A Letter From Our Pastor: Giving Thanks to God for the Gift of Time

My dear sisters and brothers,

November is such a wonderful and blessed month. It is in many ways a very busy month with holy days and holidays. For us in the Northwest, it is also a month of wind and rainstorms, leaves falling, gutters and drains clogging, the occasional branch falling, and even sometimes losing power. In all of that, we are called to recognize the presence of God in every moment.

As Catholics and as citizens, the month of November is marked with memory. We begin the month celebrating All Saints’, remembering all those who lived faithful lives, and now celebrate in heaven as the Church triumphant. November 2 is much more somber, All Souls Day, when we remember our beloved dead and feel the tinge of grief as well as the solace of gratitude for the gift of their lives.

November 11 finds us celebrating Veterans Day to honor and thank all those men and women who served in the United States Armed Forces. Indicative of the importance of this day, every year at 11 a.m. Eastern, the president of the United States in a solemn ceremony, lays a wreath at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery.

For us locally, November 11 is also the feast of St. Martin of Tours, the patron of St. Martin’s Benedictine Abbey and University. It is a time of celebration and rejoicing for the monks and the work that they began in 1895.

This year, on November 25, we celebrate one of our most beloved holidays, Thanksgiving. It is a day that was based in faith from its very beginnings, and it is an indication of how much we have to thank God for in terms of the gifts we have received — our lives, our families, our church, our Lord and Savior — everything we are and everything we have. Unfortunately for many, the faith aspect of gratitude and thanksgiving has been pushed aside by overeating, too much football, and the extravaganza and frenzy of preparing for Black Friday that now begins on Thanksgiving day itself. It is so important for us not to lose the holiness of this holiday.

No sooner are our Thanksgiving Day celebrations concluded, we begin the glorious season of Advent on Sunday, November 28. This prepares us for and leads us to Christmas, the Feast of the Incarnation, God becoming man.

Indeed, this is both a busy and extraordinary time of the year! There is, of course, much more on which we could focus and about which we could think, meditate and pray. We are blessed during this time that so many of us are in small faith-sharing groups, praying with one another and delving into the beauty of sacred Scripture. From a stewardship perspective, I invite you to not only participate and focus on all the particular things that are about to happen but also to pray about one of our special gifts — the gift of time. Time is a gift. It is a gift that we all receive from God in an equal amount — 24 hours every day. It is precious because it is a non-renewable resource. Although much of our time is committed because of family responsibilities, work responsibilities, or simply personal needs, we have an element of free will with how we spend a certain amount of time.

As faithful stewards and disciples of Jesus Christ, it is important for us to spend time each day in prayer, deepening our relationship with Jesus Christ. In prayer, thanksgiving, and communal worship, as well as acts of mercy and ministry, we draw closer to the One who loves us into being and sustains us at every moment.

Our time is perhaps more precious than any material gifts we received from the Lord. During this month of November and into the Advent season, let us reflect upon this precious gift. Let us pray and think about how we use this gift, cultivate this gift and share this gift. Is the Lord calling you to spend more of your time with Him in prayer, alone and together with your spouse and family? Is the Lord inviting you to spend more of your time in service to the Church or the wider community? Is the Lord asking you to spend more time in gratitude and thanksgiving amid all the challenges that you face each day?

The gift of time — what an extraordinary gift from the Lord.

In Christ, through the intercession of Blessed Pier Giorgio, I love you.

Fr. Jim

Fr. Jim