As we celebrate the Holy Eucharist today, the Church reminds us that this sacrament, among other things, is thanksgiving. It is our moment to pause, remember, and thank God for countless blessings.
Like Ezra in today’s first reading (Ezra 9:5-9), the Church invites us to turn back to God with grateful hearts; to truly stop a moment and appreciate the gift of life, the gift of family and friends, the gift of work that sustains us. Ezra’s prayer is a wake-up call. It reminds us that gratitude is not optional but is at the heart of faith. To give thanks is to recognize that everything we have and everything we are comes from God.
As we share this sacred meal, let us allow our appreciation to deepen. Let us thank God for His blessings, and let us thank one another for the ways we are gifts in each other’s lives. To live the Eucharist is to live a life of gratitude. May our thanksgiving today move us to be people who radiate God’s love with grateful hearts. Amen!