Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.  Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us now and at the hour of our death. Amen. 

Our pastor likes to say that "Our God is the God Of Second Chances," (or third, or fourth or even 78th!)

We saw that firsthand yesterday, when we were helping the 3rd graders go to confession. One little sweetie asked "Is Father going to judge me?"
"No," her catechist answered, "He is speaking for Jesus, who is very happy that you are coming to talk to him.  You just have to say anything that you feel sorry for."
The little girl nodded, then sighed. "I'm glad I'm doing this." she said.  "I have a deep sorrow to talk about."

Putting aside wondering what "deep sorrow" such a young person could possibly have to confess, it was nevertheless inspiring to see such a small person reflect on her actions. She realized she had done something that she wished she had not done, and here was her opportunity to go and make it right. 

The idea of second chances is not new. In fact, the Old Testament is filled with stories of God giving second chances. That's why there are so many covenants. But one thing that we do often overlook is that in order to be reconciled - to God, to our neighbors and within ourselves - there has to be repentance. Repentance is the key that opens the door of mercy.   Only those who realize they have done something wrong, can then also decide to repent of it. It seems rather obvious, but it's surprising how often this step is missed. Then, of course, true repentance is also followed by a change in behavior. Sometimes this change is the real barrier to repentance. We are sorry, sort of, just not enough to change. 

As the liturgical year draws to its final few days, and the Mass readings continually focus on the end times and the 2nd coming of Christ, it's good for us to remind ourselves that we don't have to get everything right, all the time and every time. Our God is the God of Second Chances, and as long as we are willing to trust the mercy of Christ, we can always start over. 

Along with the ability TO read, have we ever thought about being grateful for what we CAN read?  It's a no-brainer, but just imagine if there were no Bible; if it had never been given to us.   No 10 Commandments. No revelation of God's self-sacrificing and sanctifying love.  No Bible stories. No promise of a future life, an eternity with God. No resurrection and ascension. 

Let's just sit with that for a few moments.....and then Give Thanks that we do have it, that we can read it, and let's pray for the wisdom to understand and apply the Word of God to our lives. 

Lord God, we thank you for your gift of revelation of yourself. We thank you for your willingness to invite us into a relationship with you. Inspire us to seek your Word frequently, and guide us to implement your ways in our lives. Amen. 
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As the bumper sticker says, "If you can read this, thank a teacher." Since all of the visitors to Catholic365 come to this site to read, there are a lot of teachers to thank. In fact, you, dear reader, are reading these words at this very moment, yet you are likely not thinking about that feat at all.

The ability to read is so life-changing, yet such an odd thing in and of itself. After all, we are really just attributing meaning to some black marks on a piece of paper, and those marks will look and be arranged differently depending on where you live in the world. Yet it is this process, simple to employ once grasped, yet complicated and difficult to obtain, that allows us to know the thoughts of those who have lived before us, to benefit from the wisdom of the past, to communicate with those who are not with us in person today, and possibly, if what we say is worth keeping, to even speak to those who will come after us.

We give thanks, O Lord, for the ability to read. May we use this gift to grow in wisdom and knowledge, employing it well. Amen. 

Here's something else we so often take for granted - instant hot water!  Just imagine a life with no hot tea or coffee! And during these colder days, just think about not having a hot water heater. Ice shower, anyone?  

Think about washing clothes or even dishes. Do you remember grandmother's kitchen, and watching her fill up the sink with hot water from the kettle, so that she could wash the dishes?  It's amazing just how much easier our lives have become from previous generations.  We don't have to build a fire to warm the water, or even keep the fire going all day in the wood stove.  We just turn on a tap and wait a few moments. Or if we're in the kitchen, we can just zap the water in the microwave for 30 seconds. It's really something. Just another small thing, that makes a huge difference, for which to Give Thanks. 

Ahh, yes, leftovers.   After a big feast day like Thanksgivng, just about everyone will have plenty of leftovers.  Have you ever thought to be thankful for them?

How many times have you answered the age-old "What's for dinner?" question with "leftovers" and been met with "Really? Leftovers?" as though you've just offered old socks with a side of dish rag to eat.   Really, how spoiled are we?  Leftovers are such a big sign of being blessed. 

If we take even a 30 second tour around the world, we'll realize just how few people get to enjoy leftovers,  and how many people would love to.  Remember the stories about Venezula right now - how people are standing in line for hours to get a loaf of bread.  There is just very little food available in the country.  Here in Texas, statistics tell us that 1 in 5 children face food insecurity.  Only those who have plenty to eat can have leftovers. 

And if you still have company in town the day after Thanksgiving, leftovers give the added blessing of extra time. We don't have to cook up a new meal. Instead, we just have to reheat, and maybe add some new sauce or olive oil to freshen things up a bit. Voila - meals served in about 20 minutes, giving us additional hours to spend with family and friends. 

Being appreciative of having leftovers falls squarely into the category of good stewardship. It's taking care of the goods we have been given, and appreciating that we have been given "our daily bread" once again. 

Lord, thank you for your great abundance, multiplying our food for many days. Amen. 

Maybe these boots aren't exactly what you think of at the words "good shoes," but when the weather turns cold the problem of keeping your toes warm suddenly gets a lot more attention. We've probably all had the experience of freezing, wet feet, and the accompanying thought of wondering just how quickly one can get frostbite.   A pair of good, warm, waterproof shoes goes to the top of the List of Important Things I Really Need very soon after you discover that you don't have any!

For most of us, good, warm shoes are a given. But the next time you pull yours on, take a moment to Give Thanks for them. 

Lord, thank you for the shoes we have that keep our feet warm, so that we can continue our daily tasks. Amen.