Five Things

When I think of Thanksgiving, my immediate thought is about the actual day of Thanksgiving and my family’s tradition. Family and friends gather at my cousin’s house in New Jersey and people travel from the states of New York, Florida, Utah, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and some from within the state of New Jersey too. We have a grand feast where we all bring something. We have turkey and ham, tons of sides, many pies, Fat Friar Cookies, and a pretty intense ping pong tournament. There are moments of joy and laughter as people catch up, and moments of sadness and remembrance of those who have gone before us. Last year there were 30 of us who gathered for Thanksgiving Day. This is just one day out of the year. What about the other 364 days of the year?

I have found that on other days of the year, gratitude is one of the easiest ways to connect with God. Gratitude is also one of the greatest ways to get out of self-pity or to get out of the dumps. Gratitude is simply a wonderful way to pray and realize how much God does indeed love us.

I had an experience with gratitude during a recent sacrament of Reconciliation. I was given the same penance that I had just given someone else. Right before I went to confession, I heard this fellow priest’s confession, and now he was hearing mine. He told me, “I am going to use a play from your play book.” I do not think I heard someone say that before in reference to me. I was nervous at first, not exactly 100% sure what he was going to say and then he said, “For your penance, you think of 5 things you are grateful for and thank God for them.” I never realized how powerful that penance was until it was given to me.

I invite those who are reading this to do the same, think of 5 things you are grateful for and thank God for them. May your 5 gratitudes be a moment of prayer and remind you how loved you are by God.