It is hard to believe that I have been here at St. Malachy for almost seven months now, but I do notice one difference from when I first arrived. Since my predecessor is a good friend, I had visited here so often that the place was rather familiar to me. Thus, for the first few months, I found myself looking around and feeling like I should ask, “What am I doing in Fr. Mike’s house, and why isn’t he here to greet me?” I had to remind myself that I live here now.
Those moments of realization led invariably led me to stop and say a prayer of thanks to God for sending me here. And while I no longer feel like a visitor, there are plenty of times when I still feel particularly privileged to be here. When that happens, I find myself stopping for a little thanksgiving prayer. St. Malachy is such a wonderful parish that I find myself particularly grateful for the opportunity to be here.
It is so easy to overlook the blessings God has given us, particularly if we settle into a routine and experience the same things over and over. God’s blessings are no less present to us when we are used to them, but we tend to overlook them. We do not always notice what we have received because we are too busy with everyday life. That is why we need a holiday like Thanksgiving, so we can take time out to reflect on what we have and to remember where it comes from. It is our chance to thank God for His blessings.
Unfortunately, Thanksgiving itself tends to get lost in the consciousness of our popular culture. Every year it seems that Hallowe’en lasts longer and that Christmas starts earlier. Thanksgiving gets squeezed to the background. And even when we do celebrate it, we tend to focus on eating as much as possible and then falling asleep on the couch while watching football. But I think of the words of British author G. K. Chesterton, “I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.” If we can truly appreciate our lives – and everything in them – as a gift from God, then we will marvel at what blessings we have received, and that will double our happiness. That wonder may be a little stronger for me this year because my assignment to St. Malachy came as such a surprise. I knew I was in for a new assignment, but I never thought it would be here, and I never realized (despite my many conversations with Fr. Mike) how wonderful a parish this is. There are some things one just has to experience to appreciate.
So I have been recognizing how much I have to be thankful for at St. Malachy. But now I should let you know that I will be away from the parish for Thanksgiving. For the past twenty years or so, I have had the tradition of spending Thanksgiving week with my sister in Fredericksburg, Virginia. I will be leaving Sunday afternoon and will return in time for next weekend. In the meantime, I am confident that Fr. Russell will represent me well at the Thanksgiving Mass this Thursday morning at 9:00. In the meantime, I thank God for one of you in this parish. And I offer my very grateful wish for all of you: Happy Thanksgiving!
Father H
