Make a Difference

I was listening to PBS radio that told a story about Pakistan family that fears when our troops will come home in 2014. The reporter interviewed the father who shared that he fled Afganhastan 30 years ago when his family and neighbors were being killed. Now he lives in exile with his wife and children. At age 59, he works in a public market selling vegetables and believes he will never will return home. But he said that he is grateful to be alive with his family.

As you sit at your table with your family and friends, getting ready to consume 5,000 calories it might be a good opportunity to share what you are truly grateful for.

Most news everyday features the topics: scandals, storms (economic or weather) and war. However, at the end of the broadcast is a special feature entitled: “Making a Difference.” Tuesday night featured a story about a group of young volunteers who months ago were protesting the greed of Wall Street. Now, they were working to relieve the suffering of families without power in NYC. It showed the young people unloading trucks filled with food, water and blankets handling them side-by-side into a church in New Your City. The young people had names tags with only there first name and the story said that there were no leaders in the group just folks who had come to offer their services. It featured a call center that was taking emergency calls for help. It showed a grateful women walking out with plates of food and blankets. Finally, they interviewed a young man who was in a band ad he told the reporter that after the band’s concert, he drove the van to NYC to help. The reporter asked why was he doing this? He simply said: “I am a New Yorker helping other New Yorkers.” This is call of Christ.

Yesterday, I celebrated a Thanksgiving liturgy for the people of Holy Family. I called the service “Making a Difference” Sunday, because I wanted to express my gratitude for all the wonderful gifts they share with one another and their neighbors.

Instead of living in panic or fear, this faith community has chosen to be resilient. They rolled up their sleeves to clean and paint, wash and scrub the pews to make their church ready for prayer and service. They did the same thing with the rectory and the community provides shelter to homeless families.

I thanked each parishioner for their service and included our homebound and those in nursing homes who are a “powerhouse of prayer.” These people promised to pray for our future success in their daily prayers.

My surprise was a Thanksgiving gift that I crafted and provided to each parishioner. They were Thanksgiving napkins for their table, representing their service to God and neighbor. Inside the napkins I wrote this Thanksgiving meal prayer that you are encouraged to offer at your table this Thursday:

Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation!
Through your goodness we have so much
to be thankful for.

Make us grateful for all you have given us;
let our needs and desires not blind us to all we have.

Make us grateful for those who love us;
let no grudge or anger keep us from family and friends.

Make us grateful for those who are with us;
let no grief isolate us from their loving embrace.

Make us grateful for the good work we have done:
let our failures not weigh us down or blind us to your mercy.

Make us grateful for the freedom we enjoy; let our service men and women be safe and let us never take our freedom for granted.

Make us grateful for the peace we find in you;
let no resentment or past hurts take its place.

Make us grateful for our faith in you;
let no doubt or rejection keep us from your love.

Make us grateful for the meal we are about to share
and make us mindful of those who have so much less.

May we be strengthened to change
what keeps so many hungry while others have too much.

Give us grateful hearts, O God,
to praise and thank you

Blessed Thanksgiving, Fr. Matt