Fr Matthew Reese

1 When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, *
then were we like those who dream.
2 Then was our mouth filled with laughter, *
and our tongue with shouts of joy.
3 Then they said among the nations, *
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
4 The Lord has done great things for us, *
and we are glad indeed.

(Psalm 116:1-4)

Dear Friends in Christ,

This week, as some eighty million Americans crisscross the country for the Thanksgiving holiday, we will surely be a nation of mixed emotions. Amidst the joy of family reunions and good meals, there will also be the frustrations of crowded airports and congested highways. There will be happy gatherings but also tense conversations. Many will not have a place to go, or a family to return to.

And even our festivities are colored by the great political and social uncertainty of this country, and the world.

In the midst of this, it can be hard to see how much we really have to be grateful for. It can be hard for us to see, as the Psalmist puts it, that “the Lord has done great things for us.” How has he “restored the fortunes of Zion?” God has taken on our humanity—in taking the form of a child, God has come amongst us, God with us, Emanu-El.

As we head into Advent, I hope that we’ll take a little time to reflect on the mystery of the Incarnation, and let our “mouths [be] filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy,” as we consider this lowly child, born of Mary, born to redeem the world.

Amen.

—Fr Matthew