Let me tell you of my great-aunt.
Everyone in our family had always thought of her as a very greedy person. She was considered as a money-lover. One of the reasons for such a thought was that whenever we asked her if we could give her any gift, she would respond, “Just give me some money.” Not just that, sometimes she didn’t even wait for us to ask, she would go to several houses of her relatives and friends, and ask herself, “Do you have any money for this old lady?”
Her children were embarrassed of her, and we, her relatives, were hesitant whenever she came around, because we know she would ask for money.
What was this 98 year-old lady doing with all the money that she got?
No one ever knew until after her death.
At the funeral, the parish priest began to tell the family how our great aunt used to walk to the rectory, old as she was with her little cane, and give him a bundle of money wrapped in several layers of paper. As it turned out, she went about asking us for money so that she could help out the parish to fix up the church building which was running down. Whatever she got from us, she gave it all to the parish while she herself lived in complete poverty.
Everyone in our family was stunned to hear the story. We had told her straight in the face several times that she was so greedy. She endured it all without a word of complain or explanation. The only person who knew the whole story was the parish priest.
Why telling this story on Thanksgiving Day?
Truly it is the day when we all are called to give thanks. We are called to acknowledge the blessings and gifts we have received.
Let us not forget, however, the many blessings that we have not yet become aware of, because those who perform such goodness are too generous to make themselves known:
- Mothers who sit through the night next to her sick children.
- Fathers, who work long hours, even several different jobs, to make sure there is food on the table for the family.
- Teachers who spend great energy trying to prepare to a good lesson.
- The garbage men who pick up the trash for us two times a week to make sure we won’t be drowned in our own garbage.
- The mailmen who always come despite the weather to make sure we get our mail in time.
- Most importantly, let us be mindful of the thousands men and women in the arm forces whose faces and names we do not know. These are the people whose sacrifices make it possible for us to live in peace and security. Let us also not forget their families, their spouses, their children, their parents.
There are many, many more!
Today the Vietnamese Church celebrates her 118 Holy Martyrs among thousands and thousands of people who had given up their lives for their faith. I am myself reminded of the gift of faith that these witnesses have given to our people. As Tertullian once said, “the blood of the Martyrs is the seed of Christians.”
Faith itself is a gift – a gift from God who works in silence.
We should be grateful to him!
As we gather today at the Table of the Eucharist which itself means Thanksgiving, let’s offer God our gratitude to the people whose sacrifices have become our blessings. Let’s offer God, from whom all good things come, our gratitude as well – the gratitude for our life, our family, our friends, our jobs, our faith, our everything.
As it is said, “A grateful heart is a joyful heart, and a joyful heart is a saintly heart.”
Happy Thanksgiving!
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