Dear Editor: I read with interest, the Nov. 30 editorial (“The Many Blessings We Should Remember This Holiday “). Well done, as usual. As noted, Thanksgiving can be an ideal time to give thanks, for all of God’s many gifts, graces and blessings, so abundantly and lovingly given. In reality, we have a most powerful opportunity to give thanks for all blessings we receive, each day at Mass and Reception of God’s most profound blessing, in the Body and Blood — the Eucharist.

We can be grateful for not just the praiseworthy, healing and comforting gifts, so graciously and freely given, but even for God’s secret and at times, unwanted blessings — sickness, poverty and pain. Some may rightfully question calling these a gift or blessing. It stems from a strong belief that in some cases, God allows us to experience and share in Jesus’ Passion and Crucifixion. A truly monumental gift to bolster our faith.

Sadly, in our New Age culture, we see so many of God’s most precious and profound gifts wasted, ignored in our secular humanist and anti-God culture. One has only to look around for a snapshot of a world which has cast God on the back burner or worse, under the bus of greed, debauchery and hate.

Look at Washington and Albany, look at our streets and communities, which have become lawless outlaw havens, completely devoid of any trace of love or human compassion, two of God’s most powerful human graces.

God will give us all of the graces necessary to be His disciples and messengers. We need only ask, open our minds, hearts and souls, so that His gifts can enter and strengthen our faith and
resolve to be His disciples. He only asks us to use them as they were intended, for the good of others — our families, friends, communities, countries, parishes.

We can do this every day. Most of us give thanks on Thanksgiving and other special occasions, but God’s smile is more radiant and vibrant every time that we reach out and share His gifts with those so painfully and deeply in need.

Bob Fallon

Breezy Point