To Be, Or Not To Be: A Seminarian

     Each year that I’ve been in Rome, we have had to let our classmates and professors know that we will not be in class on the last Thursday in November because it is a national day of Thanksgiving. The rector of our college even sends a letter to the different universities excusing us from classes on that day. It has always surprised me, however, that when we mention Thanksgiving Day the immediate response is, “Oh…si, il Tacchino.” (the italian word for turkey). However, this year one student stopped and instead of this normal response highlighting our dinner’s main course said to me, “You know that is a great thing, to spend one day as a country to thank God.” I confess that this made me pause and appreciate once again what Thanksgiving is truly about, and how great an act of witness it remains.
     For us as Catholics, however, thanksgiving is not a rare occurrence; in fact, it is the very meaning of Eucharist. To be a “Eucharistic people” means that at the center of our lives is a deep and abiding gratitude for all the abundant blessings our Lord has bestowed upon us, not the least of which is our faith and our vocation. I cannot help but think of the words the bishop speaks to the ordinandi when he hands on the chalice and paten, “imitate what you celebrate.” If as future priests we will one day celebrate the Eucharist, it must also mean that we will embody in our own lives a true and sincere gratitude, as thanksgiving in reality is at the heart of the mystery and of our faith itself.  I think my classmate said it correctly, what a great thing it really is.   Happy Thanksgiving to all!