Everything good that we have ever had is from God. Our breath, our heartbeat, our ability to reason, our intellect, our free will, our strength, health, talents, and abilities. Anything we have “earned” is due to what God already provided us and continues to help us to gain.
Throughout the Sacred Scriptures, we hear time and again all that God has done for us and continues to do for us. From the very beginning, God provided everything to man for a life of joy: all fruit-bearing plants, animals, birds, fish, water, a suitable partner in the woman Eve, and a relationship with God.
Throughout the Gospels, Jesus reminds us of the abundance God offers to us. In Matthew 21:33-46, we hear the Parable of the Tenants in the vineyard, where the landowner (God) did all the work on his vineyard: he spaded it, cleared it of stones, planted the choicest vines, built a watchtower, and hewed out a winepress. All that was left for the tenants to do was to wait for the fruits.
In Matthew 22:1-14, we hear the Parable of the Wedding Feast, where the King invites all to the wedding banquet of His Son. Everything was provided, a rich banquet, the wedding garbs. The king even sent multiple reminders through His servants who were ignored or killed.
In Matthew 25:14-30, we hear the Parable of the Talents, where the Master entrusted his possessions to three servants. Two used them to bring forth additional talents. The last servant hid his talent and had it taken away from him.
God deserves repayment for all that He has done for us, but He doesn't need those good fruits for Himself. Instead, God seeks fruits from us for our own benefit. The Lord knows the importance for us to let go, to give back.
Consider what would happen if we held on to everything we ever had.
First, we'd cause harm to ourselves; God gave us the very air to breathe – if we held on to it and never let it go, we would die.
Second, if we held on to everything we ever had, we’d also create a hazard: think of all the mail, school assignments, newspapers, and clothing; they’d be stacked up to the ceiling ready to collapse as we walk throughout our home.
Furthermore, hoarding all that we have invites an infestation of bugs and rodents and disease. If we kept everything we ever had, there would be a great waste; games we enjoyed as kids would be unused, collecting dust. If we kept everything we ever had, there would be no room for anything new and no room for growth. If you held on to your children and didn't let them go, your kids wouldn't make friends or form a family of their own.
St. Paul wrote his letter to the Philippians (4:6-9) while imprisoned for his faith. Paul was not distraught or discouraged at losing his freedom. Instead, he encouraged his people to have no anxiety.
Don’t hold on to fear or worry. “By prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God” (Philippians 4:6), and He who loves you will provide even greater things.
There may be a time when you lose your health, job, money, possessions, friendships, or family. These were blessings the Lord gave us. We are called to be grateful for the time we had with these gifts. But by letting them go and giving them back to God, we are called to await in hope for the even greater things God desires to give us. Happy Thanksgiving!
By Fr. Michael Mullins, Pastor of Sacred Heart, Palmerton.
Photo: The foods of the secular Thanksgiving feast are pictured with the spiritual food of the Eucharist – the word in Greek means gratitude or thankfulness. (CNS photo illustration courtesy Southern Nebraska Register)
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