Reflection from Bp. Robert Morneau
November offers each of us the opportunity to once again give thanks for the blessings that come our way. Here are a few that come to mind.
November 1: Feast of All Saints. Within our rich Catholic tradition we have a great band of witnesses who lived the Gospel to the full: St. Augustine who reminded us that “Our hearts are restless until they rest in the Lord!”; St. Therese of Liseux who, though dead by age twenty-four, shared her faith in a God who is Mercy and Love; St. Josephine Bakhita who experienced God as creating, knowing, loving and awaiting her. The saints light the way on our way home.
November 2: All Soul’s Day. We pause to remember and pray for all those who have been part of our family, community, and inner circle. So many of our acquaintances have beaten us to our heavenly dwelling. We cannot afford to forget them; we cannot afford to be ungrateful for all that they have done for us.
November 11: Veteran’s Day. We live in a free country, a freedom that has been purchased at a very high cost. The word here is sacrifice, even to the point of giving one’s life. Those who serve in the military deserve our profound appreciation. We need but view the cemetery at Normandy to have visual evidence of the price that was paid for our freedom.
November 13: World Kindness Day. A phrase from the poet George Herbert says it all: “All worldly joy go less / to the one joy of doing kindnesses.”
November 24: Thanksgiving Day. Oh, yes, the Packer-Lion game as well. But at the center of this Thursday is the table where we share a meal together and give thanks to God for the gifts that we have been given: family-friends-freedom-faith and so much more. Except for turkeys, this is one great day.
Blessed November!