Be thankful for every blessing

One of the signs of faith that is firmly rooted is the ability to give thanks at all times and in all circumstances.  Mothers help us to grow in faith, and Saints give us the example of their lives to help us to believe that it is possible to be thankful ... at all times.

Always be thankful

Today’s scripture passages help us to remember that we should be thankful at all times for the blessings we have received from our God.

Today (this weekend) we celebrate Mothers’ Day.  This is the day when we remember and pray for our mothers.  We are thankful for all that they have done for us and for all that they continue to share with us, but on this day, the scriptures challenge us to also be aware of women around us who are in need.  In the early days of the Church, when the disciples were increasing in number, some of the followers were concerned because their widows were being neglected (Acts 6:1).  Aware of the needs of these women, they quickly found a way to come to their help.  This is what Christ’s disciples have done ever since: as we become aware of the needs of our brothers and sisters, we act quickly to respond to their needs.  Mothers are experts at doing this, so it is fitting that on this day we should give thanks for all mothers and that we should ask God to bless them.

Let’s do that right now: close your eyes for a moment, picture in your mind the women in your life who are the most important inspirations for you and ask the Lord to bless them:

Loving God, as a mother gives life and nourishment to her children, so you watch over your Church.  Bless these women, that they may find strength in you to always be the best of Christian mothers.  Let the example of their faith and love shine forth.  Grant that we, their sons and daughters, may honor them always with a spirit of profound respect.  We ask this through Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Today, we have two new Saints in our Church.  Pope Francis celebrated Mass at the Shrine of Our Lady of Fátima in Portugal this (yesterday) morning and during that celebration he canonized two of the three children who witnessed the apparitions that took place there.  Francisco and Jacinta Marto were brother and sister.  He was only 8 years old and she only 6 when together with their cousin Lucia, they witnessed three apparitions of an angel of peace who invited them to pray and to do penance.  A few months later, on May 13, 1917, the three children saw the first apparition of the Virgin Mary.  She asked them to pray the rosary every day and to make sacrifices, offering them for the conversion of sinners.  One hundred years later, Francisco and Jacinta have been proclaimed Saints.  May these two living stones (cf 1 Peter 2:4) intercede for us always.  Together with their cousin, they can and will help us to be thankful for all that we have received, and to turn to God in our time of need.

It’s easy to be thankful when life is going well, but how do we respond when life presents challenges?  Jesus' disciples had already been stunned by the fact that he had died, and then they rejoiced when they discovered that he had risen from the dead ... but when he was preparing to leave them again, they were on the verge of despair.  Knowing of their frailty, Jesus encouraged them with words of reassurance:  Do not let your hearts be troubled.  Believe in God (at all times), and believe also in me (Jn 14:1).  Jesus loves each one of us as though we were his only child.  He sends us mothers to teach us and to guide us and he sends us the Saints to instruct us by their example.  Let us give thanks for these gifts, and let us pray that God will always show us how to be his disciples.