Thanksgiving @ St. Apollinaris Church

HOMILY - THANKSGIVING DAY
NOVEMBER 24, 2016
7:00 AM, 10:00 AM (THU) ORDINARY FORM MASS

Today we have joined together to commemorate our national holiday of Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is historically connected to a 1621 event in Plymouth Plantation in Massachusetts. Those in attendance were the roughly 50 survivors of the Mayflower’s original 100 who had endured the ocean voyage, and 90 native Americans.

Theologically, the pilgrims at Plymouth Plantation were Calvinist separatists – who wanted nothing to do with the Anglican Church. As contrasted with the Puritans who founded the Massachusetts Bay Colony who while also Calvinists sought to remain within – in order to reform – the Anglican Church.

The famous Indian known as Squanto – technically Tisquantum – was originally kidnapped by an English explorer who brought him to England. He was eventually sold to Spanish monks, who freed him, instructed him in the Catholic Faith, and paid for his return to America.

On his return, he found his entire tribe – the Patuxet – dead from smallpox.

Over the next two years, he assisted the pilgrims at Plymouth Plantation due to his facility in the English language, and helped establish a peaceful alliance between the pilgrims and the Wampanoag tribe.

The first 1621 Thanksgiving lasted three days, and was recorded by two historians. The exact date is unknown but is considered to have been around the Feast of Saint Michael.

On October 3, 1789, President George Washington issued a proclamation that said, in part:

"Now therefore do I recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November … to be devoted … to the service of that great and glorious Being … [to] all unite in rendering … our sincere and humble thanks …"

74 years later, President Abraham Lincoln designated it as a permanent national holiday, calling upon all citizens and residents to,

"observe the last Thursday of November … as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who [dwells] in the Heavens."

Contemporary historians present alternatives to the Pilgrims. Many other locations claim to have been the first “first” thanksgiving.

Florida claims Ponce de Leon’s celebration in 1513. Texas claims an event celebrating the victory of Coronado in 1541. Virginia and Maine claim an event in 1607.

Nonetheless, the imagery of the 1621 event is embedded in our imaginations and is part of our own national history … or perhaps mythology.

How fitting that we have gathered here this morning to give thanks to God Almighty through the Eucharistic sacrifice of the Mass. As the word Eucharist itself means “thanksgiving,” let us be attentive to the prayers of the Mass which call to mind this spirit of gratitude.

Our readings from the Old Testament and St. Paul’s Letters both reflect on giving thanks for God’s grace and peace, and the abundant gifts He pours out on – us – His Holy People..

While in the Gospel, we hear how even Jesus Himself struggled to elicit gratitude from people – He only had a 10% success rate.

Perhaps its human nature. We have to work at gratitude. We have to make an effort at being thankful.

Research in positive psychology has concluded that:

"gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships."

As we approach this altar to receive the Sacred Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ – the Holy Eucharist … a Greek word that means – thanksgiving and gratitude – let us offer a prayer of thanksgiving to Our Lord and God for the benefits we have received in our lives from His most gracious hand.

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