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November 25, 2015Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. - Chronicles 16:34
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Readings for today.
A Thanksgiving Prayer
Oh, God, when I have food,
help me to remember the hungry;
When I have work, help me
to remember the jobless;
When I have a warm home,
help me to remember the homeless;
When I am without pain,
help me to remember those who suffer;
And remembering, help me
to destroy my complacency
and bestir my compassion.
Make me concerned enough
to help, by word and deed,
those who cry out
for what I take for granted.
- by Samuel Pugh
Family Prayer Service Around the Thanksgiving Table
Mother/Father/Leader:
"We come to our table to welcome this feast of Thanksgiving with joy and with gladness. We have prepared this feast with good food and drink. We have gathered together and come around this table to feast and to celebrate the many things for which we are grateful.
The Lord is our light and our salvation. May this light burn brightly in our hearts and around this table, both at this Thanksgiving and at all of our family meals."
(Grandparent or older child lights a candle.)
ALL: "We give thanks today for all of the many gifts that we have received."
(Each person shares one thing that he/she is thankful for.)
"Let us also remember those members of this family and those loved ones who are not present at our table."
(A silent pause, or the names of individuals may be said aloud.)
Blessing ~ each person reads a verse until the prayer is completed
"Lord of all blessings,
from You has come a full harvest of gifts to us.
With our uplifted hearts,
we come today around this table
to give thanks to You.
We are grateful not only for the gifts of our very lives
but for all the gifts of friendship, love,
devotion and forgiveness that we have shared.
On this Thanksgiving and this day of giving thanks,
we thank you for showing us
how to return thanks by lives of service,
by actions of hospitality,
by kindness to others
and by concern for each other."
If guests are present:
"We thank You for the presence of (name guests)
who, by their being present in our home,
have added to this feast of joy and celebration.
We are most grateful, today, for the way
You, our unseen God, has become visible
to us in one another, both in our families and our friends
in countless daily gifts
and in the marvels of creation itself.
Come, Lord of Gifts,
Bless our table and all the food of this feast.
Let us thank the Lord
Today and all days."
(Copyright © 1992 Family Life Office, Archdiocese of Hartford; from the USCCB web site)
