In Honor of the Blessed Mother, Co-Redemptrix and Mediatrix of All Graces

In honor of the Blessed Mother as the intercessor who always takes our requests straight to the throne of God, I am re-posting Fr. Tom Collins two-part article. Our Lady is a mother and friend who will never fail us.

Fr. Tom Collins shares his view of Mary as Co-Redemptrix - Part A

Continued, Part B

With Thanksgiving tomorrow, it's the perfect day to say thank-you to the Blessed Mother. She was no "ordinary girl" as Pope Francis called her. She was and is the Immaculate Conception. Not one of us "ordinary girls" can claim that distinction.

Look Up And See! And Then Give Thanks.

Writing an "I'm thankful" message on the holiday tablecloth.

Thanksgiving approaches. For many it's just a day of gluttony: food for the belly and football for the eyes -- two f words. Throw in a third -- no not that one -- fun. For many that's the meaning of life. Find all the fun you can in food, frolicking and you know what.

How Do You Start Your Day?

I like to start my day by making coffee and then taking it outside to sit on the front porch.

Give Thanks Where It's Due!

Not to the Indians...not to the pilgrims...but to God! May Jesus Christ be praised! Have a lovely day with family and friends thanking God for everything!

 

Take a Break from Thanksgiving Prep to Read This!

Fr. Gordon MacRae's website, Beyond These Stone Walls, is a treasure. And his post on the First Thanksgiving, linked below, is fascinating. I thought I knew "the rest of the story" from years of celebrating Thanksgiving and reading about its beginning. But Fr. MacRae's article cast new light that set me reflecting on God's amazing and often bewildering Providence. 

It is little wonder that Catholics struggled to be accepted in the New World often in colonies forged by anti-Catholic Englishmen. The Pilgrims were among the worst. And yet, a Catholic Indian, prepared by God, saved their little colony from extinction. 

Read the article. It doesn't disappoint. And pray for Fr. MacRae, unjustly imprisoned for thirty years in a modern witch hunt that brings to mind the Salem Witch Trials. 

Give us the grace, Lord, to be thankful tomorrow and every day, especially for the crosses in our lives and the angels you send to help us in our times of greatest need.

The True Story of Thanksgiving: Squanto, the Pilgrims, and the Pope

Sometimes Ya Just Gotta Laugh: Will Trump Derangement Syndrome Affect Your Thanksgiving?

I occasionally watch Jesse Waters and have heard him talk about his ultra liberal mom. Not sure talking about disagreements with your mom on national TV is a wise move. Maybe it's a guy thing.

At any rate....

Happy Thanksgiving! I Hope You're Spending it with Those You Love. Don't forget to thank the giver of all gifts!

There's a good article on the Ludwig Von Mises Institute website about The Great Thanksgiving Hoax. Did you think the Plymouth Plantation was a place where the pilgrims all landed on the rock then worked happily together and enjoyed the benefit of their labor? Unhappily that wasn't the case -- at least not in the beginning. No, the pilgrims were a contentious and lazy lot for the most part and the workers (remember the little red hen) were in the minority.

In his article, Richard Maybury writes that, "the governor of the colony, William Bradford, reported that the colonists went hungry for years, because they refused to work in the fields. They preferred instead to steal food. He says the colony was riddled with 'corruption,' and with 'confusion and discontent.' The crops were small because 'much was stolen both by night and day, before it became scarce eatable.'"

Well, gosh, how did these poor folks make it? You'll have to read the article. Then share "the rest of the story" with your family around the Thanksgiving table. You might end by quoting St. Paul's admonition that he who doesn't work doesn't eat. And remember, the cooks shouldn't have to do the clean-up. Pecan pie, anyone?

HAPPY THANKSGIVING! I Hope You Are Spending It with Those You Love!

We are! All five of our children will be here and all but one of our 27 living grandchildren. What a blessing! What joyful chaos. We will pray together, play together, and eat together. 

