Let It Be Done

Today’s gospel initially struck a funny bone in me like, two blind guys walked into a bar…but then my heartstrings were tugged and the beauty of not one, but two blind men washed over me. They had each other and their collective faith gave them the boldness, courage, and perseverance to find Jesus, follow Him, and cry out to Him, “Son of David, have pity on US!” They are an “us” and that is what hit me. We need each other to help us find Christ, we need each other to bring our broken places to Jesus, we need each other to walk alongside in the darkness, and we need each other to cry out to Jesus because two voices are louder than one. I can just picture the scene of Jesus noticing that these two blind men walked each other into His presence, and how moved Jesus must have been at the sight. Were they arm and arm? Holding hands? Reaching out in front of them? Each one of these postures is a lovely display of worship and so Jesus asks them, “Do you believe that I can do this?” He immediately engaged their faith because our faith is the fertile soil for healing. He saw their worship, their coming in the dark to Him, their friendship, and their desire, so He already knew their faith was strong, but He asked them so that they could declare it, “Yes, Lord.” This was their “fiat” which is one of the words in the season of Advent that always stirs my heart. 

Jesus “touched their eyes and said, ‘Let it be done for you according to your faith.’ And their eyes were opened.” Their faith believed that their eyes would be opened and they were. Their “Yes, Lord,” declared it and so it was. Declarations rooted in a deep faith, fostered and strengthened by trusted companions, given to Jesus in worship and thanksgiving is the path toward healing and holiness. Two blind guys teach us how to see today. Two blind guys have better vision than I do sometimes. Two blind guys navigated their way into the presence of Jesus together. So what does my faith declare today? Who are my companions on the journey? How do I reach out in worship? Do I believe that Jesus can do this? “Let it be done for you according to your faith.” It is well with my soul. 

Reading 1 IS 29:17-24

Thus says the Lord GOD:
But a very little while,
and Lebanon shall be changed into an orchard,
and the orchard be regarded as a forest!
On that day the deaf shall hear
the words of a book;
And out of gloom and darkness,
the eyes of the blind shall see.
The lowly will ever find joy in the LORD,
and the poor rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.
For the tyrant will be no more
and the arrogant will have gone;
All who are alert to do evil will be cut off,
those whose mere word condemns a man,
Who ensnare his defender at the gate,
and leave the just man with an empty claim.
Therefore thus says the LORD,
the God of the house of Jacob,
who redeemed Abraham:
Now Jacob shall have nothing to be ashamed of,
nor shall his face grow pale.
When his children see
the work of my hands in his midst,
They shall keep my name holy;
they shall reverence the Holy One of Jacob,
and be in awe of the God of Israel.
Those who err in spirit shall acquire understanding,
and those who find fault shall receive instruction.

Responsorial Psalm PS 27:1, 4, 13-14

R. (1a)  The Lord is my light and my salvation.
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life's refuge;
of whom should I be afraid?
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
One thing I ask of the LORD;
this I seek:
To dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD
and contemplate his temple.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD. 
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.

Alleluia

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Behold, our Lord shall come with power;
he will enlighten the eyes of his servants.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel MT 9:27-31

As Jesus passed by, two blind men followed him, crying out,
"Son of David, have pity on us!" 
When he entered the house,
the blind men approached him and Jesus said to them,
"Do you believe that I can do this?" 
"Yes, Lord," they said to him. 
Then he touched their eyes and said,
"Let it be done for you according to your faith." 
And their eyes were opened. 
Jesus warned them sternly,
"See that no one knows about this." 
But they went out and spread word of him through all that land.

