Blessings abound at Thanksgiving, Jesus Christ is King

In just a few days, we will once again gather around the dining room table and give thanks for our blessings by sharing a prayer, a bountiful feast and the company of loved ones.  Afterwards, maybe we’ll enjoy a nap, some football and, top off the meal with pumpkin pie, a kiss goodnight and a sigh of relief that a COVID vaccine is on the horizon.  Meanwhile, we must continue to wear our masks, keep social distance of six feet from each other, wash our hands frequently and avoid large groups.

This year, we have been instructed by the CDC to keep Thanksgiving dinner small. And if we do go to someone’s home, we should bring our own cutlery, dishes and food. If someone is hosting guests, the host alone should fill the plates with turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes or whatever else is on the menu.  The least amount of hands of each plate, the better. As   Still, we must bear in mind that Jesus is King. The truth is, we may not possess as much money as we had last year at Thanksgiving. There may be some empty chairs due to those who succumbed to the coronavirus.  But better days lay ahead because Jesus is King.

We have to keep our priorities in proper perspective. Many of us have been very upset by the high unemployment rate, the shortage of certain items in the supermarket, the threat of possibly losing our jobs due to the pandemic.  We have the love of our spouses, children and grandchildren.  We have a roof over our heads and food on our tables.  Maybe we’ll have to scale back this year’s Christmas shopping.  Maybe we’ll have to settle for driving a modest car instead of a luxury vehicle. Maybe we will have to forgo that long-planned vacation to Europe make a staycation. Maybe we’ll have to send our kids to state colleges instead of Ivy League schools—but what matters most has not changed: Jesus is King. Maybe our grade school and secondary teachers will continue to face the challenge of teaching via Zoom instead of the classroom. Perhaps our children will have to learn the lessons of academia remotely for a little while longer but Jesus is King.

Many of us have been elated by the results of the presidential election; still others are disappointed. Regardless of where we stand politically present tensions will eventually subside and the transition from one administration to the next will happen. May we never forget how blessed we are to inhabit a country where the democratic process is operative and every vote counts. We are blessed that efforts are being made to address systemic racism, climate control, the economy and our important role in the stewardship of the globe.

Let us not forget that God is still in control.  He did not abandon us when Jesus ascended into Heaven but sent us the Holy Spirit at Pentecost to be our advocate and consoler. The Holy Spirit continues to breathe life into you and I who are the Church.  And at the heart of this assembly of believers is the kerygma that has endured through the centuries: Jesus is King.

This Thanksgiving, whether we are eating alone or in a small group, whether we are home or in a nursing home, whether we are in good health or struggling, we still have reason to give thanks to Almighty God for all that we do have—our health, the use of our faculties, clothes on our backs, heat in our homes, the laughter of children, the excitement that comes from learning, the warmth of our pets, good books to read, a parish that cares about us and a God who loves us unconditionally in  and through Jesus.  Yes, what matters most has not changed: Jesus is King!  Happy Thanksgiving!

Father Comandini is managing editor of “The Catholic Spirit.”