 Every year, the calendar places two seasons side by side: Thanksgiving and Advent. For many of us, one day we’re gathering around a table filled with turkey and pie, and the next, we’re lighting the first candle of the Advent wreath. It can feel like a quick transition from gratitude to anticipation, but in the rhythm of our faith, these two moments can be connected. Thanksgiving, though a secular holiday, resonates deeply with us as Catholics. At its core, it’s about gratitude, a virtue central to our life with God. The very word “Eucharist” comes from the Greek eucharistia, meaning “thanksgiving.” When we gather for Mass, we give thanks for the gift of salvation, for God’s mercy, and for the daily graces that sustain us. So, as we pass the stuffing and share stories of gratitude, we are, in a sense, preparing our hearts for Advent’s invitation to make room for Christ with thankful & hopeful hearts. Advent is often described as a season of waiting and preparation. Preparing our homes, our hearts, and our lives for the coming of the Lord at Christmas. But this preparation isn’t meant to be rushed or frantic. Instead, it’s about making time and space for Christ to enter. And one of the surest ways to create that space is through gratitude. When we pause to name our blessings, such as family, friends, health, forgiveness, and even the challenges that have helped us grow, we are reminded of God’s faithfulness throughout the year. Gratitude grounds us in reality: that everything we have, even the breath in our lungs, is a gift. In a world that constantly tells us we need more, Thanksgiving invites us to say, “What I have is enough.” Advent, then, invites us to say, “And yet, I still long for more of You, Lord.” Thanksgiving orients us toward what has been given; Advent turns our gaze to what is yet to come. Gratitude and hope are two sides of the same coin. When we are thankful, we remember how God has provided in the past. When we hope, we trust that He will continue to provide in the future. The Advent wreath offers a simple but profound visual of this movement from gratitude to hope. Each candle brings more light into the darkness, just as each act of thanksgiving strengthens our faith in the promise of Christ’s coming. The first candle, the candle of hope, reminds us that we are a people who live between what God has done and what God will do. Thanksgiving helps us look back with appreciation; Advent helps us look forward with expectation. As we move from Thanksgiving into Advent, there are simple ways to let one flow into the other:
Thanksgiving and Advent together teach us to look back with gratitude and to look forward with hope. Both invite us to slow down, to notice the blessings around us, and to recognize the deeper longing within us. As Catholics, we don’t move abruptly from the Thanksgiving table to the Nativity scene. Instead, we journey through the quiet expectation of Advent, carrying with us hearts filled with thanksgiving. Gratitude opens the door; hope leads us through it. And at the end of this path, we find the greatest gift of all, Christ Himself, the one for whom we have been waiting, the one to whom we give thanks. Author
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 Advent offers a time to live in the hope of Christ. Christ is our hope. The Incarnate Son of God came at the first Christmas in all humility and in the fullness of humanity. He will also come again at the end of time. During Advent we reflect on both realities. He is our hope for salvation and hope for our suffering world. We pray during Advent for Christ to come again in glory and in thanksgiving for his first coming, which opened the doors to salvation. It is a blessed and sacred time of hopefulness. It is also a time for us to grow more deeply in faith in Christ. We can simply move through the season of Advent with only an eye toward Christmas and miss the opportunity to deepen our life in Christ who is our hope. There are many resources that the Catholic Apostolate Center offers to enter into the season of Advent more fully. These resources are some of our most popular ones. We invite you to share them with others. In the United States, we are also celebrating Thanksgiving, a time of gratitude for what God has done for us. In some ways, it is good that this holiday comes near Advent so that we can also be grateful for the faith that we have and our hope in Christ. It is a season of giving, looking beyond ourselves to the needs of others. This time of year is a good one to revive faith and rekindle charity, not only in ourselves, but in those around us, because that is what apostles of Christ are called to do. May the charity of Christ urge us on! In God, the Infinite Love, Fr. Frank Author
 For many families it’s a Thanksgiving tradition to go around the table and express what each person is thankful for before digging into the meal. Families may share many of the same reasons they give thanks, though each person is often impacted differently or expresses their gratitude uniquely. This type of intentional gratitude sets the preparation-intense Thanksgiving meal apart from every other bread breaking (or rather turkey wishbone-breaking). Giving thanks is, of course, not limited to just the third Thursday of November. Opportunities and reasons to give thanks are infinitely abundant throughout the year. It’s not just about speaking about gratitude, but living it as a blessing in life from God Almighty. This time of Thanksgiving in the United States reminds me that “… all good giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father…” Whether we realize it or not, we give thanks to God each Sunday in and with our parish community. When the faithful gather for Mass, they gather for the Eucharist (which means “thanksgiving” in Greek). Just as when Christ Himself instituted the Eucharist at the Last Supper two thousand years ago, the Mass commemorates the real sacrifice of God the Son in atonement for the sinful debt humanity had incurred. In St. Luke’s account, our Lord, knowing that His Passion was to come, “eagerly desired” to share the Passover meal with His disciples. During the meal, Jesus gave thanks to His Father for the True Bread, His Body, that would be broken for us. That is, He thanked the Father that He was able to offer Himself for our redemption (cf Luke 22:22). Since Christ Himself set this standard for us to express our gratitude in life, let us strive to imitate Him and look for opportunities to give thanks, even in the midst of suffering. As the Sacrifice of Holy Mass is the ultimate prayer humanity can offer, it