Bulletin reflection - St Jude Catholic Church - Pearl Mississippi - 24 November 2019

     This past week, we had our Mass of Remembrance at St Jude, remembering those loved ones from our parish family who had passed away throughout this past year.  As the names were read at the Mass, I recalled the funerals that I had as a priest for those deceased loved ones during this past year.  Remembering is a big part of our faith.  We remember the faithful departed, including the souls in purgatory, in our prayers in a special way during the month of November.  We remember the community of saints and those who passed down the faith to us in so many ways.  The Mass we celebrate each time we gather around the altar of the Lord is an act of remembrance.  In the Eucharist and in its consecration, our community remembers the first Eucharist and the Last Supper that Jesus celebrated with his disciples.  As a priest, I remember those who helped me discern my vocation to the priested, those who taught me in formation and seminary, those who have taught me about the faith through their words and actions.  

       Besides the act of remembering, what also stands out to me in this month of November is the importance of giving thanks as we celebrate our national holiday of Thanksgiving this upcoming week.  In the spirituality of St Ignatius of Loyola that I experienced in my retreat in Spain last summer, the act of giving thanks was emphasized as an essential component of living out our Catholic faith. In fact, according the St Ignatius, ingratitude is the worst kind of sin. Unfortunately, we seem to live in a society were giving gratitude and thanks is not the norm anymore.  Perhaps we can have a sense of entitlement to something and not feel that we need to show thanks.  But in our faith, giving thanks is central.  The word “eucharist” actually means "thanksgiving." In the holy Eucharist, we receive the sacrament of our salvation that Jesus Christ accomplished on the cross. We participate in Christ’s sacrifice of praise to the Father, giving thanks for the work of creation. Through Christ, the Church offers this sacrifice of praise in thanksgiving for what God has made good and beautiful both in humanity and in all of creation.   

       In our busy world, so many things can draw our attention and occupy our time.  Let us pause this week to remember and to give thanks.