Gratitude and Traditions in the Year 2020

Tess Cavanaugh

Tess is a Sophomore at Visitation High School and a Second Year Peer Minister

On the 4th Thursday in November, people all around the country will be celebrating the annual holiday of Thanksgiving. In Greek, the word Thanksgiving means Eucharist. Not only do we eat the Eucharist at mass, but it also symbolizes the mystery and salvation of Christ in his Death and Resurrection being accomplished when we eat it.

The Eucharist and Thanksgiving are related not only by the exact meaning of the words, but also in their spiritual meaning. Eating the Eucharist symbolizes letting Jesus come into your body and if you let Him, your soul. Jesus died for us on the cross and eating His body and drinking His blood is a beautiful notion of thanks for what He’s done for us.

Thanksgiving dinner is a celebration that so many people around the US are blessed to be able to feast at! From the turkey and mashed potatoes to the cranberry sauce and hopefully pumpkin pie, thanksgiving is a time where people can express gratitude to one another and acknowledge the sacrifices people have done for each other. This year, my extended family is not gathering for a dinner feast but I am going to make sure I talk to them none-the-less to tell them how much I love them! Many of us haven’t seen extended family in quite some time and the zoom calls (especially from school) can seem even overused now. But thanking people for their sacrifices and love they have given you makes a huge deal. Just last week a friend of mine who I’m not even super close with but still know pretty well wrote me a quick card saying thank you to me for always giving her a piece of gum, and it made my whole day!!

Small tokens of gratitude to people are really noticed and especially this time of year it’s the perfect time to express them! Jesus died because He loved us so much so let us love others, and in that way, love Him in return. 

Happy Thanksgiving and God bless!