For many people, Thanksgiving is a favorite national holiday. Popularly, it involves traffic jams on the roads and at airports; turkey dinner with all the trimmings; gatherings of families and friends; watching football games on television; overeating and perhaps over drinking; too many desserts; references to the Pilgrims and Native Americans, and big city parades with Santa arriving at the conclusion to usher in the Christmas season. Unfortunately, all of these ignore the religious roots and the real meaning of Thanksgiving.
When President Lincoln in 1863 established the national holiday, his words were explicit and very clear about its purpose: giving thanks to God. “I therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States to set apart and observe the last Thursday in November as a Day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.”
Let’s keep God in this holiday. There are strong attempts, of which some are successful, to eliminate references to God in public discourse. Thanksgiving is a Day to Give Thanks to God. Thanking God is the focus of this national holiday.
Let that happen. Don’t let the day pass without saying a prayer of thanks to God. Name your blessings and thank the GIVER of those blessings. Perhaps when you gather for the meal, you would consider inviting and encouraging everyone around the table to name for what or for whom they are thankful to God. This would certainly be an interesting way to pray Grace before the meal: “I give you thanks, God, for …”
Many of our parishes schedule a Mass for Thanksgiving, either on the morning of the day or the evening before. The Eucharist is a prayer of thanksgiving to the Father through the Son. What a great way to celebrate Thanksgiving, by attending Mass and praying with the community of faith. Some of our parishes and schools collect food, which is distributed to those in need so that they will enjoy a festive Thanksgiving meal. A contribution to that collection is an expression of gratitude to God. The collect for the Mass of Thanksgiving prays: “as we come before you on Thanksgiving Day with gratitude for your kindness, open our hearts to have concern for every man, woman and child, so that we may share your gifts in loving service.” Reaching out with concern for others is an expression of gratitude for the blessings you have received from God.
The words of the Preface for the Mass of Thanksgiving Day recall the blessing of freedom we enjoy in our country: “You have entrusted to us the great gift of freedom, a gift that calls forth responsibility and commitment to the truth that all have a fundamental dignity before you.”
Because this is an American holiday, we are grateful for the blessings we have in this country – among them, the gift of freedom. Daily, we witness multitudes of people doing whatever they can to enter our country. What drives the majority of them is the desire for freedom, to live in “the land of the free.” Let’s not take for granted the freedom we enjoy in our country, for which some have given their lives.
When Pope Francis visited Independence Hall in Philadelphia in 2015, he reminded us that our religious freedom “has been given to you by God himself.” Religious freedom, which is under threat in our nation, needs our defense – perhaps more than ever. We should be able to celebrate and live out our faith in public settings and apply its truth to the public sphere. There are those who oppose us on the issue of religious freedom.
With gratitude to God for the many personal blessings we have received and with gratitude for the blessings we enjoy in our country, let us celebrate and enjoy Thanksgiving Day. Do what you can to include God in this year’s Thanksgiving holiday.
God bless America. Happy Thanksgiving.
Most Reverend Dennis J. Sullivan, D.D.
Bishop of Camden