Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Thanksgiving and the folly of "self-sufficiency"

When we were children, our parents taught us to say Thank You as a way to educate us in good manners. As we progressed in age, we also learned from experience and from our faith tradition that life is an ongoing gift for which we need to remain forever grateful. There is always a danger of changing the gift into a given, thus ending the spirit of gratitude that should constantly inspire us. Thanksgiving Day helps us correct any false impressions about our self-sufficiency.

Father Raymond Lebrun, OMI, Spiritual Director, Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

Thank you to my friend Lisa for passing this on.