As Thanksgiving approaches, I’m already slipping into a tryptophan induced coma of turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, and stuffing.  My taste buds are exploding in this very writing.

Family, friends, faith, and food are all part of this day.  I want to thank God for the many blessings which have come my way:

• My Church: Her beautiful Faith, my relationship with Christ, His easy mercy, His bountiful blessings, and His tremendous love for me.  He never stops calling—May I always have the courage to respond “yes”!
• The people of St. Joseph: Your generosity, your support, your encouragements, your challenges.  I am blessed by you and am thankful to God that I can be your Spiritual Father!
• My vocation: The privilege to say Mass, to hear confessions and absolve sins, to anoint the sick, to baptize, to bury, to marry.  What an awesome calling.  I am very grateful to be found worthy to serve!
• Family and friends: Wonderful family, great friends, supportive people who encourage me and sustain me in life.  Even for the stranger who can present a challenge and a reminder to be charitable, even when it is a stretch for me.
• For those things I take for granted, may I be more mindful. For the hurts, for the bruises, for struggles, for temptations, for doubts.  All these are part of life.  When I overcome them, or heal them, a better man I am, a better priest I become.  Thank you, Lord.

This Thanksgiving may we boldly thank God for all the light, darkness, joys and sorrows, health and disease, struggle and hurt, happiness and successes.  God walks with us in all these events.  Never doubt that He is always helping us to proudly run the race of life to our eternal prize!  Happy Thanksgiving!