Thanksgiving Vigil: Nov. 21st, 2007
This coming Friday is known as the “Black Friday.” I know many of you will be braving the parking lot at 4 in the morning at Walmart. Good luck. Meanwhile, my brother-in-law and I will be staking out a Bestbuy at 4 in the morning in Dallas, Texas.
A week ago at a school mass here, I asked the students to imagine one gift that they wanted for Christmas. Then I wanted to find out how much their gifts were going to cost their parents. I saw only one or two hands went up when I asked them whether it cost below $10. Quite a few more hands went up at $50, but most of the hands went up at $100 and above. I feel your pain, parents and grandparents, because this Christmas will be a costly one for you.
Now I would like to ask you to do the same exercise. I want you to imagine one gift that you want for Christmas. Since we are big boys and girls, I’ll start at $50. $100…$200…$500…$1000…$2000. At that price, I’ll bet you want a new HDTV.
Now let me give you something to think about. Few days after that school mass, one of the students approached me and said, “Deacon Paul, my Christmas present costs my parents nothing.” I said, “Really? What is it?” The student said, “My parents are separated, and I want them to be back together.” I was speechless.
What that student said puts everything into perspective doesn’t it? Of all the gifts that we can buy with money for each other, one gift costs nothing but is priceless—that is, the gift of ourselves to each other. The essence of Thanksgiving is not about shopping, football, or pigging out, but thanking God for placing family and friends as gift in our lives. It’s all about that gratitude.
This morning I went to Our Lady of Lake Hospital to visit our sick parishioners, and I told them about this student to an elderly lady who was in the hospital with a broken hip. Her daughter was there with her. They were planning to spend the Thanksgiving and the rest of the weekend at the hospital. But they were thankful that the whole family could spend the time together even if it was at the hospital. The student who made us think today has gained a great many strangers who will pray for him. I know we all have estranged family members and friends in our lives. Why don’t we ask Our Lord during Communion to ask Him to look after them and to bring them back into our lives?
A week ago at a school mass here, I asked the students to imagine one gift that they wanted for Christmas. Then I wanted to find out how much their gifts were going to cost their parents. I saw only one or two hands went up when I asked them whether it cost below $10. Quite a few more hands went up at $50, but most of the hands went up at $100 and above. I feel your pain, parents and grandparents, because this Christmas will be a costly one for you.
Now I would like to ask you to do the same exercise. I want you to imagine one gift that you want for Christmas. Since we are big boys and girls, I’ll start at $50. $100…$200…$500…$1000…$2000. At that price, I’ll bet you want a new HDTV.
Now let me give you something to think about. Few days after that school mass, one of the students approached me and said, “Deacon Paul, my Christmas present costs my parents nothing.” I said, “Really? What is it?” The student said, “My parents are separated, and I want them to be back together.” I was speechless.
What that student said puts everything into perspective doesn’t it? Of all the gifts that we can buy with money for each other, one gift costs nothing but is priceless—that is, the gift of ourselves to each other. The essence of Thanksgiving is not about shopping, football, or pigging out, but thanking God for placing family and friends as gift in our lives. It’s all about that gratitude.
This morning I went to Our Lady of Lake Hospital to visit our sick parishioners, and I told them about this student to an elderly lady who was in the hospital with a broken hip. Her daughter was there with her. They were planning to spend the Thanksgiving and the rest of the weekend at the hospital. But they were thankful that the whole family could spend the time together even if it was at the hospital. The student who made us think today has gained a great many strangers who will pray for him. I know we all have estranged family members and friends in our lives. Why don’t we ask Our Lord during Communion to ask Him to look after them and to bring them back into our lives?
