Saint Squanto? Thanksgiving 2019

A man was choking on a bone. Immediately he called for a doctor who quickly removed it.

"What do I owe you" asked the victim.

The doctor replied, "How about the amount you were ready to pay while the bone was still stuck in your throat?"

Yes, how quickly and easily we sometimes forget!

St. Paul did not have a routine pattern for giving thanks, but the overall view was that he paints a picture of himself as a model of a person who is constantly rejoicing, praying, and giving thanks.

E.g. in Thessalonians, Paul is thankful whenever he mentions them, and his entire relationship with them is based on the day when they will stand together before God (3:13).

In the spirit of St. Paul who expressed thanksgiving in varied ways, so will I, through some highlights—

1. Saint Squanto? 1621 May Flower pilgrims that landed at Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts. Half died upon arrival there, but it was an Indian speaking English, Squanto, that astounded them and helped them survive by teaching them how to grow corn, etc. Squanto had been enslaved by the English and freed by Spanish Franciscans who catechized him in the Catholic faith and baptized him.

—Of course, the first two historical Thanksgiving celebrations in what would become the United States happened on Sept. 8, 1565 in St. Augustine, Florida and in what is now Texas on April 30, 1598.

Both times, they had Mass, and then dined on duck, goose, fish, etc.

Gratitude is born out of intentional awareness

The word gratitude is derived from the Latin word gratia, which means grace, graciousness, or gratefulness (depending on the context). In some ways gratitude encompasses all of these meanings.

In the Eucharistic Prayer, thanks is given to God for the whole work of salvation, and the offerings become the Body and Blood of Christ.

With gratitude, people acknowledge the goodness in their lives. In the process, people usually recognize that the source of that goodness lies at least partially outside themselves.

e.g. A retreat master once suggested asking God for 5 more breaths and giving thanks after taking them as a reminder that we depend on God for everything.

There are some notable exceptions to the generally positive results in research on gratitude. One study found that middle-aged divorced women who kept gratitude journals were no more satisfied with their lives than those who did not.

Another study found that children and adolescents who wrote and delivered a thank-you letter to someone who made a difference in their lives may have made the other person happier — but did not improve their own well-being.

This finding suggests that gratitude is an attainment associated with emotional maturity.

Regardless of the inherent or current level of someone's gratitude, it's a quality that individuals can successfully cultivate further.

So how does thankfulness affect your sleep? [from Cigna’s Omada Program]:

Think of it like a warm glass of milk for your anxious – or overly busy – mind. In one study, participants who kept a gratitude journal didn't just doze off faster, but slept longer and woke feeling more refreshed than their less mindful peers.

Thankfully, no complicated strategy is needed to incorporate gratitude into your bedtime routine. Before you turn in, simply write down (or just think about) one or more things from the day that you're grateful for. Go for quality over quantity: Remembering one meaningful event in detail will impact you more than a long but superficial list. And, whenever you can, focus on people rather than things — gratitude for others releases more of the warm, fuzzy feelings that can lull you to sleep.

Going back to today’s Gospel on the one cured leper, out of ten, who returned to give thanks to Jesus:

"Why didn't I write that thank you note?" Why didn't I stop and call that person?" Friend, it's not too late so do it today.

Amen.