Thanksgiving Sets Us Free
One
Thanksgiving sets us free
In Acts 16, Paul and Silas were whipped and thrown in prison with their feet placed in stocks because Paul lost his temper and cast out a demon from a slave girl who made her master a lot of money as a fortune teller. There Paul and Silas were, chained deep in the interior of the prison, probably sitting in total darkness and not knowing what their fate would be in the morning. So what do they do? They begin to pray and sing praise and thanksgiving to God. Suddenly there was an earthquake that shook the prison to its foundations. All the doors flew open and the chains fell from all the prisoners. And they were set free.
It was not the earthquake that set them free from prison. It was their thanksgiving to God before God acted and set them free.
In Romans 8:28 Paul writes that God works all things for good for those who love Him. That being true, we can thank God ahead of time, even before we experience the good God is doing. And it is this thanksgiving flowing from an expectant faith that unleashes the wonders God will do.
Two
Thanksgiving brings even more blessings
It may be that what prevents us from receiving more abundant graces from God may be our lack of gratitude for the graces He has already given us. There is no doubt that if we thank God for each grace received, he will grant us more.
St. Thérèse of Lisieux said to her sister Céline, “What most draws down graces from our dear Lord is gratitude, for if we thank Him for a gift, He is touched and hastens to give us ten more, and if we thank Him again with the same sincerity, what an incalculable multiplication of graces! I have experienced this: try it and you will see. My gratitude for all that He gives me is boundless, and I prove this to Him in a thousand ways.”
Three
Omnia in bonum All for the good
It is easier to be thankful when everything is going as planned and you and your loved ones feel good. It is very hard when stressful circumstances arise or when something bad happens or when your body or mind feels lousy. This is difficult enough when it is temporary. But when it is a chronic thing, meaning it’s not going away, then it is even more difficult to be thankful and joy-filled.
So how can we in times of trouble, stress, or pain keep our peace, be thankful, and have our joy? By repeating this simple phrase: Omnia in bonum, all for the good. Ultimately, God is in control, nothing can happen unless God wills or permits it for our greatest good. Trust Him and repeat, omnia in bonum. It is all for the good.
St. Jose Maria Escriva writes, “The test, I don’t deny it, proves to be very hard: you have to go uphill, “against the grain”. — What is my advice? That you must say: omnia in bonum, everything that happens, “everything that happens to me”, is for my own good... Therefore, do accept what seems so hard to you, as a sweet and pleasant reality.” The Furrow 127
Four
Fr. Solanus Casey
Thanking God does not guarantee we will get what we want or spare our loved ones from suffering. Thanking God helps us to see that no matter what God wills or allows into our life, it must be for the greatest good. Omnia en bonum. It’s all for the good.
To make this attitude a habit, second nature that is, we must practice it continuously.
Fr Solanus Casey once said, “Why not foster confidence in God’s divine providence by humbly and in all childlike humility venturing to remind him…that we are his children. We should remind him that we are, and at least want to be reckoned as among his little ones. Therefore, we should thank him frequently for, not only the blessings of the past and present, but thank him ahead of time for whatever he foresees is pleasing to him that we suffer. We should do this not only in general but in each particular case. We should leave everything absolutely in his divine disposal, including with all its circumstances, when, where, and how he may be pleased to dispose the events of our death.”
Five
The Mass is the greatest way to thank God
The sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross is the infinite and perfect act of Thanksgiving and Praise of God the Father. Jesus makes this act of thanksgiving present in the Mass so that we can unite ours to His. As the Catechism states (360), “The Eucharist is a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the Father, a blessing by which the Church expresses her gratitude to God for all his benefits, for all that he has accomplished through creation, redemption, and sanctification. Eucharist means first of all ‘thanksgiving.’"
For this reason, there is no greater way to give thanks to God than by going to Mass.
Suggested Resolutions:
Choose one resolution for today to help you grow closer to God, or create your own. Here are some ideas to inspire you.
Whenever you’re struggling, repeat the phrase, “Omnia en bonum,” to remind yourself that everything is “all for the good.”
Thank God ahead of time, not because he will do everything that you ask, but because whatever he does in answer to your prayer will be good.
Offer Mass in thanksgiving and praise of God the Father. Consider going to daily Mass this week and remember to spend time praying in thanksgiving.