Thanksgiving Sunday

Thanksgiving Celebration 

Good morning/evening every one. I am so happy to welcome you all for today's Holy Mass. Our special welcome to all our parishioners, summer parishioner, visitors and every one here today. Friends in Christ, let us thank God almighty for bringing us all here to this beautiful church of St. Paul's church and let us thank Him for sending His only Son Christ to be with us for ever and let us thank Him for showering upon us His countless blessings each and every day. 

Let's now take a moment to prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries of our Lord Jesus Christ calling to mind our sins, short comings, pain and suffering and divine assistance and Christ our Lord's forgiveness, mercy and compassion. 

Once an elderly man from Toronto called one of his children in Calgary and said, "Son, I am so sorry to ruin your day but I have to tell you that your mother and I am divorcing; forty-five years of misery is over now. The son was not happy at all and said, "Dad, what are you talking about. Please do not do anything". Then the son called his sister in Halifax and explained the situation. Then the sister called the dad and said, "Dad, please do not do anything until we come home. Let us talk. We will talk to mom and please do not move out". The old man hung up the phone and looked at his wife and said, " Honey, our children are coming home for thanksgiving. Now what do we tell them for Christmas?" 

As we are celebrating thanksgiving, let us thank God for making us in His own image and likeness. It's because of Christ our Lord, we live, move and have our being. He by dying on the cross destroyed our death and by rising, restored our life. As we put our complete trust in Him, we will be given life that will never end. 

Once one a man said to his friend, "I will never take my wife for turkey hunt again" Why?...asked the friend. "It is because she did everything wrong. She talked a lot and was so nervous and used wrong luring whistles and worst of all, she shot more turkeys than me. 

In today's gospel, ten lepers who were considered unclean, came to the Lord saying, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us". Christ the compassionate one who never says, "NO' to anyone, immediately asks them to go and show themselves to the priests. It's because those religious leaders were the one who examined and sent them away from the community saying, "They have leprosy and unfit to live in society". Now they are going to the priests to tell them that they are healed and are fit to live with others. 

As the lepers approached Christ with faith, they were already healed. They strongly believed that Christ is the healer and Messiah. Yes, When we put our complete trust in Christ, everything will be given to us. Nothing is impossible with our loving Jesus.  

Though all the ten were made clean, only one came back to the Lord and knelt before Him and thanked and Christ said, "Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well".  

Scottish minister Alexander Whyte was known for his uplifting prayers. He always found some way to thank God. One Sunday morning, the weather was so gloomy that one church member thought to himself, "Certainly the preacher won't think of anything for which to thank the Lord. It is a very bad day" But much to his surprise, the minister began by praying, "We thank you Lord, O God, that every day is not always like today" 

We are like that Samaritan are  here today to thank the Lord our God. Though many were baptized and though many are called in a special way to follow the Lord and though many are blessing, not everyone is here to thank the Lord but we are here. Coming to Church itself shows that we are grateful and we thank the Lord our Lord. 

Ups and downs are part of life. Though we are so thankful and glorify God, sometimes we have to go through some challenges but we should not give up. If we put our trust in Him, we will see the way to move on.  

Once a man came to a Rabbi and said, "Rabbi, I don't have anything to thank for... know how to live in a small house. We are nine of us living in the same house and I can not afford to buy a big one either. Life is so miserable and what should I do?  

The Rabbi said, "Take your goat into the house with you". The farmer said, "What...I said, we are already nine of us living in a small house and you say that I should take my goat into the house". The rabbi again said, "yes, take your goat into the house and keep it for a week and then come and see me" Thus the man comes in a week and says, "The goat is so filthy and smells and we can't stand it. Please do something". Now the rabbi said, "Let the goat out and come back in a week". The man returned to the rabbi a week later and said, "rabbi...though we are nine in a small house, we are so happy now. The goat is not with us anymore. Life is beautiful and I have something to thank for..." 

Yes, let us thank Christ for our lives and what we have. We will always find something to thank for. Christ is with us and as we thank Him, He will fill us with happiness and joy. Amen.