“Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.” 

— 1 Thess 5:16-18 

 

These are words that Paul wrote to the young Church that he had founded in Thessalonica.

 

The missionary work of St. Paul was anything but easy. Often it would not qualify as successful if judged from human standards. The Church at Thessalonica, for example, saw Paul persecuted and driven from the city. 

 

His opponents from Thessalonica followed him to subsequent stops to try and hinder his preaching and any rooting of the faith that might result. The faithful who embraced his message in Thessalonica also faced pressures and persecutions after he was gone.

 

With this background, we see that Paul’s admonition to the Thessalonians that they should, “In all circumstances give thanks” was not simply pious optimism. It was formation of their minds and hearts in the midst of difficulties. And he links it to the very will of God which all of us are to seek daily.

 

This Thursday is Thanksgiving Day. As we know, it is a civil holiday, first officially proclaimed nationally by Abraham Lincoln in 1863 at the height of the American Civil War. Still, it resonates with our faith. Consequently many people make going to Mass in the morning a part of their Thanksgiving celebration. The Eucharist of course means thanksgiving and it is our highest form of adoration and gratitude to God.

 

We naturally recognize that we are to say thanks for moments of joy, of happiness or for gifts that have been received. We wish, for example, to emulate the Samaritan leper who returned to thank Jesus for his cure. And we recognize lack of gratitude when the other nine never came back to do so.

 

A year like we are living through, however, gives us an opportunity to reflect upon giving thanks to God as an act of faith, even when times are tough. 

 

For the last 10 months, the coronavirus has dominated our lives. For a time, our physical presence at Mass and the sacraments has been restricted or regulated. People have learned to live with increased isolation. How hard that has been on residents of nursing facilities and on their families. Many have lost income or even their entire livelihood. And the numbers of positive tests are ominously rising again. 

 

We have also gone through a tremendous social upheaval this year. Controversy and anger over the death of George Floyd soon morphed into demonstrations that at times resulted in violence and attacks on our social structure, history and even on our church properties.

 

The Church herself continues to be marked by heroic acts of faith and witness, both locally and throughout the world. But scandals and confusion continue to remind us of the human element of the Church and the need for constant conversion.

 

Still, St. Paul has told us to give thanks in all circumstances. That means that we stop and thank God for the gift of life He has given us. We thank Him for the faith that leads us to the truth and to God’s will for us. We thank Him for our family and for our daily bread.

 

But it means we thank God also for grace to face every challenge. We thank Him for the strength to confront suffering with Jesus and to deepen our faith in the midst of confusion and even persecution.

 

In this our thanksgiving is like our need to forgive others. It is not at the easy moments, but at those most difficult when we thank God, that we most truly align our will to His.

 

In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. 

 

Happy Thanksgiving.