Eucharista

Today, I have received two messages of thank you. One was a note in the mail for serving communion at our church last week. It was from someone I barely know, and so took me very much by surprise. . . a pleasant one. The second one was from a young woman I helped this last week. And one of the best parts of doing something for someone else, is it is as much a gift to the giver as to the receiver, sometimes moreso.

The Greek word for Communion is Eucharista, translated as "good gift/grace" and signifies the undeserved gift we receive in Jesus' death on the cross for our forgiveness. It also has an idea of gratitude. In the words of institution said over the elements prior to distributing the elements to the people of the congregation, it is said, "Jesus took bread, and after giving thanks, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples. . . "

There is a power to being grateful, or giving thanks. There is a power in saying Thank you to someone else. It means that we are not taking for granted the act of kindness, nor having any sense of entitlement in receiving anything. It means we acknowledge that person, and whatever it is they did, and that our lives are made better because of them. Again, it has an effect on ourselves as well as the person we give thanks to.

But especially now with Thanksgiving being upon us, it does make us take stock of our lives, of the people that we encounter, and the blessings we have, whether or not our lives are perfect. There is something powerful to be able to identify things to be thankful for, even in the midst of difficult circumstances. It is more than seeing our lives as half full. It is an expression of hope; of knowing that life's meaning is held in greater things than the daily circumstances of our lives that may be challenging or painful. It is being grateful for a person's life, even when they have just died. It is being grateful for the people who gather around us and provide support and strength for us when life hits us hard. Sometimes it can be as simple as a friend of mine who was just in a horrible biking accident and is now a paraplegic. He was thankful for some mashed potatoes that he was able to eat a couple of days ago. Simple pleasures.

*So, this year I am thankful for my family. A wonderful son who gives me daily joy and for whom I am so proud; and loving parents, who have always been there for me for the last 51 years, and who now give me the privelge of being there for them as they grow older.
* I am thankful for my family as well for the sense of humor we are able to maintain in the midst of mom's dementia, and so much of that joyful and healthy attitude comes from her.
* I am thankful for having the opportunity to have a ministry where I can be involved with peoples' lives at a very sacred time of life, and to make a difference in tangible ways for the patients and families, that often extend beyond my time of interacting with them.
* I am grateful for the friends in my life who have been in my life for long and short periods of time, but make my life so rich with laughter, and affection and soul touching moments.
* of course, the things such as a home to live in, food to eat, clothes to wear and many other creature comforts.
*Most of all for the blessings and graces that I receive daily from God who I love, and who is the Giver of every good and perfect gift.

Have a blessed Thanksgiving everyone!