The view from here

In Canada, the second weekend of October is known as Thanksgiving - a three-day weekend which usually sees families and friends gather for a traditional (or not so traditional) meal. I believe that the tradition of Thanksgiving was actually adopted from some of the original settlers in North America; it is somewhat of an autumn festival of food and gratitude.

For some, giving thanks is easy. I imagine that the couple I spoke with yesterday who is celebrating their 65th anniversary of marriage can find more than a few reasons for giving thanks. In fact one of them explained to me that the secret to the longevity of their communal existence is intricately bound to their mutual ability to celebrate and to forgive one another.

This morning, I spoke with a lady whose father donated the bell that sits atop one of the towers in our church. People know that our bell towers are in need of some major repairs, but I assured her that once the reconstruction is complete, she will be the first to peal the bells once more.

Interestingly enough, I also spoke with a young child this morning who asked, 'when do we ring the bells, and for what reasons?' 'Bells,' I explained, 'are used to call us to worship, and to signify moments in our lives when we are joyous'.

As I looked out over the gathered crowd who were assembled for the morning Mass, I saw some who have celebrated weddings this year - bells normally signal this joyous moment in the life of the Church and her children. I also saw young parents, whose infant children have been baptised in recent months - bells are sometimes rung to alert us to this new beginning as well. Present among us were a number of young children who celebrated the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist for the first time during this past year - would it not have been appropriate that the bells sing for them too? And ... there were those who have had to endure the pain of watching helplessly as their loved ones have suffered any number of physical, emotional and spiritual pains over this past year.

Society tells us that suffering should be hidden from view, but suffering is the school at which we learn some of the most valuable lessons. Society also tells us that death is something to be denied, but faith tells us that this final moment of earthly existence should also be celebrated - and bells should sound for this as well - because it signals the moment for which we have prepared throughout our entire existence. Common parlance speaks of 'passing', which still sounds strange to some ears but which is probably a better term to speak of the moment at which we reach the ultimate goal and enter our heavenly homeland.

For all of this, and more ... we give thanks.