THANKSGIVING FOR THE END TIMES

 A REFLECTION FOR THE LAST SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

 Today’s Gospel makes us stop in our tracks and consider for a moment the awful things that lie ahead in the future of mankind.  Perhaps in our lifetime, perhaps not, but nevertheless, ever looming over our heads as some dreadful ordeal that man must eventually endure.  We pause, we consider, and we fear.

And yet, a mere four days from now, these regrettably superficial fears will be dispelled as we celebrate one of the most joyful holidays of the year, the Day of Thanksgiving.  Thoughts of an unpleasant future are forgotten as the smell of roasting turkey permeates our kitchens and we begin to look forward to “the holidays”—that vague and secular term that refers to everything from Turkey Day itself to Black Friday, office parties, lights, trees and presents, and the final New Year bash.

As usual, we must be vigilant, and aware of the tricks the Devil plays upon our shallow emotions in order to draw our souls away from God.  He has the audacity to use the things of God—in this case, Thanksgiving, to make us forget the things of God—the end times and the salvation of our soul.  Besides, let’s face it, how many people truly give thanks to God on Thanksgiving Day?  For the vast majority, it is simply the first day of the holidays, when we eat and drink ourselves into a stupor as we anticipate the wonderful Black Friday sales and think about putting up the Christmas tree.

As Catholics, we must watch out for these tricks on our “feelings” and keep a strong hold on our faith, our free will and our reason, to recognize the connection between today’s message and next Thursday’s: we must give thanks to God this week for all the good things he has provided for us, and this includes the end of the world, whenever it happens.  Even if it does happen in our own lifetime!  For what is the end of the world?  Merely the closing down of history, the end of time and space.  These things must be looked at in the context of eternity, and we must understand that only the everlasting existence of our soul in the presence of God truly matters.

With this realization comes the peace of knowing that whatever sorrows may await us—hardships, poverty, sickness, persecution, and even death—are transitory and meaningless compared with our eternal bliss in heaven.  If we understand this, the feeling of thanksgiving we should have this week will know no bounds.  We will give thanks to God not only for the good things he has given, but also for the less pleasant—yet more useful—opportunities for embracing our crosses, taking them up onto our shoulders and following his most beloved and only-begotten Son to Calvary, and beyond to Resurrection and Paradise.