November 19, 2012
Metaphysical poet George Herbert once prayed, “Thou that has given so much to me, give one thing more – a grateful heart; Not thanking when it pleaseth me, as if Thy blessings had spare days; But such a heart whose pulse may be Thy praise.”
“But such a heart whose pulse may be Thy praise.”
How does your heart pulse? Thanksgiving is surely a time to take one’s pulse of a grateful heart – an inventory if you will, about how our gracious God has blessed us. And blessed us indeed.
For what, then, are we grateful? Things big and small. The list is long: good health, a loving family, a steady job, an education, a roof over our heads, hot water out of the spigot this morning, a seat on the subway, a faith that sustains us in difficult times, a country with all its freedoms and possibilities.
As many of you know, for 11 years I worked in Jerusalem, at the Tantur Ecumenical Institute, working for the unity of Christ’s church. Living outside one’s country often throws into relief the gifts of one’s own. One of the moments I felt most grateful for my country came, surprisingly, a couple weeks after September 11, 2001. In microcosm, the American people came together in prayer at Yankee Stadium. Religious leaders from many religious traditions – Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, and varieties of those and many more – assembled to express in our perhaps messy American way that we are one country who treasure religious freedom and tolerance. Few countries could replicate such a gathering of religious voices in such an expression of unity.
Our Paulist founder Isaac Hecker was driven by his love for our country to share Christ’s message with his countrymen. His gratitude drove his mission. As should ours.
We are blest. We are grateful to our God. We share our gift.
So, from the bottom of our heart, we way “Thank you” to our God, “thank you” to you, because you both support our mission and, we hope, recognize your own mission in ours.
Father Michael McGarry, CSP
President of the Paulist Fathers