Billy The Bird

We have a therapy cockatiel named Billy at work. Billy loves to sit on my shoulder because I always sing to him. When he hears my voice, he will fly directly over to me so that we can have a jam session. When I am teaching him a song that he has never heard before he tilts his head all the way over so that his ear is bent toward the sound. He listens first, then immediately tries to mimic what he heard. It is the darndest thing. He’s a quick study and this week’s song was Jingle Bells. I sang it for him several times as he bent his ear and then as I kept singing he would chime in with a whistled attempt at the new melody while bobbing his head to the rhythm. He knows several songs including Another Bites The Dust by Queen and Billy and I are quite the musical duet around the retirement home. Now if I can just teach him some Broadway show tunes we can audition for America’s Got Talent! Today’s gospel brought Billy’s bent ear to mind, “Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.” When Billy listens he points his ear toward the sound and then he immediately acts out what he heard. This gives me a perfect visual for a prayer life. Prayer is a bending toward the voice of God, a leaning into the heart of God, and a bowing under the weight of glory. This posture of bending, leaning, and bowing allows us to point our ears, our hearts, and our wills toward the one teaching us, just like when Billy sits on my shoulder to sing. Jesus wants us to stand on his shoulders and hear the Word that will give us a solid footing, a sturdy perch, and a firm foundation. Once we can stand firmly, then we can choose wisely, and wisdom gives us the grounding we need to withstand the pommeling that often comes with life. 

There are two parts to today’s message: first listen, then act. We need to learn the tune before we can sing it, but we most definitely need to sing. Jesus came that we might have an abundant life and the key to that abundance is in His Word. Scripture is the primary source of His Word and in the hearing of it, we build up the ground beneath us, but in the acting of it, we gain the wisdom to stand on it when the trials come. Hearing God’s voice in our prayer time widens our stance and tightens our muscles so that we don’t collapse under the storms of this world. It’s a beautiful image for us to ponder during this season of Advent. I was out and about this weekend and heard the Christmas music playing and realized that the Word was being proclaimed through it. “In excelsis Deo!” (“Glory to God in the highest”) Luke 2:14. Advent is a time for us to lean in, to bend our ear, and to bow in honor to the one voice that will teach us the tune of eternal life. Fly to Him, perch yourself on His shoulder, bend your ear to His voice, and sing. It is well with my soul.  

Reading 1 IS 26:1-6

On that day they will sing this song in the land of Judah:

"A strong city have we;
he sets up walls and ramparts to protect us.
Open up the gates
to let in a nation that is just,
one that keeps faith.
A nation of firm purpose you keep in peace;
in peace, for its trust in you."

Trust in the LORD forever!
For the LORD is an eternal Rock.
He humbles those in high places,
and the lofty city he brings down;
He tumbles it to the ground,
levels it with the dust.
It is trampled underfoot by the needy,
by the footsteps of the poor.

Responsorial Psalm PS 118:1 AND 8-9, 19-21, 25-27A

R.(26a)  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, 
for his mercy endures forever.
It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in man.
It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in princes. 
R. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Open to me the gates of justice;
I will enter them and give thanks to the LORD.
This gate is the LORD's;
the just shall enter it.
I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me
and have been my savior.
R. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
O LORD, grant salvation!
O LORD, grant prosperity!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD;
we bless you from the house of the LORD.
The LORD is God, and he has given us light.
R. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Alleluia IS 55:6

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Seek the LORD while he may be found;
call him while he is near.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel MT 7:21, 24-27

Jesus said to his disciples:
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,'
will enter the Kingdom of heaven,
but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.

"Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them
will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. 
The rain fell, the floods came,
and the winds blew and buffeted the house. 
But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. 
And everyone who listens to these words of mine
but does not act on them
will be like a fool who built his house on sand. 
The rain fell, the floods came,
and the winds blew and buffeted the house. 
And it collapsed and was completely ruined."

A Museum of Saints or A Field Hospital for Sinners? | December 4, 2019

Pope Francis says, “The church is not a museum of saints, but a hospital for sinners…The thing the church needs most is the ability to heal the wounds and to warm the hearts of the faithful; it needs nearness, proximity. I see the church as a field hospital after battle.” Jesus sets up a field hospital of sorts in today’s gospel. It says that great crowds followed Him up the mountain. This would have been a difficult hike especially because they brought with them, “the lame, the blind, the deformed, the mute, and many others.” As a faith community it is important for us to carry each other to the high places where Jesus leads us. It is there that we can place each other at his feet to be healed as in today’s gospel. The walk or the journey may be a bit difficult, but when we witness the healing that God can do when we surrender ourselves to Jesus, we will be amazed like the crowd in today’s gospel. Our amazement will lead to worship and our worship moves the heart of Jesus to compassion. His compassion feeds us with thanksgiving and thankful hearts are always satisfied. 

