Give thanks!

Be thankful. Today be thankful for all of the wonderful blessings that you have in your life. Be thankful to God who has made it all possible. Be thankful to your parents, relatives, friends, neighbors or strangers who have helped you along the way at some point to allow you to be able to receive those blessings.

Last night I was at Mary Help of Christians Academy for adoration. There was a talk given by a student on the theme of being thankful. She had been in a serious car accident the month prior to this talk and one point that she spoke on was in particular striking to me. Be thankful now. You don't always know if you'll have tomorrow to be thankful for.

With today being Veteran’s day as well as the feast of St. Martin of Tours, we celebrate and remember our soldiers. St. Martin was a soldier himself. When St. Martin was riding on his horse he came upon a poor man. The man was cold and shivering. St. Martin took his sword and cut his heavy military cloak in two and gave the poor man one part of his cloak. A few days later St. Martin had a dream. It was Jesus. He told St. Martin that whatever he did to the least of his brethren you do for me.

Today we can thank our service men and women for their sacrifice. Because of them we have certain freedoms that allow us to, among other things, practice our faith. Our faith is a God send, literally. Because of these brave men and women we are able to practice faith openly, freely, and with great joy.

The joyous occasion to pray for and give thanks to the wonderful men and women who sacrifice so much, and sometimes give the ultimate sacrifice is a truly wonderful grace and a very happy obligation for us. I wish to offer every man and woman who has ever or will someday wear a uniform of our Armed Services a heartfelt thank you and I will be praying for you and your safety. May God Bless all of you!

“This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.

No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”


--John 15:12-13