thanksgiving
Thanksgiving And Wisdom
28th Sunday Ordinary Time
Fr. Peter Robinson
Preached: Oct. 13, 2024
On this Thanksgiving weekend, I think it is helpful to pause for a moment to reflect on the history of Thanksgiving in Canada. Did you know that it blends Indigenous traditions with European influences? As for its indigenous roots: long before European settlers arrived, various Indigenous peoples in Canada celebrated the fall harvest with ceremonies and festivals.
For example, the Mi’kmaq of Nova Scotia honoured their creator, whom they knew as “Glooscap,” during their autumn celebrations. As for European influence: the first recorded European Thanksgiving in North America was celebrated by Sir Martin Frobisher and his ship’s crew in 1578. It was their way to give thanks to God for their safe arrival in the New World.
However, because there were different dates for Thanksgiving across Canada, it was fixed to the second Monday in October by the Canadian Parliament in 1957. As we all know well, Thanksgiving is now a time for families and friends to gather, share a meal, and to give thanks for the year’s blessings.
That said, I would like to dig deeper into the theme of thanksgiving; in particular, I want to turn our attention to “spiritual” reasons for thanksgiving. This is where our Old Testament Reading opens a door. The Book of Wisdom was written a bare half-century before the birth of Christ. Even then, the hope of a personal Messiah arriving, born into the royal line of King David, seemed remote and far away. For the author, the only way in which God might enter this world was by his Wisdom. So, today’s OT Reading shows how God created the world by Wisdom — and how he continues to rule the world by it.
I. Now, what does this divine Wisdom look like? Here, the Catechism of our Church helps us. Paragraph 302 teaches us that God guides his creation toward the perfection that he has always planned for it. This means that even massive issues, like climate change, are under God’s control. His perfect plan for this beautiful but broken planet of ours cannot be derailed. That is why Psalm 135 (v. 6) tells us that “Our God is in heaven and does whatever he wills.” His plan is perfect — and that perfect plan includes you!
II. Yet God, in his Wisdom remembers the little things of creation, too. He cares not only for the great events of the world and its history, but also for the least things on our planet. For example, let me share one of my favourite Bible verses to prove my point. It is found in the fifth book of the Old Testament, the book of Deuteronomy. Here, we have a lovely, little verse embedded in the heart of God’s law code for the People of Israel: “If you come on a bird’s nest, in any tree or on the ground, with fledglings or eggs, with the mother sitting on the fledglings or on the eggs, you shall not take the mother with the young” (Deu 22:6).
In other words, when an ancient Israelite was foraging for food (perhaps the family was close to starvation), if he or she found a mother bird that risked her life to stay on her nest, she was to be protected! Her eggs or the little chicks could be taken, but the mother was protected. Think for a moment: in the Old Testament Law, there is a precept protecting even mother birds.
III. Also, God cares about you —which is my third point. God longs to flood you with his Wisdom, with his fatherly protection. Notice how our First Reading ends: “All good things came to me along with [Wisdom], and in her hands uncounted wealth.” The Book of Wisdom provides us with a checklist, to deepen our spiritual thanksgiving today. Please look at your Sunday Missal or missalette; see what the Book actually says:
– If you will pray, God will pour out on you his spirit of Wisdom.
– This Wisdom is of greater value to you than a sceptre and a throne.
– Wisdom is more priceless than any precious gem.
– All the gold of the world is like a little sand compared to her.
– In the eyes of Wisdom, heaps of silver are like mud.
– She is more precious than your health and your looks (your beauty).
– She is more desirable than light, even in a dark cave.
– God’s Wisdom never sleeps in her care of you.
– She gathers all of us (including at this mass) into her company.
– And countless riches are in her hands.
Let us give thanks today most of all for the blessings of God’s Wisdom — Wisdom that is poured out to overflowing onto you and to me!
Memory and Thanksgiving: To Set the Community on Fire!
Memorial Mass of Thanksgiving
Fr. Mark Gatto
Preached: November 20, 2022
Fr. Patras, our Associate Pastor, Deacon Tom, and myself welcome all of you for this Memorial Mass of Thanksgiving. Special Welcome to the former priests of Our Lady of Lourdes who have returned for this celebration. Three are now Bishops. Bishop Lobsinger, Bishop Miehm and Bishop Bergie. Also, some of the former priests who served at Lourdes are with us today. Fr. Ron Cote, Fr. Peter Meyer, Fr. David Lewis, Fr. Ian Duffy, Fr. Mike King, Fr. Don Wilhelm.
Today we are doing two things which are so important. We are remembering and we are giving thanks. Actually, every time we come to celebrate the Eucharist we do both of those acts, we remember and we give thanks. Both memory and gratitude are keys to a good Christian spirituality.
In the words of Consecration, we hear the invitation of Jesus at the Last Supper, “Do this in memory of me.” Every Mass we are encountering and remembering Jesus. We are remembering the great acts of God in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. But, we do not remember as people living in the past. We do not remember just to go back to something God did in the past. We remember in order that we will keep the action of God alive in our world today. We remember the presence of Jesus not as something in the past, it is a living presence that we encounter today. We remember in order that today, you and I will take up the mission of Christ within the Church, which is the body of Christ. We do not live in the past, rather we build on the past as we move into the future.
