Thanksgiving Day
(Sirach 50:22-24; I Corinthians 1:3-9; Luke 17:11-19)
As we look around the Thanksgiving table, we likely realize
that we are most thankful for the people God has placed in our lives. We might be rich, talented, and good-looking,
but these qualities pale in comparison to the gifts of our parents, friends,
and associates. The latter, not the
former, have made our lives most meaningful and worthwhile. St. Paul in today’s reading from the beginning
of the First Letter to the Corinthians takes this perspective.
Paul lived for over a year in Corinth. He came to know the growing Christian community
there intimately. He saw the graces that
God bestowed on these people and probably which of these gifts would spill over
into excess. In today’s passage Paul
assures the Corinthians of his affection as he prepares to address some of their
excesses.
For many Americans Thanksgiving is the most welcomed holiday
of the year. It provides a respite from
the busyness of life. It calls families
and friends together for celebration. If
we are willing to go there, it occasions an honest evaluation of our strengths
and limitations. For the former we give
our Creator thanks. For the latter we petition
our Redeemer’s help.
