“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.
With rejoicing hearts, give thanks! In 1789, President George Washington declared November 26th as a national day of thanksgiving. Then, in 1863, Abraham Lincoln declared the fourth Thursday of November as the day of thanksgiving. Finally, Thanksgiving became a federal holiday in the U.S. in 1941.
A day of gratitude is good for a nation.
How wonderful is it that our country has a holiday devoted to giving thanks for our lives? Consider the timing of these three declarations. First, George Washington was the first president. Furthermore, Washington led us through the revolutionary war with England. Then, n the wake of the war and his presidency, Washington built this new nation with gratitude to God. In addition,1863 was the midpoint of the Civil War. Not only did Lincoln want to remind the nation that no matter our differences and hardships, we must stop and thank God. Furthermore, keeping a semblance of peace was a priority to Lincoln. Then, in 1941 we were in the midst of World War 2.
Thanksgiving is a day of gratitude and this day is certainly good for a nation. Thanksgiving was inspired the pilgrims in 1621. The pilgrims shared a feast with the Native Americans after their first harvest season together. In 1621, the feast was a time to come together after the hard work. The settlers were ready for winter with all of the fresh food harvested. They were grateful for each other and grateful to the Lord. Three times in American history, this thankfulness was expanded and finally became our national Thanksgiving holiday. Every year, we are all given the opportunity to stop and thank God for our lives in this nation.
A day of rejoicing is good for the family.
Thanksgiving is more than a national holiday. It’s a day that should be considered somewhat sacred for Catholic families. This is a day of rejoicing for the Lord and all His goodness! No matter our disagreements or problems, we live in a good place. We are free to practice our religion. There is no threat to our lives when we leave the house. We can have jobs and lives. Most importantly, we can gather at Mass with our families and thank the Lord for His blessings.
