Sunday:       Thanksgiving Day
Date:         October 13, 2014
Year:         A
The readings: [Col. 3:12-17; Mt. 7:7-12]
The message:  Give thanks to God the Father through Jesus.
Prepared by:  Catholic Doors Ministry
Total words:  881 

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My brothers and sisters in Christ, when we pray, it is very noticeable how human nature takes over. We praise the Lord and we continously ask for favours, be it financial assistance, health, wealth, virtues, and the list goes on. But rarely do we give thanks to the Lord Jesus, taking His blessings for granted as if He is obligated to give them to us. And we call ourselves "Christians." Are not Christians supposed to be grateful of their blessings?

Today, we celebrated "Thanksgiving Day." What is "Thanksgiving Day?" It is a national holiday that is celebrated mainly in the United States and in Canada as a day of giving thanks to God for the blessing of the harvest and of the preceding year. Other countries around the world observe similar celebrations. In the United States, it is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. In Canada, it is celebrated on the second Monday of October. This Feast has its historical roots in religious and cultural traditions.

Throughout the Holy Bible, in both, the Old and New Testament, God commands us to give thanks. I would like to share with you some of those Biblical passages.

"Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods." [Ps. 95:2-3]

"I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. For in him you have been enriched in every way--in all your speaking and in all your knowledge." [1 Cor. 1:4-5]

"All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day." [2 Cor. 4:15-16]

"You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God." [2 Cor. 9:11-12]

"For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. [Eph. 1:15-16]

"For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer." [1 Tim. 4:4-5]

"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever." [1 Chro. 4:4-5]

"I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High." [Ps. 7:17]

"The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song." [Ps. 28:7]

"Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name." [Ps. 100:4]

"Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever." [Ps. 106:1]

"In that day you will say: "Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted." [Is. 12:4]

"The sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom, and the voices of those who bring thank offerings to the house of the Lord, saying, "Give thanks to the Lord Almighty, for the Lord is good; his love endures forever." For I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were before,' says the Lord." [Jer. 33:11]

"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." [Col. 3:17]

"Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." [1 Thes. 5:18]

Indeed, give thanks in all circumstances [1 Thes. 5:18] Give thanks for the life that you have. After all, God did not have to create you.

Give thanks for your family, for your friends, for your job, for your health, for the roof on your head, for the food on your table, for the wealth with which you have been blessed, for each day that you live, for your faith as a Catholic, for the weather, for all things, big and small. For nothing comes your way unless it has been directed towards you by the grace of God.

My friends, may this day be a special day for you during the liturgical year. May it be the day that you will remember the most to give thanks to go in your every action and words.

May the grace of God shine on you and your loved ones.

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The readings...

[The readings were taken from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible (C) 1989 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Church of Christ in the United States of America.]

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First Reading...

"As God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let he peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." [Col. 3:12-17]

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Gospel Reading...

"Gathered on the hillside with the disciples, Jesus began to teach them:

'Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

If there anyone among you who, if your child asks for bread, will give a stone? Or if the child asks for a fish, will give a snake? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets.'" [Mt. 7:7-12]

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