Thanksgiving Day, December 31st, 2024.
Readings: Is. 63:7-9, 1Cor. 1:3-9, and Lk. 17:11-19.
“Always Come Back to Say Thank You.”
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
One month ago, I went through the weekly writeups from Dr. Bill, our resource person during the Fall presentations at St. Agnes Church Pittsfield. In it he narrated the following story: “Stephen had a very rich friend. Very rich. There are wealthy people, and then there are people so wealthy it’s hard to comprehend. Stephen’s friend was one of the latter. Trying to put numbers to his friend’s wealth wasn’t helpful. The numbers were too big to be truly grasped. Stephen’s friend was simply so rich he could buy whatever he wanted. He was also extraordinarily generous, and this created a problem for Stephen.
Stephen’s friend took generosity to a level rarely seen, even among experienced philanthropists. His friend seemed to take great joy in giving his wealth away. The greater the need, the more readily it was met. His friend’s generosity came without strings of any kind. He didn’t expect repayment, and he wasn’t condescending. He somehow gave in a way that made the recipient feel bigger, not smaller. Stephen had many times been the recipient of his friend’s gifts. They had been friends as long as Stephen could remember, and Stephen could not recall a time when he had not benefited from his friend’s generosity. His gracious giving had touched every part of Stephen’s life, in transformational ways.
When Stephen was young his parents could not afford to send him to summer camp. Stephen’s friend found a way to get funds for Stephen’s parents in a manner that protected their dignity, and Stephen was able to join his peers in creating childhood memories in the woods. When Stephen graduated high school his friend once again stepped in. He helped Stephen find part time work to pay for college, used his influence to secure scholarships, and sometimes directly paid tuition balances on Stephen’s behalf. Accordingly, Stephen finished his degree without crushing student debt.
When Stephen had difficulty finding work it was his friend who secured him a role in one of his own companies. It was a good job, providing not only for Stephen’s financial needs but also his need to be challenged. As Stephen’s career progressed, his friend would send little encouragements, especially at times when the work ahead might seem insurmountable. Stephen even met his young bride through his friend. His friend, knowing them both, subtly arranged a few opportunities where they would bump into each other. When the time was right, his friend helped pay for the wedding, an event he made time to attend in person.
The time of greatest crisis came when Stephen and his young bride gave birth to their third child prematurely. The tiny infant required expensive medical care for a treatment that was not routine. Stephen’s friend was once again on the spot providing not only funding for the operation but influence to ensure a skilled physician was available. The list went on and on. Stephen’s friend had proven time and again to be faithful to him. Stephen had not always sought his friend’s help, but anytime he did his friend was there. He was often there in secret, even if Stephen had not sought assistance. His generosity over the years was overwhelming, which is why Stephen now had a problem. He had no idea how to repay his friend.
What can you give to the man who has everything? There was nothing Stephen could buy that his friend could not procure for himself a thousand times over. Even if Stephen could think of something unique to purchase, Stephen’s income came from a company owned by his friend. It would almost be like buying a gift with money that was his friends in the first place. His friend was not in need of work to be done around the house. He had servants upon servants in his multiple homes, and anything that needed being done had been. His friend was not in need of favors, for there was nothing Stephen could provide that his friend could not get in a hundred better ways.
It was humbling to know that his friend was not in need of anything from him. Yet Stephen wanted to repay him somehow, someway. Many nights had been spent considering the various options, until a simple solution presented itself. Simple, yet sincere. The more Stephen considered it, the more convinced of the solution he became. It was, after all, the only thing he had to offer. Stephen called his friend and asked if he could stop by. His friend joyously welcomed him, as he always had, and Stephen made his way to one of his friend’s homes. He was greeted warmly by the staff and brought to his friend, who was ready to greet him and put him at ease. As he always did, he made Stephen feel greater, not smaller, in his home.
They exchanged pleasantries but eventually Stephen got down to business. He briefly recounted the many ways that his friend had helped him over the years. The list was long, but even still Stephen was convinced he had forgotten things. He was probably not even fully aware of some. Yet he made his best attempt. Stephen finally came to the moment of presenting his gift. That he had just one thing to offer, he had accepted. He was only beginning to realize that it was the only acceptable offering. They were two simple words, offered in full sincerity and humility. “Thank you.””
Today, the last day of the year, we are gathered here in thanksgiving to God for the just ended year and at same time, we are commending the new year into His loving plan for us and to his ever-caring ways and means for us. An ungrateful child is a source of sorrow to his or her parents. It holds same for an ungrateful person. S/he is a disappointment to God who looks up to us to present ourselves to Him showing or expressing gratitude. Jesus was disappointed that ten were cured and only the foreigner, a Samaritan came back to express gratitude. God has a right to be shown honor, praise, adoration and worship.
The part Stephen’s friend played in his life; is the part God plays in everyone’s life. To him we owe thanks. In life we meet friends and others God has placed on our path to ensure success and fulfilment of his will in our lives. We must be grateful for the gift of family and friends and humanity as such. It is rather unfortunate that only a few recognize this reality and thus that few ever turn up to say, ‘thank you’. As it was in Jesus’ days, so it is in our own days. Our prayer is that God may accept our thanksgiving on everyone’s behalf on this last day of the year 2024, as we begin the new year 2025. Our prayer of thanksgiving adds nothing to God’s greatness but makes us grow in his grace. Thank you, Lord, for our Parents, friends, lives and for all the gifts and blessings therein. Keep us faithful and true to you. To God be the glory and honor forever and ever Amen.
Fr. Anthony D. Lawir,
Pastor, St. Agnes and Our Lady of Snows Parishes, Pittsfield and Dexter.