Giving Thanks this Thanksgiving

When asked by a Pharisee which commandment of the law is the greatest, Christ responds “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself (MAT 22:36-40).” These two commandments summarize the Ten Commandments given to Moses by the Lord, with the first 3 dealing with our love for God and the second seven dealing with how we interact with our neighbors. The way we treat our neighbors is clearly an important part of our Catholic faith, with the Church teaching us that our attitude toward our neighbor directly reflects our acceptance or refusal of God’s divine grace and love. The judgment we face at the end of our lives (known as the particular judgement), then, will be based on how we followed Christ’s command to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and visit the sick and those in prison (MAT 25:35-40).

Thanksgiving seems to provide the perfect opportunity to reflect on these aspects of our faith. As we are giving thanks for all of the good we have in our lives, we should also strive to bring more good into the world in order to continue Christ’s work of proclaiming the kingdom of God. The corporal works of mercy, which instructs us to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, visit the sick, visit the imprisoned, and bury the dead are great ways for us to live our Baptismal promises. The spiritual works of mercy, which instruct us to counsel the doubtful, instruct the ignorant, admonish sinners, comfort the afflicted, forgive offenses, bear wrongs patiently, and pray for the living and the dead are acts of compassion that we should strive to incorporate in our daily lives.

But how can we get started? Small steps are generally the best. Spend an hour in adoration, bringing not your needs but the needs of others before the Lord. Pray for the living and the dead, with special intentions for those in Purgatory. Volunteer your time at a soup kitchen or organize a coat drive to give comfort to those suffering in these winter months. Reach out to your local Catholic Charities to inquire how you can help in their food pantries or shelters. We all have time, talent, or treasure that we can devote to these causes. God is offering His love and grace freely and openly to us all, we just need to say yes!