Sometimes we are the crowd bringing the wounded to Jesus and sometimes we are the sinners being brought before the Lord. When we come to him in our lameness, in our blindness, with our deformities, and in our pain, He meets us in high places to heal our wounds. The doctor of the field hospital has one thing in mind, “I do not want to send them away hungry, for fear they may collapse on the way.”  I love this tenderhearted Jesus that we see today. He wants us fortified for the journey so we don’t collapse when things get overwhelming. When the disciples asked how Jesus would be able to feed them all with the little food they did have, He showed them what multiplies the food for our souls: “He took the seven loaves and the fish, gave thanks, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. They all ate and were satisfied.” He takes our meager offerings, gives thanks to our Good Good Father, breaks our offerings open, distributes the pieces to the faith community, the faith community gives it away to others, and all are fed. What a lovely liturgical dance? Offering. Surrender. Healing. Worship. Compassion. Thanksgiving. Fullness. 

Let’s seek Jesus in the high places today. Let’s bring our wounds before Him so that He can heal us. Let’s give Him glory. Let’s accept the food He gives us with thanksgiving. Let’s be completely satisfied in the mercy and love of God through Jesus. Now that sounds like a great day. It is well with my soul. 

Reading 1 IS 25:6-10A

On this mountain the LORD of hosts
will provide for all peoples
A feast of rich food and choice wines,
juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines.
On this mountain he will destroy
the veil that veils all peoples,
The web that is woven over all nations;
he will destroy death forever.
The Lord GOD will wipe away
the tears from all faces;
The reproach of his people he will remove
from the whole earth; for the LORD has spoken.

On that day it will be said:
"Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us!
This is the LORD for whom we looked;
let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!"
For the hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain.

Responsorial PSALM PS 23:1-3A, 3B-4, 5, 6

R. (6cd) I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
Beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R. I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.
He guides me in right paths
for his name's sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
With your rod and your staff
that give me courage. 
R. I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R. I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.

Alleluia

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Behold, the Lord comes to save his people;
blessed are those prepared to meet him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel MT 15:29-37

At that time:
Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee,
went up on the mountain, and sat down there. 
Great crowds came to him,
having with them the lame, the blind, the deformed, the mute,
and many others. 
They placed them at his feet, and he cured them. 
The crowds were amazed when they saw the mute speaking,
the deformed made whole, 
the lame walking, 
and the blind able to see,
and they glorified the God of Israel.

Jesus summoned his disciples and said,
"My heart is moved with pity for the crowd,
for they have been with me now for three days
and have nothing to eat. 
I do not want to send them away hungry,
for fear they may collapse on the way." 
The disciples said to him,
"Where could we ever get enough bread in this deserted place
to satisfy such a crowd?" 
Jesus said to them, "How many loaves do you have?" 
"Seven," they replied, "and a few fish." 
He ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground. 
Then he took the seven loaves and the fish,
gave thanks, broke the loaves,
and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. 
They all ate and were satisfied. 
They picked up the fragments left over–seven baskets full.

Becoming Like Trusting Children

I realized yesterday that I did not post pictures from our Thanksgiving Day Parade from my blog post on, November 28, 2019 called A Parade of Great Delight. Today’s gospel is a perfect platform for me to do that. I’d like to do a translation comparison to unpack the heart of today’s message. “Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, ‘I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and learned you have revealed them to the childlike.’” (NAB) “Then Jesus, overflowing with the Holy Spirit’s anointing of joy, exclaimed, ‘Father, thank you, for you are the Lord Supreme over heaven and earth! You have hidden the great revelation of this authority from those who are proud, those wise in their own eyes, and you have shared it with these who humbled themselves. Yes, Father. This is what pleases your heart and the very way you’ve chosen to extend your kingdom: to give to those who become like trusting children.’” (The Passion Translation) 