Our Lady of Lourdes Parish was founded back in 1958 under Bishop Ryan. Under the guidance of many pastors and Associate pastors, the people of this parish formed a vibrant and living community. There is a certain grieving to let go of that parish and church. But, as the Gospel says, only if the seed falls to the ground and dies may new life come.
Our Lady of Lourdes and Corpus Christi are not dying, they are now growing into something new. Our new church that is being built at Sherman and Rymal will be the Catholic parish for Hamilton Mountain, south of the Lincoln Alexander Expressway. It will serve a large area and community. The priests and parishioners who lived and served in the parish through the years have provided the foundation for our future parish. They planted seeds that we are required to nurture and grow today.
This is the first new Catholic Church being built in the city of Hamilton in the 21st Century. We remember all those who went before us in order to inspire us to now take up our call into the future. Our remembering those who served and lived in this parish in the past challenges us to embrace that same mission today. The society and church we live in today is much different in various ways from the society and church that existed in 1958. It has new challenges. We need to take up that challenge of being the church today in this world.
Our remembering should lead to thanksgiving. We have gratitude for the acts of God. The mercy, the healing, the self-giving love of Christ revealed on the cross. As we remember those who lived and served in this parish through the years, we come in a spirit of gratitude. Imagine all of the prayers that have been said in this church these past 60 years. Imagine all of the Masses celebrated. Imagine how many people have been baptized here, including some of you here today. Imagine how many couples began their Sacrament of Marriage here.
We give thanks for the priests who served this community through the years. Founding Pastor was Fr. Clifford Day. When I sent out the invite to former priests of this parish, most of them responded yes immediately. They were happy to come back. I once heard the definition of a parish priest as someone who lives among the people and becomes one with them. These priests truly felt blessed in their ministry here and felt one with the people of this parish.
I think of all the parishioners who served in various ministries through the years. Their dedication and service is what allowed this parish to grow and develop through the years. We give thanks for all of them, often unrecognized and perhaps not even known by many of us. But, in the eyes of God, all committed service is received and blessed.
Today we give thanks for all that history that now allows us today to have this new church and parish. We build up the church in this local parish rooted in all those who lived the faith in this parish since its founding and we build up the church that is rooted in the Saints throughout the ages.
St. Catherine of Siena lived during very difficult times for the church and society. The great Western Schism, the Pope in exile in France, the great black plaque leading to so many deaths and destruction in Europe. St. Catherine was in love with Jesus and this led her to care for the sick and poor, to work for peace, to speak out strongly for the reform of the church, directly to Cardinals and Popes.
She used to say, “Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire.” What a mission for our parish today. To care for the poor and sick in this community. to work for peace within our world, especially between religions. To work to renew the church in the challenges it faces today. If our parish becomes what God means for it to be, then we will set this community on fire.
Memory and Thanksgiving: To Set the Community on Fire!
Memorial Mass of Thanksgiving
Fr. Mark Gatto
Preached: November 6, 2022
Fr. Patras, our Associate Pastor, Deacon Tom, and myself welcome all of you for this Memorial Mass of Thanksgiving. Special Welcome to Bishop Crosby, the Bishop of the Diocese of Hamilton for coming to celebrate this Mass today. Also, some of the former priests who served at Corpus Christi are with us today. Fr. Ron Hodara, 91 years old. Fr. Ed Hampson, Fr. Ed Mahony.
Today we are doing two things which are so important. We are remembering and we are giving thanks. Actually, every time we come to celebrate the Eucharist we do both of those acts, we remember and we give thanks. Both memory and gratitude are keys to a good Christian spirituality.
In the words of Consecration, we hear the invitation of Jesus at the Last Supper, “Do this in memory of me.” Every Mass we are encountering and remembering Jesus. We are remembering the great acts of God in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.
But, we do not remember as people living in the past. We do not remember just to go back to something God did in the past. We remember in order that we will keep the action of God alive in our world today. We remember the presence of Jesus not as something in the past, it is a living presence that we encounter today. We remember in order that today, you and I will take up the mission of Christ within the Church, which is the body of Christ. We do not live in the past, rather we build on the past as we move into the future.
Corpus Christi Parish was founded back in 1962. Initially having Mass in the Barton Community Centre. Eventually moving into this building. Of course, the plan was to build a church to be the spiritual home of this parish. Now about 60 years later, we are finally getting around to building that church. Perhaps it was a blessing since now this new church that is being built at Sherman and Rymal will be the Catholic parish for Hamilton Mountain, south of the Lincoln Alexander Expressway. It will serve a large area and community.
The priests and parishioners who lived and served in the parish through the years have provided the foundation for our future parish. They planted seeds that we are required to nurture and grow today. This is the first new Catholic Church being built in the city of Hamilton in the 21st Century.