Our holiday tablecloth will grace the main table at the Thanksgiving feast reminding us of several dear ones who are gone now and reminding us of how the big grandchildren used to be little! So many memories on this tablecloth. I will read them all once again.

When Larry retired, we bought a big house in the country and moved from Alexandria (swampland) to the farmland of Shenandoah County. The kids named our new home Camp Kreitzer. Once someone stopped and asked if we really ran a camp. I laughed! Yes, a big family one. 

Heading into Thanksgiving, What Are You Thankful For?

I'm in Book 2 Chapter 10 of the Imitation of Christ. The Chapter title is "On Gratitude for God's Grace." What is grace exactly? The word comes from the Latin gratia meaning "favor, esteem, regard; pleasing quality, good will, gratitude." 

In his Pocket Catholic Dictionary, Fr. John Hardon, S.J. defines grace in the Biblical sense as the "condescension or benevolence (Greek charis) shown by God toward the human race." 

God doesn't owe us a thing. He created us out of his total gratuitous love and wants to shower us with blessings. We don't deserve that love or those blessings, and we owe the One who created us unlimited thanks, honor, and praise for His goodness to us. We can never repay Him. We owe Him thanks for everything. Chesterton put it well when he said we shouldn't only say grace before meals, but grace before the opera and before we open a book or walk or swim.... The grace of God is in everything!

Have a Happy Norman Rockwell Thanksgiving!

I'm happy to say that Interstate 81 was jammed yesterday afternoon. 

I certainly sympathize with those caught in the melee, but at the same time it indicated that things are more normal than we thought was possible in this year of Wuhan panic. 

The Wednesday before Thanksgiving is typically the busiest travel day of the year with people on the road to get to family feasts where they will bow their heads TOGETHER WITH LOVED ONES and give thanks to God. 

Our First Act of Thanksgiving Must Be to God!

I hope the first thing you do today is go to Mass. Eucharist means "thanksgiving." What better way to celebrate Thanksgiving Day than to offer thanksgiving to God for His many blessings through the Sacrament of the altar He left us.  And to help you reflect on that I offer some thoughts from the saints. May Jesus Christ be praised!

"Would that I could exhaust myself in acts of thanksgiving and gratitude towards this Divine Heart, for the great favor He shows us, in deigning to accept our help to make Him known, loved and honored; He reserves infinite blessings for all those who devote themselves to this work."   --    St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

Nabi Sayeth: Which Way is Up?

Photo by Chap Holbert

Nabi Sayeth: We have entered the national week of Thanksgiving. And while many people are traveling to be with family members sprinkled throughout our great nation, many more will be involved with food and clothing distribution efforts closer to home. I was deeply moved by a posting on Facebook which described one man’s experience of an incredible outpouring of love:

“Today a little boy's eyes lit up when he had brand new shoes given to him. A little girl twirled with glee, showing off her new pink winter coat. A Grandma teared up as she received food to feed her family. A Sheriff's deputy helped an aged man by carrying a big box of food out to his paint faded car. Strangers held hands in a circle and prayed with Pastor Darrell Darrell W. Cummings for all who are in need. Members of the Wheeling community, (young children and adults) handed out vegetables, fruit, breads, meats, fish, cheese, shoes and clothing.

Another Storm, Another Round of Hysteria...

 I will take away the stony heart
 out of your flesh, and
 I will give you a heart of flesh.
Ezekiel 36:26

...about Global Warming Climate Change. Folks, don't listen to the hysterics. It's Nature, not Man! And it's nothing new.

I do agree with the hysterical Chicken Littles in one respect, however. Yes, these storms are a warning, but not about global warming or climate change. They warn us that we need to change our hearts.

Just as Noah's building project was commissioned because of sin and Jonah's mission was a warning to repent and the Star of Bethlehem announced God's intervention in human history, and Jesus performed signs and wonders -- these attention-grabbing events are for our good. "Hey, people, pay attention. I'm God and you're not! Get with the program."

