Thinking about Thanksgiving in the Gospels

Do you know where the word “Eucharist” comes from?  It derives from Greek, in which the word means “thanksgiving.”  Whenever we gather to celebrate the Eucharist, we give thanks to God for having saved us from unending death and offering us a seat at His heavenly banquet, already anticipated in this world in the Blessed Sacrament.

The Catholic Church in the United States has a Votive Mass for Thanksgiving Day.  Have we come to include Eucharist – “thanksgiving” – in our Thanksgiving Day schedules?

Fr. Felix Just, S.J., has an excellent article about “Thanksgiving in the New Testament” [https://catholic-resources.org/Bible/Thanks.htm ].  I want to draw out two points for your meditation today:

·        When the Gospels speak of “giving thanks,” they are all connected with giving glory to God.  Now, it’s not that God needs our praise, although He has a right to it.  Our giving God praise and thanksgiving expresses two things.  First, we recognize that we are creatures who depend on our Creator for everything we have (including the grace inspiring us to thank Him).  Second, a proper understanding of thanksgiving and praise recognizes we do this out of love of God for whom He is and not just because of what He’s done for us (important as that is).  We express our assent to that latter truth every time we say the Gloria at Mass: “we give you thanks for your great glory” (not “for everything you’ve done for us”).

·        On almost every occasion that the Gospels speak of giving “thanks”  it occurs in connection with food.  The accounts of Jesus multiplying the loaves to feed the hungry crowds is preceded by His giving thanks.  The accounts of institution of the Eucharist emphasize particular actions, already anticipated in those multiplications of the loaves and accentuated in the Eucharistic Prayer at Mass: He “took,” “gave thanks,” “broke,” and ‘gave.”  Listen at Mass today.  And consider that as you pray before your Thanksgiving feast (asking whether your family might also need to adopt Grace before Meals on a daily basis).

The only time the Gospels use “thanks” where it is not accepted is the Parable of the Pharisee and the Publican.  In that text, the Pharisee “gives thanks” that “I am not like other people” (Lk 18:11).  Jesus summarizes the parable by noting the Pharisee went away unjustified.  One cannot love the God one does not see if he hates the brother he does (I Jn 4:20).

          One of the Gospel texts for Thanksgiving Day’s Votive Mass is the parable of the ten lepers who seek Jesus’s healing.  He sends them to show themselves to the priests.  En route they are healed.  Of the ten only one – a Samaritan “foreigner” – comes back to give thanks. 

          Thanksgiving Day might at first seem a strange place to put the parable of the ten lepers.  Our celebration is usually positive and festive.  Ten men sick with a mortal disease seems discordant.  That leprosy is also often a Biblical allusion to sin seems even more afield.

          But it’s not.  Thanksgiving is especially appropriate for those blessings we tend to assume but overlook, including our health.  We often take it for granted until, perhaps, one reaches a certain age when so “simple” a thing as walking proves challenging on account of a knee.  And Thanksgiving is not intended just to number the ‘good stuff’ we have but also the bad from which we have been saved – and there is nothing worst than sin.  These, too, are things we should not take for granted, especially on Thanksgiving.