Father William Grant directed our annual Day of Recollection before the beginning of Advent Nov. 14. This was a great way for us to prepare for the spiritual coming of the baby Jesus into our hearts, which is a good preparation for the second coming of Jesus on the last day.
Included in our day of recollection was Eucharistic Adoration, confessions and Mass. Under the direction of Father Grant, who explained the method of Lectio Divina, we were each given a chapter in the book of Proverbs to read and meditate on before breaking up in small groups to discuss.
I came a few minutes late because I celebrated the 8 a.m. Mass at North American Martyrs School for the students, so I did not initially receive an assigned chapter. I randomly chose the 21st chapter and verse two struck a chord in my heart. It states, “The rich and the poor meet together; the Lord is the maker of them all.”
The message for me was clear. Throughout our brief earthly lives we will encounter our neighbor. We need to daily remind ourselves that they too were created in God’s image and likeness (Gen 1:26-27). In addition, some neighbors will be better off than we are and some will be worse off than we are.
As we celebrate Thanksgiving, I pray you have a free moment like our staff did to quietly meditate on the great love God has for His children. Let us thank God the Father for the greatest gift ever given – His only Begotten Son who came to us a helpless baby born in utter poverty. He went from a cave fit only for animals to die naked on a cross for the salvation of us all.
In addition to this, I will personally give thanks for our donors who help us spiritually, materially and financially for they know well that, “The rich and the poor meet together; the Lord is the maker of them all.” Happy Thanksgiving!
