feel. It’s OK to say to him, “Lord, I aspire to be thankful but I’m not.” Saying this doesn’t mean you’re less than committed to being thankful at all times, you’re just acknowledging that your struggle is real. Sometimes we wish things could be different than they are, but we just have to suffer through them; still, give thanks to God that he cares enough to hear what’s going on in your heart.
2. Get an ally. The Saints talk about uniting our hearts with Mary, or Jesus himself. Say, “Look Lord, I’m not doing this very well. In fact, I don’t feel like doing this at all right now, but I’m uniting this with the prayers of Mary.” And to Mary say, “Our Lady, I can’t do this right now. You’re going to have to do this for me.” And you should never feel guilty about asking Mary for help. Think of it this way, what if you had a friend who needed help, but didn’t feel like they could ask you for some reason? Wouldn’t you be sad and hurt that your friend didn’t feel like they could count on you? That’s how Mary feels when we don’t turn to her with our struggles.
3. Thank God ahead of time. Blessed Solanus Casey is well known for this spiritual practice, which encourages us to be abandoned to God’s will. “This is the ultimate goal of a Christian, to be configured to Christ in the self-gift of trust to the Father. What Fr. Solanus was asking people to do when they came to him and wanted his intercession was to give their unconditional ‘Yes’ to God; that if the prayer produced the miracle, thanks be to God. If the prayer didn’t produce the miracle God deserved to be thanked as well, because God always answers a prayer in the way that leads to our salvation and his glory, and we can’t want any more than that. He was inviting people not to make their commitment to God conditional, but unconditional,” Archbishop Vigneron says. Thanking God ahead of time also reminds us that he is present with us in every situation and it helps us to stay focused on him, watching to see how he’s at work in our lives.
This Thanksgiving and throughout the new liturgical year, let us strive to give God thanks always and everywhere. Spiritual practices like this will surely move our parish from maintenance to mission!
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