Actually, every single glory of nature should get our attention:

Have You Said, "Thank You" Today?

Today's gospel reading told about the cure of the ten lepers. When only one came back to say, "Thank you," Jesus asked if all ten were cured. He lamented that the only one to return was a "foreigner," because he was a Samaritan. But Jesus paid him the greatest compliment -- "Your faith has saved you." He was definitely NOT a foreigner to gratitude! Those who are "foreigners" to gratitude are likely to be "foreigners" to faith as well. Because gratitude is one of the "parent" virtues that stimulates all the others.

So think of someone to whom you owe gratitude and give them a phone call today or write them a note. I remember a friend of mine telling about a priest to whom she had written a thank you note. One day when she was with him she noticed that her note was the bookmark in his breviary (or perhaps it was another book). It was long past when she had sent it and it made her realize how important a little thing like saying thank you can be. How would you feel to know someone had a five or ten year old note from you marking the pages of his Bible?

What a great month to think about thanksgiving. Start today and say, "Thank you!" to someone every day through Thanksgiving. Won't that make your Thanksgiving Day especially meaningful?

I want to send a big prayer of gratitude especially to my parents, Ray and Margaret, for all the sacrifices and love they showered on me growing up and even after, and to my husband's parents, Albert and Margaret, who raised such a wonderful, considerate son. I couldn't have found a better man to marry and rear children with. Thanks, Honey, you are the best!

Why I Need This Holiday

By Alice Doyle

Last week I was sitting in my stylist’s chair, struggling to make small talk while she worked her magic on my hair. Thanksgiving was an obvious choice of topic, and I asked her what she would be doing. She told me she usually cooks for her extended family, but this year she had decided they would eat out so that she could start shopping when the stores opened at 5 PM. She elaborated, telling me that Black Friday is a tradition for her and her girlfriends who literally “shop ‘till they drop” from Thursday afternoon until Friday evening. 26 glorious hours of filling bags, trekking to the car and going back for more, more, more. More what? “You should see my girls’ lists! What don’t they want?”

The check-out clerk at Walmart told me she was working 2pm-11pm Thanksgiving Day. They don’t close lest the people arrive in droves and inadvertently trample someone on the way to the greatest buy. I asked her when she would celebrate Thanksgiving. She shrugged and said she wouldn’t but that her mother and brother would be celebrating. At the grocery store, I overheard a manager tell a customer, “We’re only open until 5pm on Thanksgiving. I’ll be out of here by 5:30 and maybe get a few leftovers.”

My fellow Americans—WHAT IS GOING ON? 

I have two concerns about all of this.

First, it is extremely un-American. Thanksgiving is our holiday, rooted in our nation’s infancy. It is an important part of our history. We should embrace it. One day of the year, set aside to give thanks and celebrate our tremendous blessings as a nation is, in the balance, the very least we can do. And yet, we aren’t doing it. Instead, we are rushing through and past the gratitude to the “more, more, more” that marks the celebration of Christmas.

Which is my second point. If you were the devil trying to distract the world from focusing on the poor, newborn babe in the manger, how would you do it? Rampant materialism might be a good place to start. The central message of Christmas is that God gave the world His best gift. His son, Jesus, is literally all we need. We do not need “door busters” regardless of the price. And yet, how many people will rush away from the good things in life today like good friends, family and the comforts of home in search of deals that will someday be so much junk in a landfill?

I saw an interesting sign recently: “If you woke up today with only the things you thanked God for yesterday, what would you have?” My honest answer? Not much. Which is why I need this holiday.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving: It All Started with the Grateful Catholic Explorers

The Catholic Origins of Thanksgiving

What better way to begin the day than go to Mass and thank the giver of the gift. Eucharist means "thanksgiving." And today, the best way to say thank you is to join at Mass to offer to God His own Son, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His love is everlasting!

     Happy Thanksgiving!

Make a List and Check it Twice...

....and I'm not talking about Christmas.

