This makes me think... being thankful all my days...

Thank you, Lord


My Father, you have carried me through
     wanderings
     and loved me through my rebelliousness.


I praise you.


You have given me untold riches:
     friends to love,
     beauty to enjoy,
     quiet spaces.


I praise you for life on this planet,
     for trust between people,
     and the unimaginable gift of the gospel.


Keep me thankful all my days,
that, against all the odds,
I may never lose sight 
of hope and delight.

---Angela Ashwin, A Little Book of Healing Prayers.

Among Women ReadHER 11.26.11 Mass Translation, Mass Confusion, Mass Participation...

Among Women ReadHer

11.26.11

When Thanksgiving is Filled with Turkeys
By Fr. James Martin SJ at Patheos.com
A bit late for the actual holiday, but soooo much of this is applicable to the forthcoming Christmas celebrations!


Sharing With Others
By Rachel Balducci at Testosterhome
A little bit on the joy of girls, and a little bit of loving on the strangers we meet.


31 Elaborate Marriage Proposals
Posted at MentalFloss
Hey, I'm just happy that people STILL want to get married, despite the high stats on cohabitation, and people who eschew marriage! (Altho', theologically and biologically speaking, I believe we are made for marriage, and the ultimate marriage feast of the Lamb, but I digress...) Don't know how many Catholics are represented here, but surely a few clever romantics!


Saying Good-Bye to the Old English Translation of the Mass
By Patrice Fagnant MacArthur at Spiritual Woman
It's ok to say you will miss the old translation. It's healthy, even, to say that this will be hard for you, for us. 


Pope Benedict XVI on Children and Prayer
By Lisa Hendey, at Faith and Family Live
So simple, so true, so easy to share. (So often folks think of B16 as this giant theological intellectual... and *ahem* he is... but he is also a great, humble, Papa who speaks to the moment, even with children.)


Jesus' Eager Desire: Our Participation at Sunday Mass
By Cardinal Sean O'Malley of the Archdiocese of Boston (as found in The Pilot)
Excellent catechesis for everyone everywhere (not just us folks in MA) on our relationship with Jesus in the Eucharist, and our relationships with the people in the pews next to us in our parishes. Long letter, but worth it. Share it with your loved ones.


Did you see the pilot episode for the sitcom Mass Confusion? If not, you can catch it on demand at Catholic TV.

Happy Thanksgiving from Our House to Yours... "Now Thank We All Our God" - JS Bach

Now thank we all our God, 
 with heart and hands and voices, 
 who wondrous things has done, 
 in whom this world rejoices; 
 who from our mothers' arms 
 has blessed us on our way 
 with countless gifts of love, 
 and still is ours today.

O may this bounteous God 
 through all our life be near us, 
 with ever joyful hearts 
 and blessed peace to cheer us; 
 and keep us still in grace, 
 and guide us when perplexed; 
 and free us from all ills, 
 in this world and the next.

All praise and thanks to God 
 the Father now be given; 
 the Son, and him who reigns 
 with them in highest heaven; 
 the one eternal God, 
 whom earth and heaven adore; 
 for thus it was, is now, 
 and shall be evermore.

Text: Martin Rinkart; Trans. by Catherine Winkworth 

Among Women Podcast # 117 The Gifts We Are to Each Other

Among Women 117 celebrates Thanksgiving with a reminder on how we are all connected by baptism to the Body of Christ by sharing a story of bread and wine from St. Francis de Sales... you may look at the bread you serve and the wine you drink a little differently after that.

Then the first segment describes one of the saints from the liturgical calendar this week, on Nov 25, St. Catherine of Alexandria. She was a 4th century martyr who died followed standing up to the Emperor for his persecution of Christians.

Guests this week are co-authors Patti Armstrong and Theresa Thomas who introduce their book Stories for the HomeSchool Heart. 

The Fun Quotient: Thanksgiving edition

Kids Thanksgiving Riddles....

(answers below)
A. Why did the turkey cross the road?

B. If April showers bring May flowers, what do May flowers bring?

C. What key has legs but can't open doors?

D. Why do turkeys alway "gobble gobble"?

Riddle Answers: A. It was the chicken's day off!  B. Pilgrims.  C. A turkey.  D. Because they never learned any good table manners.

Happy Thanksgiving from our house to yours!

I will give thanks 

to the LORD


with my whole heart;

I will tell of all thy wonderful deeds.


I will be glad and exult in thee,


I will sing praise to thy name, 


O Most High!

 Because God blesses the human heart, 

it can in return bless him 
who is the source of every blessing.

~Catechism of the Catholic Church, par. 2645.

The Perfect Thanksgiving Has Nothing to Do with Turkey

My latest article over at Catholic Exchange's "Grow" channel gives me a chance to share a few reflections about thanksgiving in my own life, and what it means for the Church.  Here's a teaser from my on-going column, "Embracing the Catechism":

Every single offering of the Eucharist is a time to count our blessings and to praise and thank God for his gifts.

It really defines Catholics as a thanksgiving people.  The Eucharist perfects our expression of it, as a kind of gratitude par excellence.

Thanksgiving itself has held a few watershed events for me, moments that have been intensely personal, and yet full of God’s bounty for me, for which I have returned the gift of my gratitude many times over through the years.

One Thanksgiving morning in the mid-90s, I learned what it means to be a walking answer to someone else’s prayer. In the aftermath of surviving breast cancer and a veritable rebuilding of my torso and my life, a friend looked me in the eye through happy-tears saying she was thanking God for my life that day. Her words reminded me that God is still in the business of answering prayers. Every. Single. Day. And so it must be with our thanks. Every. Single. Day.

Another Thanksgiving, my husband and I found out we were expecting a child.

And still another, I attended a very large dinner celebration with our extended family, celebrating my in-laws’ 50^th wedding anniversary. How wonderful that they were married on Thanksgiving! Their love is a happy reminder each year that thanksgiving in marriage ought to be a way of life. 

Of course, there's more... 

Oh, to be thankful for the gift of Lent...

My latest over at Today's Catholic Woman.

Grateful

Prayer at Harvest and Thanksgiving

O God, source and giver of all things,

You manifest your infinite majesty, power and goodness

In the earth about us:

We give you honor and glory.

For the sun and the rain,

For the manifold fruits of our fields:

For the increase of our herds and flocks,

We thank you.

For the enrichment of our souls with divine grace,

We are grateful.

Supreme Lord of the harvest,

Graciously accept us and the fruits of our toil,

In union with Jesus, your Son,

As atonement for our sins,

For the growth of your Church,

For peace and love in our homes,

And for salvation for all.

We pray through Christ our Lord. Amen.

From Living God’s Justice: Reflections and Prayers, compiled by The Roundtable Association of Diocesan Social Action Directors

HT: American Catholic

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