To become like trusting children is the heart of the matter and our key to holiness because it allows God to do all the heavy lifting, to do all the providing for, to tuck us in at night, to sing to us when we are restless, to stroke our hair when we are ill, to sooth us when we cry, to lead us out of danger, to protect us from the boogie man, to keep us under His wing, to teach us how to walk and talk, to put our artwork on His refrigerator, to cheer us on at all our games and performances, to know the desires of our heart, and to love us even when we don’t shine. This is the authority that Jesus mentions in the Passion Translation of a parent whose job it is to guide, teach, and lead their children into wholeness and wellness. As we get older, “wiser”, and more proud, we tend to thwart our parent’s efforts to continue teaching, showing, and directing. Suddenly, we outsmart them, we outwit them, and we outgrow them. Jesus reminds us to keep our spiritual selves humble and small so that we do not outgrow the need for a savior, redeemer, provider, lover, and Father. When we outgrow these things, we close our eyes to things like wonder, miracles, and signs that shout, “Here I am!!” Why would I ever not want to witness glory? Why would I ever want to miss a miracle? Why would I ever want to overlook wonder? 

The answer to becoming like trusting children is a relationship with Jesus. He is the ultimate Child and teaches us how to let God be Dad. The gospel starts off with Jesus rejoicing in the Holy Spirit and praising the Father. This is a great place to begin…let’s worship alongside Jesus today as a way to humble ourselves so that the last sentence in the gospel might be ours, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.” 

Which leads me to the parade of great delight. Thanksgiving Day was a day when this gospel was lived out in the staff and residents at our sweet little assisted living/memory care palace. I wish I could post pictures of the residents, but I cannot. Just know that their delight was the personification of “becoming like trusting children.” Their faces were the wonder that prophets and kings long to see. Their joy was what pleases the Father’s heart. Their receptivity to our love was a glimpse into how a relationship with Jesus reveals the Father’s love. It was a celebration that none of us wanted to end and that my friends, is kingdom living. It is well with my soul. 

Pictures are of the floats, staff members, and some of the kilt brigade marching band! 

Memorial of Saint Francis Xavier, Priest
Lectionary: 176

Reading 1 IS 11:1-10

On that day,
A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse,
and from his roots a bud shall blossom.
The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him:
a Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
A Spirit of counsel and of strength,
a Spirit of knowledge and of fear of the LORD,
and his delight shall be the fear of the LORD.
Not by appearance shall he judge,
nor by hearsay shall he decide,
But he shall judge the poor with justice,
and decide aright for the land's afflicted.
He shall strike the ruthless with the rod of his mouth,
and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked.
Justice shall be the band around his waist,
and faithfulness a belt upon his hips.

Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb,
and the leopard shall lie down with the kid;
The calf and the young lion shall browse together,
with a little child to guide them.
The cow and the bear shall be neighbors,
together their young shall rest;
the lion shall eat hay like the ox.
The baby shall play by the cobra's den,
and the child lay his hand on the adder's lair.
There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain;
for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the LORD,
as water covers the sea.

On that day,
The root of Jesse,
set up as a signal for the nations,
The Gentiles shall seek out,
for his dwelling shall be glorious.

Responsorial Psalm PS 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17

R.(see 7) Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
O God, with your judgment endow the king,
and with your justice, the king's son;
He shall govern your people with justice
and your afflicted ones with judgment. 
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
Justice shall flower in his days,
and profound peace, till the moon be no more.
May he rule from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
He shall rescue the poor when he cries out,
and the afflicted when he has no one to help him.
He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor;
the lives of the poor he shall save. 
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
May his name be blessed forever;
as long as the sun his name shall remain.
In him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed;
all the nations shall proclaim his happiness.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.

Alleluia

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Behold, our Lord shall come with power;
he will enlighten the eyes of his servants.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GospelLK 10:21-24

Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said,
"I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to the childlike. 
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. 
All things have been handed over to me by my Father. 
No one knows who the Son is except the Father,
and who the Father is except the Son
and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him."

Turning to the disciples in private he said,
"Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. 
For I say to you,
many prophets and kings desired to see what you see,
but did not see it,
and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it."

Adventure Is Out There!

