One virtue I really strive to instill in my children is gratitude. I can’t tell you how many times I have asked them to say thank you when they are given something or to stop grumbling about small inconveniences and be thankful for what they have. Another small tradition we have started is to mention one thing we are thankful for during night prayers.
A couple of my kiddos have caught on quickly, another I have to nudge with a few suggestions while another now has a whole list of things each day! I always remind them that it doesn’t necessarily have to be anything super special. It can be something as simple as the air they breathed or the water they drank that day. It can be the fact that their clothes are clean or that they have a home that is heated and cooled, because absolutely everything is a gift from God!
So in preparation for the day we publicly give thanks tomorrow, I thought I would share a small list of things I am particularly thankful for: that my oldest son is now old enough to have interesting, semi-adult conversations with; that my second oldest is making small steps toward coming out of his shyness, that my third oldest still loves to snuggle with his mommy, that my fourth child seeks ways all day long to be active, enjoy life and laugh; that my youngest still has round cheeks that I can kiss every single day; that my husband feels well enough after his second back surgery to coach soccer again; that God always provides in the most unexpected ways; for family members and friends that I love and cherish and care about, that bring so much human connection as a foretaste of the heavenly connection with my Lord that awaits me… And you? I invite you to write your own list.
In today’s first reading, we see God’s justice being proclaimed to King Belzhazzar through the prophet Daniel. They were in the midst of a great banquet, and instead of glorifying the Lord for His provision, they “praised their gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone.” As a consequence of their rebellion, God promised to divide his kingdom and put an end to his reign.
In complete contrast to this scenario, we see right praise being given to our God in the Psalm response: “Sun and moon, bless the Lord… Stars of heaven, bless the Lord… praise and exalt him above all forever.” Strengthened by the correct ordering of our minds and hearts, we see how God helps us endure any hardship in today’s Gospel: “They will seize and persecute you… You will be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives and friends…but not a hair on your head will be destroyed.”
God does and will take care of us every single day. In life and in death, in heat and cold, through hardships and joys, let us bless the Lord with sincere gratefulness.
Daily Reading
Thursday of the First Week of Advent
Reading I Isaiah 26:1-6 On that day they will sing this song in the land of Judah: “A strong city have we; he sets up walls and…
Saint of the Day
St. John of Damascus
St. John of Damascus
Feast date: Dec 04
Catholics remember and celebrate the life of the great Arab Church Father St. John of Damascus on Dec. 4.Eastern Orthodox Christians and Eastern Catholics, whose tradition has been particularly shaped by his insights, celebrate the saint’s feast on the same day as the Roman Catholic Church.Among Eastern Christians, St. John (676-749) is best known for his defense of Christian sacred art, particularly in the form of icons. While the churches of Rome and Constantinople were still united during St. John’s life, the Byzantine Emperor Leo III broke radically from the ancient tradition of the church, charging that the veneration of Christian icons was a form of idolatry.John had grown up under Muslim rule in Damascus, as the child of strongly Christian parents. His excellent education – particularly in theology – prepared him well to defend the tradition of sacred iconography, against the heresy of the “iconoclasts,” so-called because they would enter churches and destroy the images therein.During the 720s, the upstart theologian began publicly opposing the emperor’s command against sacred images in a series of writings. The heart of his argument was twofold: first, that Christians did not actually worship images, but rather, through them they worshiped God, and honored the memory of the saints. Second, he asserted that by taking an incarnate physical form, Christ had given warrant to the Church’s depiction of him in images.By 730, the young public official’s persistent defense of Christian artwork had made him a permanent enemy of the emperor, who had a letter forged in John’s name offering to betray the Muslim government of Damascus. The ruling caliph of the city, taken in by the forgery, is said to have cut off John’s hand. The saint’s sole surviving biography states that the Virgin Mary acted to restore it miraculously. John eventually managed to convince the Muslim ruler of his innocence, before making the decision to become a monk and later a priest.Although a number of imperially-convened synods condemned John’s advocacy of Christian iconography, the Roman church always regarded his position as a defense of apostolic tradition. Years after the priest and monk died, the Seventh Ecumenical Council vindicated his orthodoxy, and ensured the permanent place of holy images in both Eastern and Western Christian piety.St. John of Damascus’ other notable achievements include the “Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith,” a work in which he systematized the earlier Greek Fathers’ thinking about theological truths in light of philosophy. The work exerted a profound influence on St. Thomas Aquinas and subsequent scholastic theologians. Centuries later, St. John’s sermons on the Virgin Mary’s bodily assumption into heaven were cited in Pope Pius XII’s dogmatic definition on the subject.The saint also contributed as an author and editor, to some of the liturgical hymns and poetry that Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholics still use in their celebrations of the liturgy.“Show me the icons that you venerate, that I may be able to understand your faith.” – Saint John of Damascus