What's on your "Thank You, Father" list this Thanksgiving?

For starters how about....

Thank You for sending Your Son to save us from our sins.
Thank You for our parents and the gift of life. May we use it to know You, love You, and serve You.
Thank You for the Church and our Holy Father so we aren't spiritual orphans in this wicked world.
Thank You for the Blessed Virgin Mary who intercedes for us in all our trials.
Thank You for our guardian angels and patron saints who serve as our trail guides on the journey through life.. 

Thank You for all Your gifts and please give us the desire to share them generously with others. Thank You for the roofs over our heads, the food in our pantries, and the clothes we wear. Help us never to focus on those gifts more than on the giver.

Thank You for the gifts money can't buy: sunshine, rain, the lilies of the field and the birds of the air, for butterflies and pets, for children's laughter and babies' smiles.
Thank You for the gift of health to walk, run, and play and the gift of illness and physical challenges to teach us humility and how to suffer for the good of ourselves and others. 

Thank You for the company of family and friends, for conversations and the silence of just being together. Thank You for grandchildren.
And thank You for this day with all its untried possibilities. 

Well, that's my starter list. What a different world we might live in if everybody started their days with a "thank you list." What's on yours?

Sunday Meditation

"There is indeed a stubborn protest with all of us faced with the offensive truth that no crime, however despicable, is beyond the scope of our own wickedness. It is only the grace of God that saves us from ourselves and accomplishes the good we do."        
              Fr. J. Anthony Giambrone, O.P.

In view of that unhappy truth, let us be thankful, especially this week when we celebrate our Thanksgiving to God for his blessings, for the wonderful gift of Confession. What better way to say thanks than to receive the sacrament this week.

Making Memories and Giving Thanks

Four of our five children and their families will be joining us for Thanksgiving. Three will be staying with us. That means six adults and thirteen children sleeping over for several days and ten adults and fifteen children for Thanksgiving dinner. Whew! But what a joyful anticipation! As a Catholic grandma I have two goals -- creating memories and reminding everybody Who needs to be thanked for all the blessings we enjoy.

Since out-of-towners are arriving on Tuesday and Wednesday, I'm hoping for good weather so we can have a bonfire Wednesday night with hot dogs, s'mores, and a rosary of thanksgiving (or at least a few decades). Wednesday the men plan to play golf and I'm searching for craft ideas for the children. I think a thanksgiving jar would be great but when do we read the entries? Perhaps Thanksgiving night as a bedtime prayer activity. How I wish we could all sit around the same table together for the feast, but even with all the leaves in the table our max squeeze is 16 which leaves another eight (and a high chair) in the mix. So we will be in two rooms. The kids will love having their own table and I expect the adults won't mind having some grown-up conversation -- one more thing for which to be thankful. We are so blessed to have a house big enough to host everyone, something we deliberately thought about when we retired to the country and

The Real Thanksgiving Story: Socialism Doesn't Work!

There's a good article on the Ludwig Von Mises Institute website about The Great Thanksgiving Hoax. Did you think the Plymouth Plantation was a place where the pilgrims all landed on the rock then worked happily together and enjoyed the benefit of their labor? Unhappily that wasn't the case -- at least not in the beginning. No, the pilgrims were a contentious and lazy lot for the most part and the workers (remember the little red hen) were in the minority.

In his article, Richard Maybury writes that, "the governor of the colony, William Bradford, reported that the colonists went hungry for years, because they refused to work in the fields. They preferred instead to steal food. He says the colony was riddled with 'corruption,' and with 'confusion and discontent.' The crops were small because 'much was stolen both by night and day, before it became scarce eatable.'"

Well, gosh, how did these poor folks make it? You'll have to read the article. Then share "the rest of the story" with your family around the Thanksgiving table. You might end by quoting St. Paul's admonition that he who doesn't work doesn't eat. And remember, the cooks shouldn't have to do the clean-up. Pecan pie, anyone?