In a musical version of Charles Dicken's classic story "A Christmas Carol" the main character (Ebenezer Scrooge) at the end of the movie, after his conversion bellows out over and over agin; "THANK YOU VERY MUCH!" The practice of saying "thank you" to others who have done something or given something to us started with our parent's constant reminders to say "thank you" and "please" when we asked for something. If we were raised in a Christian family, hopefully we were taught to say "thank you" to God everyday for blessings received, especially the greatest blessing of sending his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ to the world!
The greatest Thanksgiving prayer we can offer is the Mass, the word eucharist means "Thanksgiving." So in the Eucharist (or Thanksgiving) Celebration, we are continually giving thanks to God. In the Gloria we say at one point, "we give you thanks for your great glory." At the end of the first two scripture readings on the weekend we say: "Thanks be to God." In the introduction to the Preface, the Celebrant of the Mass says "Let us give thanks to the Lord our God" and the congregation responds "It is right and just" (to give God thanks). The Preface and the Eucharistic Prayer have expressions of thanks to God, especially just before Jesus took the bread and then the cup and said those words that we refer to as the words of consecration changing the substance into His Body and Blood. Finally, as we are dismissed by the deacon or priest we say "Thanks be to God."
Unlike our country's calendar that has only one day called "Thanksgiving Day" we in the Church are blessed to have every day as a day to be thankful first to God and then to others and have the opportunity to share in the most beautiful and meaningful "Prayer of Thanksgiving" the Eucharistic Celebration.
As your pastor, I have reason too to give thanks to God for the gift of parishioners whose thanks to God is evident in words prayed at Mass and in deeds of service to others, especially those most in need!
The greatest Thanksgiving prayer we can offer is the Mass, the word eucharist means "Thanksgiving." So in the Eucharist (or Thanksgiving) Celebration, we are continually giving thanks to God. In the Gloria we say at one point, "we give you thanks for your great glory." At the end of the first two scripture readings on the weekend we say: "Thanks be to God." In the introduction to the Preface, the Celebrant of the Mass says "Let us give thanks to the Lord our God" and the congregation responds "It is right and just" (to give God thanks). The Preface and the Eucharistic Prayer have expressions of thanks to God, especially just before Jesus took the bread and then the cup and said those words that we refer to as the words of consecration changing the substance into His Body and Blood. Finally, as we are dismissed by the deacon or priest we say "Thanks be to God."
Unlike our country's calendar that has only one day called "Thanksgiving Day" we in the Church are blessed to have every day as a day to be thankful first to God and then to others and have the opportunity to share in the most beautiful and meaningful "Prayer of Thanksgiving" the Eucharistic Celebration.
As your pastor, I have reason too to give thanks to God for the gift of parishioners whose thanks to God is evident in words prayed at Mass and in deeds of service to others, especially those most in need!