Being thankful!
Whether we want to or not

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Being thankful!
Whether we want to or not

As Thanksgiving approaches, I can’t help but think how this has been a year of reflection for us all. We have received an opportunity to slow down, retreat and discern. Though this is something many of us long for, we rarely commit the time to do it. The way that it happened makes we wonder if the reflection was different due to it being thrust upon us as it was this year? I believe it was. I believe there was a certain vulnerability felt by all as we faced a global pandemic. Would we or our family or friends get sick? How long would we be shut down? Would we have our jobs to go back to? Most things happening to us were beyond our control. However, isn’t it interesting that many of us had felt that we were in control before everything turned upside down?

I think that one of the reasons we long for opportunities of quiet is so that we can take time to listen to what God is saying to us; whether we realize it or not. To hear what God is calling us to. This year we had a chance to discern our place in society and even how society itself functions; especially as we were called to care for one another, and be responsible for each other’s welfare. To know that we have had the opportunity to slow down and hear God’s voice is something that we should all be tremendously thankful for. We have been able to think and pray about what really is important to us as well as what are some things that we can let go of in our lives. I think that when we are able to slow down and be present in the moment, we remember that God verses ourselves are in charge of what will happen in our lives.

I pray that we continue to make the time to reflect further on what we may have started. My hope is that through more reflection we will discern what is truly important to us in our lives, as well as how God calls us to live out our lives in the hope of the resurrection. Let us all be thankful for the gifts we have received during this time of pandemic and always.

By Serena Shaw
Oblate Associate
780-231-3066
seshaw@shaw.ca