A Parade Of Great Delight

Most people I know would never want to work at their job on Thanksgiving for obvious reasons, I, however, especially want to be at work on this very family-oriented holiday. Many of my residents, in fact, the majority, will not see their families, or go out for Thanksgiving dinner, for a variety of reasons, which makes it all the more significant for the staff to be intentional about our kinship with these sweethearts. Today we have something magical planned and it is all in the name of making this holiday extra special for our sweethearts, because while they don’t really complain, I know deep down they feel the absence, the loss, and the abandon, and if there is anything we can do to soften that, we go all in, so we have planned to host our very own Macy’s Day Parade with and for the residents. Each department has decorated a themed float, with residents help, complete with an iconic Macy’s Day Parade signature balloon above it. Each club will walk in the parade with a sign and identifying props, such as the Poker Club will be sporting the quintessential green visors as they parade by. The final touch will be our very own Memory Care Marching Band decked out in Scottish kilts and playing their percussion instruments as they strut or roll on by! The staff has embraced the mission with so much creativity, love, and joy, and lets just say every staging area is covered in glitter as it absolutely should be!! All the classic characters will make an appearance such as Snoopy, Spiderman, The Grinch, and of course, Santa!! It’s a homemade parade inside the Assisted Living facility that will delight, and tickle, and remind us of our thankfulness. I hope to post pictures of it all tomorrow!!

In today’s gospel one leper had the mindfulness to stop and give thanks to the One that cleansed him. It was this mindfulness that activated his faith that Jesus said actually healed him. I pray that this kind of mindfulness capture us today so that we can worship before all the frenzy of cooking and entertaining, traveling and getting to where we need, family dynamics that may or may not be fun, and of course all the abundance that this day brings in laughter, food, sharing, reuniting, and being together. Let’s worship the One who loves us first and let’s thank Him before all of the above, for in that order, this day of great gratitude might just become a parade of great delight. The mindfulness of our staff and the amount of extra “work” we have done to provide a bit of extra joy on a day that can trigger extra sadness, is an activation of faith that returns us to the One who saves us. It is well with my soul. 

Thanksgiving Day
Lectionary: 943-947

Reading 1 SIR 50:22-24

And now, bless the God of all,
who has done wondrous things on earth;
Who fosters people’s growth from their mother’s womb,
and fashions them according to his will!
May he grant you joy of heart
and may peace abide among you;
May his goodness toward us endure in Israel
to deliver us in our days.

Responsorial Psalm PS 145:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9, 10-11

R. (see 1)  I will praise your name for ever, Lord.
Every day will I bless you,
and I will praise your name forever and ever.
Great is the LORD and highly to be praised;
his greatness is unsearchable. 
R. I will praise your name for ever, Lord.
Generation after generation praises your works
and proclaims your might.
They speak of the splendor of your glorious majesty
and tell of your wondrous works. 
R. I will praise your name for ever, Lord.
They discourse of the power of your terrible deeds
and declare your greatness.
They publish the fame of your abundant goodness
and joyfully sing of your justice.
R. I will praise your name for ever, Lord.
The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and of great kindness.
The LORD is good to all
and compassionate toward all his works.
R. I will praise your name for ever, Lord.
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom
and speak of your might.
R. I will praise your name for ever, Lord.

Reading 2 1 COR 1:3-9

Brothers and sisters:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I give thanks to my God always on your account
for the grace of God bestowed on you in Christ Jesus,
that in him you were enriched in every way,
with all discourse and all knowledge,
as the testimony to Christ was confirmed among you,
so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift
as you wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
He will keep you firm to the end,
irreproachable on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
God is faithful,
and by him you were called to fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Alleluia 1 THES 5:18

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
In all circumstances, give thanks,
for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel LK 17:11-19

As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem,
he traveled through Samaria and Galilee.
As he was entering a village, ten persons with leprosy met him.
They stood at a distance from him and raised their voices, saying,
“Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!”
And when he saw them, he said,
“Go show yourselves to the priests.”
As they were going they were cleansed. 
And one of them, realizing he had been healed,
returned, glorifying God in a loud voice;
and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. 
He was a Samaritan.
Jesus said in reply,
“Ten were cleansed, were they not?
Where are the other nine? 
Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?” 
Then he said to him, “Stand up and go;
your faith has saved you.”