With the coming of Advent and the upcoming changes in the mass we must take a breathand reflect upon the many things we have been blessed with the with the year. It is hard to conceive of society that does not take the time to offer thanks for all the blessings of been put upon during the year. Yet often this is what we see. I am of course talking about Thanksgiving. By October 1 there are many banners up to noting that it is time for Thanksgiving. Now I do not know what kind of night you have in your neighborhood come Thanksgiving but I do know that in my neighborhood Thanksgiving is all but gone as most adults do not wish to celebrate this event. But here is where the winter comes in as soon as the last piece of candy is sold up go the Christmas decorations. Now I must admit that I am no large fan of the commercialized Christmas that stocks our land. Pictures of cute little elves and Santa in his sleigh not to mention the happy elves working on toys is enough to set me to a migraine. I challenge each one of you to find a nativity set up anywhere you care to shop at. Unless of coarse you are shopping at a religious bookstore.
Now think how Thanksgiving is celebrated each and every year. Usually by November 20 you have your turkey already started to thaw. Though there are two schools of thought in the following statement one for women and one for men usually. That's does not say there are not exceptions to this rule. In the first instance one looks forward to cooking a large Thanksgiving meal in the same breath cries thought of the dishes the most who washed in the kitchen that must be cleaned. On the other side of the agenda is of course those who look forward to the football. They know that Thursday to Monday football games are on all over and their outlook is to lay back on the couch the like there's no tomorrow and watch football, however I would say if you are not used to these people do not stand in front of them during the football game. If there is a bad call that the person does not like and he has a mouth full of turkey sandwich. When he jumps up to yell about the call you could be struck by the turkey or bread traveling at 100 mph by a projectile called half chewed turkey. These type of injuries are perhaps the most common on Thanksgiving and could lead to blindness or at lease the thought of wearing some one's half chewed food all over your shirt or your face and Lord protect you, if you are caught between two or three of them because it the point of the bad call all three jump up and you feel you are being attacked with a machine gun. So there we are with our Thanksgiving. We have cooked, ate, watch football and even spent a few minutes praying over the food but we are about to eat giving thanks for it.
The courses begins the second part of Thanksgiving, some may call it Black Friday and others call it ridiculous. Another ridiculous part is people will spend four nights camped in front of a Best Buy in the attempt to lay their hands on a 40 inch LCD TV with the price tag of $120. Come rain, come snow ,come dark of night these people man their posts with a fierce grow at anybody tries to cut in line. Every year someone either get seriously wounded or killed as the store doors open up . But they are willing to face these dangers or a television set. This is sort of what we have become very materialistic and heaven help anybody that gets in the way. I have two sometimes lower my head and pray as what people willing to sacrifice to get that TV. I have to wonder what the martyrs of our faith have to say about that. St. Joan of arc Was burnt at the stake. Many of the martyrs were stone crucified and beheaded for their faith For our faith we are willing to wait outside for a couple of days to get the one super deal everybody else there is looking for also. It could almost make a person cry .So there it is the new Thanksgiving celebration that forgets God but never forgets where the 40 inch LCD television is at.
It is amazing how much as a society we have changed when it comes to days of offering prayer and thanks the many blessings we have received throughout the year. gone are the days of the early church service and then a family all help to the meal well Thanksgiving is explained to the children of the house. the meal is prayed over and the time of family togetherness is a welcome relief from the daily grind which we all need on occasion . everyone takes their time of togetherness instead of trying to stuff your face during the 3 1/2 min commercial break. Traditions are often the best way to pass down a small piece a family history and dinner time is also a great time to speak of God and family stories they can be passed down this is a good time to give children a sense of themselves as well as a sense of their Creator in this tradition is all too lost in the shopping and materialism of today . there are many events that I have not addressed yet and I will address them in future posts to come.
But I ask you.to open your minds and make a honest look at how you spend your Thanksgiving we will discuss other Subjects that. can cause. a Catholic To drink. Until then God Bless
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