is the perfect opportunity to express our prayerful thanksgiving to God. The priest gathers the intercessions of the faithful into the prayer offered before the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Usually there is a petition to offer one’s personal prayers in the silence of his or her heart. At this I often marvel: what private needs are being prayed for by my fellow parishioners? What circumstances are awaiting my fellow Christians once they depart the church’s pews? That itself presents to me a witness to be grateful for: each person who wanders into a church seeks help from the One he or she knows will certainly and lovingly listen and answer. These are touching acts of faith in our God, who provides meaning and comfort to suffering, longing, confusion, and loss! An “attitude of gratitude” is a worthy daily pursuit. It can begin each morning as we remember that life is a gift from God! This attitude can flourish when applied to circumstances of daily life: Thank God I arrived safely. God protected me from that distracted driver! I’m so glad to hear her injury wasn’t serious and recovery is going well. I am grateful to have a forgiving, patient, and loving spouse, especially this morning! I am thankful for this job God has blessed me with to support my family. Let us remember to thank God who so richly blesses us every day, especially through those who touch our lives and care for us. Offer prayers and love to God and to your neighbors, not just during the Thanksgiving meal, but in church, during phone calls (call your parents!), and in other run-ins. May our prayers echo that of the biblical Job, who despite great sufferings and loss faithfully prayed to God, “The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD!” Questions for Reflection: What are you most grateful for this Thanksgiving season? How can you practice a spiritual attitude of gratitude each day? *This blog was originally published November 22, 2018.* AuthorThomas Wong is a young professional in Washington, D.C.
 I am surprised to learn that Wikipedia has an article on “Catholic Guilt.” Growing up, the notion of “Catholic guilt” was in the air and often used in a humorous and dismissive way, “Catholic guilt, the gift that keeps on giving.” The word “guilt” only shows up in The Catechism of the Catholic Church four times although the concept of moral responsibility is prevalent throughout the catechism. It first appears in an article on indulgences (1471), then twice in the discussion of conscience (1784 and 1801), and finally in the teaching on the Fifth Commandment, you shall not kill, under the respect for health section, “Those incur grave guilt who, by drunkenness or a love of speed, endanger their own and others’ safety on the road, at sea, or in the air.” (2290) The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines guilt, a noun, as “the fact of having committed a breach of conduct, especially violating law and involving a penalty.” The verb is a feeling. Interestingly, guilt as a noun has been used since the 12th century; guilt was first used as a verb in 1971. It is important to distinguish guilt “as a breach of conduct” from shame, a form of sadness caused by guilt, some type of shortcoming, or impropriety. We are guilty because we have done a bad thing. The feeling of shame usually follows. In addition to acts of commission - such as drunk driving - there are also sins of omission like the priest on the road to Jericho who “passed by” the man left “half dead” along the side of the road in the Parable of the Good Samaritan. I say “usually” because sometimes conscience is blinded “through the habit of committing sin” or some type of rationalization that nullifies the “breach of conduct.” Some people feel no shame, no remorse, over the lies they tell because they tell so many lies. They cannot distinguish between a lie and truth. Or, we know drinking and driving is dangerous but we deny the danger because “it's late at night, the traffic is light, and I only have a couple of miles to go.” Guilt and shame are powerful gifts that confirm we have a conscience, that we can have a change of heart and behavior, that we can make amends, embrace God’s mercy, and live in hope. I have always found the story of John Newton (1725-1807) particularly moving. He captained the slave ship The Greyhound when, during a storm (March 1748), he cried out for deliverance. This was his conversion. He began to treat his slave better than others. Nevertheless, it was a serious illness that stopped him sailing in 1754. He went on to pursue theological studies and was ordained an Anglican priest in 1764. He wrote Amazing Grace in 1772. Eventually, in 1788, he published Thoughts upon the African Slave Trade and began his work with William Wilberforce who lead the abolition campaign in parliament. Newton died in 1807, the year the British Parliament passed the Slave Trade Act abolishing the slave trade in the British Empire. Newton’s conscience was awakened by a “grace that taught my heart to fear.” It would take him 40 years to completely repent of the evil he had done. Similar stories can be found in the prolife movement. Norma McCorvey, “Jane Roe” in the 1973 Roe v. Wade case legalizing abortion, became pro-life in 1995 and eventually converted to Catholicism in 1998. Or Abby Johnson, a clinic director for Planned Parenthood, who tells of her change of heart, and her conversion, in her 2010 book Unplanned. Finally, Dr. Bernard Nathanson, an abortion provider, had a change of heart due to ultrasound technology. He converted to Catholicism in 1996. Guilt, and its companion emotion of shame, can be powerful gifts that lead us to the truth and mercy of God. They can also become excessive and even neurotic. This is why the Sacrament of Reconciliation is so helpful because, even with venial sins, confession “helps us form our conscience, fight against evil tendencies, let ourselves be healed by Christ and progress in the life of the Spirit.” (1458). When guilt awakens our conscience, it is best to repent, confess our sins to a priest, do the penance given, and gratefully welcome the mercy of God. If we find ourselves ruminating about what we have done, or what we have failed to do, go to confession and talk to the priest. He will help us name our sin, let go of what does not belong to us, and make a good confession that leads to God’s mercy, our humility, and our hope. 'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, And grace my fears reliev'd; How precious did that grace appear The hour I first believ'd! (Amazing Grace, verse 2, by John Newton).
