GIVE THANKS FOR IT ALL

Christian Hansen for The New York Times

Happy Thanksgiving everybody! This is the best time of the year in the Bronx. The people started lining up outside our friary at 3 AM. They were joyfully (mostly) waiting in the cold and rain for hours to receive a thanksgiving food bag and a blessing. How we are humbled by the Anawim, the little poor ones of God. It reminded me of 1 Cor 1: 26-29:

"For consider your call, brethren; not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth; but God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong, God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God."

Br. Innocent and Br. Tansi prepare some treats.

Today would be a great day to pray the Thanksgiving Canticle from Daniel 3:51-90, giving thanks to the Lord for everything. Here is a funny memory: We hosted some friars from Africa for a while. I sat next to Br. Emmanuel in the chapel, he was my chapel buddy. During the lines, "cold and chill" he would not answer "bless the Lord". During the lines, "fire and heat" I would not answer "bless the Lord". Sometimes we were laughing so much that we could barely finish the prayer. It is our faith that allows us to give thanks to God for it all.

Happy Thanksgiving!
+ Fr. Luke Mary Fletcher, CFR
   Yonkers, NY
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