What are you thankful for? That’s the question Fr. Bill asks of our Thanksgiving Day Mass attendees. Consider what you are thankful for as you listen to their responses!

God knows our sufferings. He knows our failures. And he wants to rescue us from these things, to heal us from our sins and transform our minds to know that we part of his plan regardless of where we fall short. What we need to do is reorient ourselves to let Jesus take over, abandoning everything else in favor of God's will. Thus, when failures come our way, we will not be shaken - for our hope is in God alone.
Spend a few moments each day this week praying to God and abandoning yourself to his will, allowing him to be your king, the Lord over your life. Here is St. Charles de Foucauld's Prayer of Abandonment to get you started:
Father, I abandon myself into your hands; do with me what you will.
Whatever you may do, I thank you: I am ready for all, I accept all.
Let only your will be done in me, and in all your creatures.
I wish no more than this, O Lord. Into your hands I commend my soul;
I offer it to you with all the love of my heart;
For I love you, Lord, and so need to give myself;
To surrender myself into your hands, without reserve, and with boundless confidence.
For you are my Father.
-St. Charles de Foucauld
 
 
"Prayer of Abandonment". Text: Based on a prayer by Blessed Charles de Foucauld, 1858–1916. Text and music © 1998, Tom Booth. Published by Spirit & Song®, a division of OCP. Permission to podcast the music in this service obtained from ONE LICENSE, License #A-737156. All rights reserved.

It's important to be "audit ready" now, for the end may come at any time. But let's not lose sight that there is life after death. We will experience trials, illness, and even death, but in the final analysis, God will completely restore his faithful to a state of perfection in heaven.
This week, make a point of thanking God out loud for accompanying you through the disturbances, catastrophes, and tribulations in your life, knowing that he is with you even when you don’t sense him. And, if you know someone who is struggling, share with them your joy and hope: that today could be your last day on Earth and your first in Heaven.

Pope Francis has said many times that at this time in history, there’s no more important job we have than to seek out the lost, remember the forgotten, and accompany the lonely. If we look, it wouldn’t be too hard for any of us to find a person in our lives that fits that description. Your challenge is to seek out that anonymous individual, to call them by name, and to be the hand of God stretched out to them in friendship.

We all have times when we are lost and distant in our faith. Think about someone (a friend, sibling, child, or parent) whom you know to be living in a way that is not of the faith. Seek them out. Invite them to a dinner or lunch. Rekindle your friendship regardless of the other person’s situation. Have no agenda other than love. Perhaps, if you yourself feel lost, both of you may be found.

Our lives aren’t meant to be a soliloquy; they’re meant to be a dialogue, with a Father who loves us. This week, take a look at your prayer; are you talking at God, or are you talking with Him?

If you struggle to find time to pray, start small: this week, strive to find just 5-10 minutes each day to be alone with God, pour your heart out to Him, and listen for His reply. Try the bathroom (seriously!) if you struggle to find a space alone. It doesn’t have to be rigid; you can open simply with, “Hey! God! It’s me. Here I am. Open my heart to your presence. This time is your time.” Then allow yourself to be quiet, listen, and be with God.

Every day this week, make a concerted effort to recognize someone and thank them - and then, thank the one who sent them (God, from whom all good things come). Watch what happens. Gratitude is contagious!