In the year 1615, an English explorer Thomas Hunt, a
compatriot of the famous John Smith, captured a group of Native Americans to
sell them on the slave trade. One of these Native Americans was Squanto. The group was rescued by Catholic Franciscans
Friars, who baptized Squanto and catechized him in the Catholic faith. Squanto went to England where he worked in
the shipyards and became fluent in English.
He returned to his Native America where he was living for about 5 years
when the pilgrims left England in order to pursue a Calvinist Utopia in Massachusetts
because they thought the Anglicans were “too Catholic”. The pilgrims however had no food and were
starving. Squanto, hearing of their
distress, came to their aid teaching them how to grow corn, fish. They celebrated their first successful
harvest in 1621. The real hero of
Thanksgiving was Catholic Squanto.
Does he not embody the words of our Collect today? With gratitude for God’s kindness, he shows
concern for his fellow man, and shared his gift of loving service.
Yet, the first American Thanksgiving was actually celebrated,
in St. Augustine, Florida on September 8, 1565, the feast of the Birth of Mary. 56 years before the Puritan pilgrims of
Massachusetts, Spanish Explorer Don Pedro Menendez, came ashore amid the
sounding of trumpets, artillery salutes and the firing of cannons to claim the
land for King Philip II and Spain. The ship chaplain, a Franciscan Priest, chanted
the Te Deum and presented a crucifix that Menendez ceremoniously kissed. Then nearly the 1000 Catholics aboard the Ship
along with the Timucuan Indians who greeted them celebrated the Holy Sacrifice
of the Mass in gratitude to God.
The second American Thanksgiving happened on April 30, 1598,
when Spanish explorer Don Juan de Oñate requested the friars to say a Mass of
Thanksgiving, after claiming the land north of the Rio Grande for the King of
Spain. The men feasted on duck, goose, and fish from the river.
Every Catholic Mass is a celebration of Thanksgiving for
life and the blessings that fill it. In
fact, the Greek New Testament Word for Thanksgiving is Eucharistia. At the Eucharist, we first and foremost give
thanksgiving to God for the gift of our salvation. Without Jesus Christ’s self-sacrifice on the
Cross there would be no hope of heaven for any of us. For this we give thanks to God, and it is
important for us to come to Mass recollected, that is, with our thanksgiving
first and foremost in our hearts, to recognize that we have been saved by a God
who loves us.
Perhaps, the reason why 80% of Catholics do not come to Mass
is that they never really came to believe that Christ had saved them, and that
we are not entitled to heaven by any work that we have done.
Remember, it in the Gospel, 10 lepers received healing, but
it was the one leper, who returned to the Lord to give thanks who was
saved.
In a few weeks, the busyness of the Christmas season will be
upon us, and we will be reminded to keep the Christ in Christmas, to remember
that his glorious birth is the reason for our celebration. We do well, to keep the Thanks in
Thanksgiving.
And today, as you gather with your families, recall the
blessings of life, food, shelter, family, and of course our faith, which
promises everlasting life. Offer a prayer and perhaps the wonderful limerick of Catholic historian Hilaire
Belloc:
“Wherever the Catholic sun doth shine, There’s always
laughter and good red wine. At least I’ve always found it so. Benedicamus
Domino!” for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
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