Giving Thanks in Difficult Circumstances

A week ago, Fr. Lambert received two doses of very difficult news. One day, he got a call from overseas to tell him a priest-mentor, who became a best friend of his, had a heart attack and died suddenly at the age of 54. The very next day he learned another priest-friend passed away from Covid-19. Because of distance and travel restrictions, Fr. Lam-bert was not able to go to either funeral. Our normally very joyful priest was suddenly quite sad. He struggled with the news like any of us would... but he never lost hope. In the middle of all this, in a morning homily Fr. Lambert used the reading which said, “In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus,” as an opportunity to give thanks to God for the gift of his best friend. At the time Fr. Lambert was applying to seminary here in Boston, he needed a recommendation from this priest who knew him well - without that recommendation, he would not have been accepted into the seminary! So, in many ways, Fr. Lambert - and all of us - can thank God for this priest making it possible for him to be with us.

Many of us will not be able to gather this Thanksgiving with all of the people we would like to see, and some of us will be alone on this day. As I write this column, I have just started a time of quarantine for having “close contact” with someone who subsequently tested positive for the virus, so I will be united with you in this disappointment. Despite all of our best efforts, it is impossible to remain 100% safe unless we stay in bed wrapped plastic wrap! Both welcoming and safety continue to be key values for us this year. This Thanksgiving, I hope and pray that you, too, will be able to find ways to express your thanks and love of others safely.

It has been a difficult year, but like Fr. Lambert, we do not give up hope! And we do not stop giving thanks to God for all the blessings we do have! The gift of life, the love of God and of others, the ability to join with our family of faith for worship - whether in person on on-screen... and the list goes on. Many of us give thanks for health for ourselves and loved ones, and even those who are not healthy give thanks to God for the strength and spiritual support that gets them through. “In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus!”