Dear Parishioners:
Patriots celebrate Thanksgiving Day
It’s hard to believe, but we celebrate Thanksgiving Day this Thursday. We watch football games on Thanksgiving Day, and the dining room tables are filled with delicious food. However, this can overshadow the real importance and meaning of Thanksgiving. The English Catholic writer G.K. Chesterton said: “The worst moment for an atheist is when he is really thankful and has no one to thank.”
Thanksgiving Day, first and foremost, is a day to thank God for our blessings and bounty. Scripture is filled with praise and Thanksgiving to God for all He has done for His people. The readings for Thanksgiving Day Mass reflect this gratitude to God, particularly the Gospel story of the ten lepers whom Jesus cured and the one Samaritan who returned to thank Him.
While most Americans know the Puritan history of Thanksgiving Day, some historians claim that the first Thanksgiving was actually a Catholic celebration. More than 50 years before the Mayflower’s arrival to these shores, a group of Spanish colonists celebrated Mass and had a feast with native Timucuans in what would become the oldest settlement in the U.S. — St. Augustine, Florida. Some suggest this was the first Thanksgiving.
Historians also point to a different group of Spaniards led by Don Juan de Oñate, who, in 1598, journeyed through the dangerous Chihuahuan Desert that spans northern Mexico and southern Texas, seeking to colonize the American southwest. After safely reaching the Rio Grande, Franciscan missionaries offered a Mass of Thanksgiving for the colonists, and a great feast with the natives followed.
The Spaniards eventually settled at Santa Fe. The Texas Almanac notes that various historians point to this event and the new settlement as milestones of Spanish influence in America – “one of hundreds of towns the Spanish had already established in the New World” before the arrival of the Puritans at Plymouth.
Thanksgiving at Plymouth, 1925, Brownscombe.
Even if these other “first Thanksgiving” were not celebrated as the original Thanksgiving, the traditionally held Thanksgiving with the Puritans did have a Catholic attendee — Squanto. He was the Native American who taught the Puritan settlers survival techniques in their new land. Years prior, he had been captured by the English and freed by Franciscans who educated and catechized him.
When those Spanish priests stopped to celebrate a Mass of Thanksgiving, it was the most Catholic thing to do. It is part of our faith as Catholics to thank God for the many blessings he has bestowed on us. Most importantly, we give thanks for the gift of his son, Jesus Christ, who suffered, died, and rose for us and our salvation.
As Catholics, we celebrate Thanksgiving every time we come to Mass. The word Eucharist comes from the Greek word for Thanksgiving and is a reminder that, as followers of Christ, we have much to be thankful for. We are thankful for his love and his mercy. We are thankful for the Catholic faith passed on to us by the Communion of Saints. In our gratitude, we find peace and joy.
Our experience as Catholics shows the path to a fulfilling and joyful life. To be happy is to be grateful. We are called to share our gratitude, bounty, and blessings with others. That is the lesson of the Thanksgiving feast. So, this Thanksgiving, be the face, hands, and feet of Christ to all you encounter. Share the mercy and love God has given us. Act generously and charitably to those in need.
Gather not only around the dinner table with family and friends but, most importantly, gather at the Altar of God, where we celebrate the eucharistic Thanksgiving. Join us in giving God thanks on Thanksgiving Day at 9:00 am Mass. There is no better way to offer God our gratitude than attending Holy Mass. St. Teresa of Avila said: “In all created things discern the providence and wisdom of God, and in all things give Him thanks.”
We wish you a Happy Thanksgiving Day. Be assured of our prayers for your safe travel and blessing for the holiday. I am traveling to my Sister’s home in Saratoga, NY, for Thanksgiving Day Dinner. Do good. Be well. God Bless. I’ve given up on the Pats. Bring on the draft!! Happy Thanksgiving