This week, we will give thanks for the ways we do not live by bread alone (Matthew 4:4). When Jesus suggested that man cannot live by bread alone, he was really talking about Scripture, but it’s also true that we need more than carbohydrates to keep us healthy. This week, we are going to take a look at our favorite foods and give thanks for them.

Sun, Mar 26
SELF-CARE SUNDAY: Share one kind thing you can do for yourself today in thanksgiving for all you have done in the previous week.

Mon, Mar 27
TODAY WE BEGIN BY TAKING STOCK OF OUR FAVORITE FRUITS, ESPECIALLY THOSE WE CAN ONLY GET AT CERTAIN TIMES OF THE YEAR.
What fruits do you enjoy and look forward to with gratitude?

This week, we will give thanks for everything new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9) by reflecting on technology. Each day, we want to reflect on the technology we use, and not only give thanks for the things that help us, but also the things that are no longer serving us well that we might need to let go of with gratitude.

Sunday, March 19
SELF-CARE SUNDAY: Share one kind thing you can do for yourself today in thanksgiving for all you have done in the previous week.

Monday, March 20
TODAY, CONSIDER YOUR PHONE.
In what ways are you grateful for your phone, the apps on it, the photos, and what things around the use of your phone might you be willing to let go of with gratitude?

This week, we will give thanks for the goodness in our communities (Psalm 133:1) by reflecting on our communities and those people who make our lives easier, better or more functional.

Sun, Mar 12
SELFCARE SUNDAY: Share one kind thing you can do for yourself today in thanksgiving for all you have done in the previous week.

This week, we will give thanks for the home we live in (Psalms 127:1) by reflecting on the blessings that are found within our homes.

Sun, Mar 5
SELFCARE SUNDAY: Share one kind thing you can do for yourself today in thanksgiving for all you have done in the previous week.

Mon, Mar 6
TODAY WE BEGIN BY GIVING THANKS FOR WHAT IS OFTEN CALLED THE HEART OF THE HOME: OUR KITCHENS. Even if you do not like to cook, your kitchen offers things to sustain you. What appliances are you thankful for in your kitchen? What things in your kitchen bring you joy? What is the silliest thing in your kitchen that simply brings you joy?

The Spirit leads Jesus into the desert to be tempted by the devil, and we hear this: “He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was hungry.” Seems like a questionable battle preparation plan. When I fast, I usually feel grouchy at best, and at worst, like I might pass out from longing for a hamburger. Isn’t it better to be well-fed and fully hydrated, especially to face spiritual struggles? Why fast?

This week, we will give thanks for how ‘in rest’ we are saved (Isaiah 30:15) by reflecting on and giving thanks for the ways that we practice rest and relaxation.

Sun, Feb 26
SELF-CARE SUNDAY: Share one kind thing you can do for yourself today in thanksgiving for all you have done in the previous week.

Mon, Feb 27
TODAY, WE INVITE YOU TO CONSIDER THE BOOKS YOU HAVE IN YOUR HOUSE. How many books do you own? Which one is your favorite? Which one reminds you of a moment in time that you are thankful for? Which one do you have that makes you laugh just to see it?

For this week, we will give thanks for the ways we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 149:13)

Wed, Feb 22
TODAY, WE INVITE YOU TO NOTICE AND GIVE THANKS FOR THE WAYS THAT YOU NOTICE STRENGTH IN THE WAYS YOU ARE FRAGILE.

Thu, Feb 23
TODAY, REFLECT UPON: WHAT GIFTS DO YOU OFFER AT WORK, SCHOOL, OR IN PLACES YOU VOLUNTEER IN THE COMMUNITY?

Dear Church Family,

Dietrich Bonhoeffer once said, “In ordinary life, we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich.” And I agree.

To connect more deeply with God during this Lent, we as a parish will practice gratitude for the 40 days of Lent. Reflecting on how much God has blessed us is one way to deepen our relationship with God.

It’s often said that the Catholic Church lays heavy rules on her members, rules that can almost seem impossible. Mass every Sunday? No lying ever? Sexual purity all the time? I recently said to some non-Catholic friends that more than fifty adults were baptized at my parish at the Easter Vigil. One responded spontaneously with shock, “Why would anyone do that?” In other words, why would someone willingly place themselves in a system with such demanding and rigorous rules?

I recently decided to learn to cook. As I sit at the feet of various YouTube cooking masters, I notice how much of cooking is adding ingredients that don’t provide any more nourishment, like herbs and other seasonings. But man! They make all the difference because they make the meal delightful to eat and share. Jesus calls his disciples “salt of the world.” No one eats just salt. So, Christians are not meant to replace or do away with the world. They are meant to be agents of preservation and glorification.