The Sacrifice of Thanksgiving

 In this Holy days leading to Easter, I'd like to turn my thoughts towards gratitude.  Gratitude for what Jesus did back when He walked this earth in the material realm as well as for what He continues to do today all around.  I want to be awake enough to contemplate in reverence and thanksgiving the events of those days.  The pain, anguish, fear, and horror of the Passion of Our Lord, His crucifixion and death, but also the hope of His resurrection and the glory of His ascension into Heaven...I want to be grateful for everything.

A devotional reading I read this morning said:  "Bring Me the sacrifice of thanksgiving.  Take nothing for granted, not even the rising of the sun." (Jesus Calling by Sarah Young)

Imagine if we are called to give thanks even for things we don't even think about, like the rising of the sun, or breathing, or blinking, or waking up...how are we not to spend time meditating and filling our hearts with appreciation for what Jesus did and keeps on doing?  How could we go through the whole Easter season without a deep sense of thankfulness?  Easily.  We do it by getting so busy with the things of this world to the point that we forget the reason for the celebration.  The world has a way to distract us from the real meaning of what we do.  At Christmas, we get distracted by the twinkling lights, the Elves on shelves, the old, jolly fellows on red suits, the presents, the parties.  At Easter we sweeten the days with candy, eggs, bunnies, pastel-colored flowers and new dresses.  A whirlwind later, and we're back to normal...like nothing happened.

I guess that's why the devotional says: "the sacrifice of thanksgiving."  Taking time to pause and ponder on the events that give meaning to the days requires sacrifice, indeed.  I don't know about you, but for me, time bleeds out like water gushing from a busted hydrant.  Hitting the pause button would imply sacrificing many things in my daily list of chores...all important...all needing my attention...all coming to me with a rush order.  When we give an offering it is supposed to be out of what we value, not out of our surplus.  Time never seems to be on surplus around here.  Therefore, that is the best gift I can give back to Our Lord...time to give thanks.

I want to be transformed.  Like my devotional concluded, "When you approach Me with thanksgiving, the Light of My Presence pours into you, transforming you through and through."  May these Holy days allow us opportunities to come to Christ with a heart filled with gratitude.  And may He transform us into who He designed us to be.  In His Precious Name.  Amen!