EDMOND — In Budapest, a man goes to the rabbi and complains, “Life is unbearable. There are nine of us living in one room. What can I do?”
The rabbi answers, “Take your goat into the room with you.” The man in incredulous, but the rabbi insists. “Do as I say and come back in a week.”
A week later the man comes back looking more distraught than before. “We cannot stand it,” he tells the rabbi. “The goat is filthy.”
The rabbi then tells him, “Go home and let the goat out. And come back in a week.”
A radiant man returns to the rabbi a week later, exclaiming, “Life is beautiful. We enjoy every minute of it now that there’s no goat — only the nine of us.”
As we go through life, so much depends upon our perspective. Are we resentful of life’s challenges and the things that aren’t going our way? Or are we doing our best to be grateful for our blessings, even the simple ones that we often take for granted?
If we are looking for a reason to snarl, I have no doubt that we will find one. If, on the other hand, we choose to take a positive approach, we will find blessings in abundance.
I know that this year has been a rough one for some in our community. The recession and uncertain economy have brought challenges that we haven’t faced in years. Some have had to change their lifestyles significantly. And some people are facing the burdens of illness or personal crisis or the loss of a loved one.
Certainly we continue to pray for those who are struggling, for those who are unemployed, and for those who are sick or grieving. Here in Edmond I trust that we are looking for ways to share our blessings with those who are less fortunate this holiday season.
I am thankful for the opportunity to spend this Thanksgiving in the Holy Land. Walking where Jesus walked I hope to be more mindful of the goodness of God, who loved us enough to share our human condition, and who paid the ultimate price for our salvation. Thinking of His love, there is always cause for thanks.
May you be blessed with a thankful heart as Thanksgiving draws near. And if you are grappling with gratitude and finding it elusive, share your blessings with someone else. In giving, may you receive the joy that Christ promised to those who love one another as he has first loved us.
Happy Thanksgiving!
JOHN METZINGER is senior pastor at The Catholic Church of St. John The Baptist in Edmond. He may be reached at metzinger@stjohn-catholic.org.
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A thankful perspective
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