Thanksgiving

What does Thanksgiving mean if we are not allowed to “take a bus, take a train, go and hop an airplane” to make it for dinner with loved ones? Everything we know about this holiday involves gathering with family and friends. We grew up with Marcie’s words of wisdom, “Thanksgiving is more than eating, Chuck. We should just be thankful for being together. I think that’s what they mean by ‘Thanksgiving’, Charlie Brown.”

Listening to the evening news, it may sound as though there is not much to be thankful for this year. Many families are struggling and people are isolated from the safety nets that usually keep them safe. These are real people with real needs. Our neighbors and our friends. What can we find to celebrate?

This year we have a unique opportunity to be the messengers of joy in our community. We invite you to share the Joy of Life with all those you encounter, as we head into the holiday season and beyond. Greater than any misfortune, we know that our joy comes from the life we have been given. Our lives are a gift! They are meant to be shared with others. Here are five things to be thankful for:

We find the Joy of Life in the smallest things. A child’s smile, a beautiful day, an opportunity to help someone in need. Every life is a gift to be treasured, even on the darkest days. Our joy can radiate and change a situation, a moment, and the whole world! We are thankful for the gift of life!
Front-line healthcare workers might miss Thanksgiving dinner this year because they are working to help those who are suffering. The coronavirus is strong, but the courage and empathy of our healthcare workers is stronger still. We are thankful for kind, compassionate, courageous healthcare workers!
Throughout the pandemic, we have witnessed incredible acts of mercy! Churches, schools, and community organizations rally people in every neighborhood to help neighbors in need. We are thankful for an increase in empathy in our community and we pray this continues long after the pandemic is over!
Zoom fatigue notwithstanding, this year would never have been possible without amazing technology that unites us across miles. We work from home, do school from home, even attend Mass and worship from home. We are thankful for technology that brings us close even when we need to stay far apart!
This is not a time to stand idly by while others get involved. This year has taught us that rolling up our sleeves and asking how we can help is the greatest act of mercy. We are thankful that we can share the Joy of Life with others by helping those in need—in our own families, our neighborhoods, or across the globe!

Will Thanksgiving look different this year. Absolutely! But, we have the opportunity to make it better than ever if we share the Joy of Life around the dinner table, even if that means sharing on a screen or a phone! Turkey, stuffing, pumpkin pie? Yes! AND, gratitude for our gift of life, now more than ever!

If you are in need of help this holiday season, please reach out to Hearts to Serve: 855-423-6780

*This hotline is a voicemail system, and calls will be returned on weekdays from November 30- December 21, and then continue again January 4.

If you would like to help families in need, send a note to: oljp@la-archdiocese.org