Let All Your Works Give You Thanks, O Lord, And Let Your Faithful Ones Bless You.

Thanksgiving Day
Reading I
Sirach 50:22-24
And now, bless the God of all,
who has done wondrous things on earth;
Who fosters people’s growth from their mother’s womb,
and fashions them according to his will!
May he grant you joy of heart
and may peace abide among you;
May his goodness toward us endure in Israel
to deliver us in our days.
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Responsorial
Psalm 145
R. I will praise your name for ever, Lord.
Every day will I bless you,
and I will praise your name forever and ever.
Great is the Lord and highly to be praised;
his greatness is unsearchable.
R. I will praise your name for ever, Lord.
Generation after generation praises your works
and proclaims your might.
They speak of the splendor of your glorious majesty
and tell of your wondrous works.
R. I will praise your name for ever, Lord.
They discourse of the power of your terrible deeds
and declare your greatness.
They publish the fame of your abundant goodness
and joyfully sing of your justice.
R. I will praise your name for ever, Lord.
The Lord is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and of great kindness.
The Lord is good to all
and compassionate toward all his works.
R. I will praise your name for ever, Lord.
Let all your works give you thanks, O Lord,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom
and speak of your might.
R. I will praise your name for ever, Lord
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Reading II
Corinthians 1:3-9
Brothers and sisters:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ.
I give thanks to my God always on your account
for the grace of God bestowed on you in Christ Jesus,
that in him you were enriched in every way,
with all discourse and all knowledge,
as the testimony to Christ was confirmed among you,
so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift
as you wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
He will keep you firm to the end,
irreproachable on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
God is faithful,
and by him you were called
to fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
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Gospel
Luke 17:11-19
As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem,
he traveled through Samaria and Galilee.
As he was entering a village,
ten persons with leprosy met him.
They stood at a distance from him
and raised their voices, saying,
“Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!”
And when he saw them, he said,
“Go show yourselves to the priests.”
As they were going they were cleansed.
And one of them, realizing he had been healed,
returned, glorifying God in a loud voice;
and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him.
He was a Samaritan.
Jesus said in reply,
“Ten were cleansed, were they not?
Where are the other nine?
Has none but this foreigner
returned to give thanks to God?”
Then he said to him, “Stand up and go;
your faith has saved you.”
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RENDERING THANKS

Do not let a day slip by without considering God's favors; praise and exalt his generosity, particularly in contrast with yours, for truly what you deserve is to be deprived of what you already have received.  Do not delude yourself about being worthy in any respect, for whatever is meritorious in you is a gift from God.  You are nothing but matter stripped of alal good, and anything you might have is clothing God lends you because he wishes you to have it.  Faithfully remember the gifts bestowed by nature as well as those you enjoy by chance and grace and by the promised glory that, unless you happen to lose it through your own fault, is as certain as the rest.  Think intently about the special and general graces from the Lord and admit truthfully that you received them from his hand.  Preserve them assiduously in the greatest possible purity and love them dearly, but even more, love him who so blessed you.  Withdraw and guard against offending grace and the Lord of grace...

A theologian who agrees with this says: "Woe to those who remain silent and do not acclaim you, Lord, the source of all good things, for even though such people speak at great length, they are mute.  Happy the tongue that thanks you, for it fulfills is purpose in life.  It now begins the business of thanking your Maker in which it will remain forever.

Fray Franciso de Osuna, O.F.M.

Father Francisco de Osuna (+ about 1540) was a Franciscan friar and ascetic writer from the Seville region of Spain.