We remember all those who went before us in order to inspire us to now take up our call to continue and to support this parish into the future. All prayer and sacraments are important to keep the memory of God alive in our hearts and world. It is a dangerous memory because it calls us to embrace the same call and mission in our lives. Our remembering those who served and lived in this parish in the past challenges us to embrace that same mission today.
The society and church we live in today is much different in various ways from the society and church that existed in 1962. It has new challenges. We need to take up that challenge of being the church today in this world.
Our remembering should lead to thanksgiving. We have gratitude for the acts of God. The mercy, the healing, the self-giving love of Christ revealed on the cross. As we remember those who lived and served in this parish through the years, we come in a spirit of gratitude.
Imagine all of the prayers that have been said in this church these past 60 years. Imagine all of the Masses celebrated. Imagine how many people have been baptized here, including some of you here today. Imagine how many couples began their Sacrament of Marriage here.
We give thanks for the priests who served this community through the years. Founding Pastor was Fr. John Lawless. Fr. Thomas Brennan, Fr. Michael Sullivan who was here for over 20 years as pastor. Fr. Ron Hodara was Associate Pastor here. Fr. Ed Hampson was Pastor here at time when plans for a new church were beginning again. I know he is pleased to see this finally coming to fruition.
Other priests included Fr. Paul Boucher, Fr. Len Strohmeyer, Fr. Jeff Bergsma. I replaced Fr. Ed Mahony, he is the person who recommended that Deacon Tom be the chair of our Building committee.
I once heard the definition of a parish priest as someone who lives among the people and becomes one with them. When I sent out an invite to the former priests of this parish, they were glad to come back for they truly felt blessed in their ministry here and felt one with the people of this parish.
I think of all the parishioners who served in various ministries through the years. Their dedication and service is what allowed this parish to grow and develop through the years. We give thanks for all of them, often unrecognized and perhaps not even known by many of us. But, in the eyes of God, all committed service is received and blessed.
Today we give thanks for all that history that now allows us today to have this new church and parish. We build up the church in this local parish rooted in all those who lived the faith in this parish since its founding and we build up the church that is rooted in the Saints throughout the ages.
St. Catherine of Siena lived during very difficult times for the church and society. The great Western Schism, the Pope in exile in France, the great black plaque leading to so many deaths and destruction in Europe. St. Catherine was in love with Jesus and this led her to care for the sick and poor, to work for peace, to speak out strongly for the reform of the church, directly to Cardinals and Popes.
She used to say, “Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire.” What a mission for our parish today. To care for the poor and sick in this community. to work for peace within our world, especially between religions. To work to renew the church in the challenges it faces today. If our parish becomes what God means for it to be, then we will set this community on fire.
Live In Gratitude
28th Sunday In Ordinary Time – Year C
Fr. Mark Gatto
Preached: Ocober 13, 2019
Why do you come to Mass on Sunday? Probably different reasons for many of you. Some perhaps find comfort, others find a challenge, others want to focus on the Word of God, others want the presence of Jesus in Holy Communion, perhaps some come because it is an obligation, others come because they are pushed to come by someone, some feel guilty if they do not come.
Lots of different reasons that might motivate us to come. But, the fundamental reason that should motivate all of us along with any of these other reasons is found in the very name of what we are doing. We call this the Eucharist. Eucharist comes from the Greek word which means, Thanksgiving.
We come here to God the Father, with Jesus, united in the Holy Spirit, in the body of Christ, the Church, to give thanks. Like that one Leper out of the ten who were healed in today’s Gospel, who returned to give thanks to Jesus, we come here to the feet of Jesus and give thanks. It is that basic and that essential.
Thanksgiving, Gratitude, is the foundation of any healthy Christian spirituality.
It is not possible to be wise unless deep in your heart is gratitude.
The path to holiness is only possible if the key word in your soul is thank you.
We will prepare for our own death in peace if the one prayer that springs from our heart is thank you. When we come face to face with the Living God, we may have many questions, things we wonder about. But, we are ready for that encounter when the first words that pour forth in the presence of the living God is simply, thank you.
When we look over our life, with its failures, sins, disappointments, plans never achieved, are we still able to respond from the heart, a calm thank you?
It is easy to look at the problems of our world and our own life, to find things to complain about, to see what is wrong with the world, with others, with myself. But, are we able to see the goodness, able to see with gratitude?
To be truly grateful, to live in gratitude, to see with eyes of gratitude, is a sign of holiness, a sign of wisdom.
Interesting that the two people in our readings today that returned to give thanks and were considered saved by God, were so-called foreigners, those seen as outside the grace of God.
In the first reading it was Naaman the Syrian, in the Gospel it was the Samaritan. They were not of the right religion, they would have been seen as outside of God’s covenant at that time. What did each have that saved them? They saw with eyes of gratitude and they returned to give thanks. You could say that gratitude was their path to God.
Take a moment of silence: Close your eyes, think of one thing you are thankful at this moment in your life. Now in your imagination come to the feet of Jesus and express your gratitude. Give thanks.
Go out from here, live in gratitude, see with a grateful heart. Come to the feet of Jesus often in your heart to give thanks.