Happy Advent everyone! The word God gave me yesterday for this season was “adventure”. The definitions are: an exciting or very unusual experience; participation in exciting undertakings or enterprises (the spirit of adventure); to risk or hazard; to take the chance or dare; to take the risk involved. I thought this was great insight into the season of Advent for sure and definitely for today’s gospel. The centurion knew that his approaching Jesus was risky, vulnerable, and slightly hazardous. Romans and Jews were not necessarily supposed to hang out, but his “spirit of adventure” touched Jesus in such a way that He responded immediately, “I will come and cure him.” This teaches me that when I risk in the name of love, Jesus recognizes it as an exciting and very unusual experience and He just loves those!!! Jesus is all in, but the centurion does what I so often do, “Lord, I’m not worthy.” We come at things according to our own brokenness, woundedness, and self-possession, and while the centurion was simply stating that it would not be socially or politically or religiously acceptable for Jesus to go to a Roman centurion’s house, when I say, “I’m not worthy,” it has different ramifications. Then the centurion reveals his “spirit of adventure” one more time by stating, “Only say the word and my servant will be healed.” Again, he participated in an exciting undertaking and dared to take a chance that was rooted in faith deep within. The desires of our heart nudge us toward the Beloved when we have the mindfulness to pay attention and to respond. Sometimes desperate situations such as illness, loss, and pain amplify that mindfulness and give us what we need to take a chance toward wholeness. 

When the centurion acknowledged Jesus’ authority that was the ultimate show of his faith. The religious leaders had been questioning Jesus’ authority and were threatened by it. This Roman recognized that Jesus’ words, presence, and healings indicated a higher power that He was operating under. Authority would be something that a Roman centurion would pay attention to and Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. I say to you, many will come from the east and the west, and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the Kingdom of heaven.” When we recognize Jesus’ power that now dwells within each of us through the Holy Spirit, we will see healings, signs and wonders, and lots and lots of conversion all over the place. This centurion’s willingness to adventure with Jesus sets us up perfectly for an Advent like none other. To quote one of my favorite movies, Up, “ADVENTURE IS OUT THERE!!” 

Let’s approach Jesus with expectations for adventure. Let’s trust that His Word alone has the power to heal, change, and set free. Let’s recognize the authority that each one of us has in Jesus. Let’s risk in the name of love. Let’s adventure!! It is well with my soul. 

Reading 1 IS 4:2-6

On that day,
The branch of the LORD will be luster and glory,
and the fruit of the earth will be honor and splendor
for the survivors of Israel.
He who remains in Zion
and he who is left in Jerusalem
Will be called holy:
every one marked down for life in Jerusalem.
When the LORD washes away
the filth of the daughters of Zion,
And purges Jerusalem's blood from her midst
with a blast of searing judgment,
Then will the LORD create,
over the whole site of Mount Zion
and over her place of assembly,
A smoking cloud by day
and a light of flaming fire by night.
For over all, the LORD's glory will be shelter and protection:
shade from the parching heat of day,
refuge and cover from storm and rain.

Responsorial Psalm PS 122:1-2, 3-4B, 4CD-5, 6-7, 8-9

R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
I rejoiced because they said to me,
"We will go up to the house of the LORD."
And now we have set foot
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Jerusalem, built as a city 
with compact unity.
To it the tribes go up, 
the tribes of the LORD.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
According to the decree for Israel, 
to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
In it are set up judgment seats, 
seats for the house of David. 
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! 
May those who love you prosper!
May peace be within your walls, 
prosperity in your buildings. 
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Because of my relatives and friends
I will say, "Peace be within you!"
Because of the house of the LORD, our God,
I will pray for your good.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

Alleluia SEE PS 80:4

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Come and save us, LORD our God;
let your face shine upon us, that we may be saved.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel MT 8:5-11

When Jesus entered Capernaum,
a centurion approached him and appealed to him, saying,
"Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully."  
He said to him, "I will come and cure him."  
The centurion said in reply,
"Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof;
only say the word and my servant will be healed.
For I too am a man subject to authority,
with soldiers subject to me.
And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes;
and to another, 'Come here,' and he comes;
and to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it." 
When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him,
"Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. 
I say to you, many will come from the east and the west,
and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
at the banquet in the Kingdom of heaven."

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.”