Give Thanks Always

Deacon Tom writes

"Give Thanks Always"

Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

2,000 years ago St. Paul instructs the Ephesians “Watch carefully how you live, not as foolish persons but as wise”. He is concerned because “the days are evil”. Do we need to “Watch carefully” how we live today?  Do we need to heed Paul’s advice to the Ephesians and “give thanks always and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father”?  Yes, on both counts!

When it comes to our consumption of material goods, for instance, no matter how much “stuff” we have, we are more likely to complain than be thankful. That’s just the way it is. It’s one of the consequences of living in a consumer driven society. We have become accustomed to setting our expectations so high when it comes to material things. We want what we want when we want it!!!  We suffer from the psychological need for “Instant Gratification”, a condition arising from the unlimited desires within us. I think it is safe to say that Madison Avenue knows us better than we know ourselves. How sad is that?  Madison Avenue is able to shape our desires and mold our behavior from our early childhood. If you haven’t seen enough “Infomercial” watching your programs on TV, turn on the kids shows on Saturday morning…You will be amazed!

But our personal experience tells us that when we do get the things we want, it doesn’t take long for us to become disappointed with them. They are not what we expected… they didn’t match my other clothes… it doesn’t do what we wanted it to do…it broke soon after we got it home. And so goes the litany of disappointment.  Material things just aren’t capable of providing us with long-term joy and happiness. That’s the true nature of the things of this world.

Scripture draws heavily on the image of God as a parent. What father or mother does not want to see their children happy?  The real question to ask, of course, is what makes us happy?  We need the things of this world for sure. But we need to be “wise” in our choices. The wisdom that Paul insists upon in today’s reading is that we put God first in the choices we make by giving thanks to him for all that we receive. It is a thankful heart that God desires most and we shape that heart by realizing that all that we receive, all that we have, come from him and belong to him. Our lives, our families, our health, our jobs, our joys, desires, and plans are gifts he has shared with us and they are only a part of the bounty of what he has in store for us. Wise men and woman understand this reality and that understanding is what allows them to “Give Thanks Always”, every moment of the day, in good times and in hard times, on sunny days and the soft days when the due falls. This is the wisdom of the ages that enables those who seek it to live well and…  “advance in the way of understanding” by thanking and praising God at all times. 

Enjoy the day!

Deacon Tom

Image credit -  en.wikipedia.org