The Valley Catholic November 19, 2019 | страница 3

tvc.dsj.org | November 19, 2019 IN THE DIOCESE 3 A Message of Gratitude from Bishop Cantú Dear brothers and sisters, Thanksgiving On Thanksgiving Day, millions of Americans will gather around the table to say grace, acknowledge and give thanks for the many blessings that God has bestowed upon them. This is a very special time when many dispersed families and loved ones gather not only to share a meal but also their mutual love and affection. As we reflect on God’s goodness and give thanks for the many gifts we have received from Him, let us recall and pray for our brothers and sisters who are experiencing hardships: the poor, the homeless, the sick, those mourning the loss of loved ones, pregnant women considering abortion, the lonely, refu- gees, migrants seeking a better life for their families, married couples and families struggling to live the joy of love, the incarcerated, and all those suf- fering from depression or other mental illnesses. May they experience the love and closeness of Christ in their lives. Thanksgiving in Scripture and the Eucharist Jesus instituted the Eucharist as an act of thanksgiving: “He took the bread, and giving thanks, broke it … He took the chalice, and once more giving thanks, he gave it to his disciples” (cf. Lk 22:19,17, 1 Cor 11:24). At Mass, a brief but important dia- logue reminds us what we are about: “Let us give thanks to the Lord our God… it is right and just. It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks, Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God.” Preparing our hearts for the season of Advent The Sunday following Thanksgiving Day brings us the Season of Advent and, with that, a new Liturgical Year. During Advent, we await in hopeful anticipation for the coming of Jesus. During the first two weeks of Advent, the Church invites us to reflect upon the Second Coming of Christ at the end of time. The remaining two weeks prepare us for the liturgical Season of Christmas where we meditate on the sacred mysteries of the birth of Jesus and the life of the Holy Family. To help us better experience the Sea- son of Advent, let us reflect upon some wisdom from the recently canonized Saint John Henry Newman: “Thus the soul is cast forward upon the future, and in proportion as its conscience is clear and its perception keen and true, does it rejoice solemnly that ‘the night is far spent, the day is at hand,’ that there are ‘new heavens and a new earth’ to come, though the former are failing; nay, rather that, because they are failing, it will ‘soon see the King in His beauty,’ and ‘behold the land which is very far off.’ These are feelings for holy men in winter and in age, waiting, in some dejection perhaps, but with comfort on the whole, and calmly though earnestly, for the Advent of Christ” (Parochial and Plain Sermons vol. V, “Worship, a Prepara- tion for Christ’s Coming”). I pray that during the short four weeks of Advent, we prepare the way for the Lord in our hearts and in our families as we prayerfully and joyfully await his coming. +Oscar Cantú Catholic Cemeteries: Paying “Thankful” Forward By Candee Lucas, Outreach 2 Corinthians 4:15; “Everything indeed is for you, so that the grace bestowed in abundance on more and more people may cause the thanksgiving to overflow for the glory of God.” As we sit down to Thanksgiving dinner this year let’s think about some- thing bigger than ourselves: After the holiday--turkey, football, pumpkins and Black Friday when we go back to our lives on Monday, let’s see what we can make happen. What do we take away from this holiday and how can we put back into the world? On Thanksgiving Day, we come together for sacred listening with family and friends, to give thanks for the bounty in our lives and hope to be worthy of the gifts we have been given. Having opened our hearts to one an- other, we will take that same feeling back into the world and practice the open-heartedness that is necessary for us to continue to live fully with others. We will take curiosity about each other back into the world with us so that we can continue to wonder. We take back a new appreciation for the faith experience of others. We will leave behind our doubts. We will look forward and not back- ward at life experiences that live in a shadowed past. We will take our hearts back into the world so that they may continue to be opened in compassion and love. Com- passion will be what we practice, lest it become off-hand or less than fulsome. We will take our trust back into the world so that we may not lose our marvel in the world and the humans and creatures that inhabit it with us. We will leave behind our fears. We will look to the future and see the pos- sibilities there. We will neither cower nor look at others with suspicion. We will refuse to give in to shallow doubts. We will learn to lean back into God’s embrace when we feel uneasy, let Him lead us and direct us. We will learn to be quiet in His presence. To let Him speak to us in the silence. To wait pa- tiently for His guiding hand. We will loosen our hold on our egos to allow God space to enter. We will seek the authenticity born of silent reflection, knowing we are united in our desires to be with God. We will sit and breathe, that most ancient form of prayer. Mostly, we hope to remain mindful, to allow God all the time and space He needs to be with us and with those who wish to travel with Him. Catholic Cemeteries is here to listen and walk with you and your family in times of sorrow. We hope to be of as- sistance and presence when you need us. We are here to support you now and on through your grief journey with our many ongoing grief support programs. For further information, contact us at [phone] or at [email protected] .