 While Christmas is still some time away, the circumstances surrounding the birth of our Lord give reason for us to pause and reflect throughout the year on the great mystery of the Incarnation—the entering of God the eternal Son into time and the human experience. At the Christmas vigil, the Gospel proclamation involves tracing the ancestral lineage of Jesus as “the son of David, the son of Abraham” and the prophetic culmination of divine promises. Those specifications, similar to the grand announcement of The Nativity of the Lord from the Roman Martyrology, draw upon Sacred Scripture to formally declare the birth of Christ and squarely place His entry into time. The USCCB notes: “It begins with creation and relates the birth of the Lord to the major events and personages of sacred and secular history. The particular events contained in the announcement help pastorally to situate the birth of Jesus in the context of salvation history.” Reflecting on the genealogy of Jesus helps us to remember that he is part of a human family and was raised with particular role models and inherited traditions. It also reminds us that many people helped prepare the way for the coming of the Savior, playing greater or lesser roles for the glory of the Father’s plan. Two people who are part of Jesus’ genealogy, but passed over in Scripture are the parents of the Blessed Mother, Sts. Joachim and Ann. Factually, nothing about the parents of Mary arises from credible historic sources apart from their existence — not even their names of Joachim and Ann are verified! Although they are passed over in Scripture, Mary’s parents are critical as they represent generations who actively participated in the obligations of family and faith life while anticipating the coming of the Messiah. These saints maintained the spiritual and familial environment that nourished and inspired the Blessed Mother to always trust in God and to famously declare, “May it be done to me according to your word.” We find evidence of Mary’s strength of character and trust in the Lord in Scripture, especially Luke chapter 1 verses 28-55 and John chapter 2: Mary is steadfast in making decisions, active in prayer, obedient to the laws of her faith, calm through moments of crisis, and devoted to her relatives. It is not hard to see how such models of parenthood would likely have inspired Mary’s own upbringing of Jesus. We can wonder how much of Mary’s unyielding belief through Jesus’ ministry, Passion, and Resurrection — especially after seeing her son publically brutalized and murdered — was instilled in her by the fortitude and strength she saw modeled by her own parents during her childhood. What can we learn from the parents of the Blessed Mother? We may not all be grandparents, but we can still influence our families through our receptiveness to the perspectives, experiences, and lessons of those preceding us. Truly these are treasures of wisdom not to be taken lightly or ignored. Pope Francis has sought to convey this important observation. During his first World Youth Day as Pope, observing that Brazilians were celebrating Grandparents Day on the feast of Sts. Joachim and Ann, he reflected: "How precious is the family as the privileged place for transmitting the faith! … How important it is to have intergenerational exchanges and dialogue, especially within the context of the family … Children and the elderly build the future of peoples: children because they lead history forward, the elderly because they transmit the experience and wisdom of their lives." The family is often the first community of love, knowledge, and faith that we experience (CCC 2205). It is a great gift to preserve and strengthen that takes our time, talent, and commitment to keep strong. Yet, just as each of our family members are imperfect, so too is our own love despite our best intentions. At times we may lose patience amidst the demands of life. Or, more tragically, we may find ourselves amongst family members who do not know how to love, perhaps products of their own troubled upbringings. When we face difficulties within our families, or see hurt in other intergenerational families, let us remember that regardless of our human relations, we have been born into the spiritual family of the Church. How wonderful it is that despite our earthly circumstances each of us has been entrusted to call God our Father, Mary our Mother, Joachim and Ann our grandparents and Jesus our Brother and Savior. Sts. Joachim and Ann, pray for us! Questions for Reflection: Who are the people in my family who have taught me the beauty of the faith? Which members of my family need me to show them the love of Christ? *This blog was originally published July 25, 2018.* AuthorThomas Wong is a young professional in Washington, D.C
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