Thanks for the memories

By Bishop David Zubik

	Bishop David Zubik

One of the most popular public personalities of our time was comedian and entertainer, Bob Hope. When he died in the summer of 2003, people from all over the world acknowledged the blessing of his life, all 100 years of it.

Bob Hope not only lightened people's burdens through his television series in the 1950s and '60s; he also made countless trips abroad to lighten the spirits of women and men in our country's military service.

Wealthy by anyone's standards, Bob Hope was also extremely generous. He shared his wealth quietly with individuals who were in need; he shared his wealth publicly in countless special causes.

Both he and his wife, Dolores, were responsible for the Chapel of Our Lady of Hope in the Basilica Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. Bob and Dolores were major contributors to the recently completed Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles, Calif.

Dolores is a Catholic all her life; Bob Hope became a Catholic shortly before his death.

Remarkable and good

All of these "tidbits" of Bob Hope's life catch a glimpse of the remarkable and good individual that he was. At the heart of his goodness was the fact that he never took anything in his life for granted: his success, his wealth, his family, his citizenship, his very life. This important characteristic is perhaps best captured in the song which became the hallmark theme of his life. That song "Thanks for the Memories" in and of itself conjures up images of Bob Hope.

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As you and I find ourselves on the eve of the national holiday of "Thanksgiving Day," I couldn't help but think of Bob Hope's theme, "Thanks for the Memories." As we approach this feast of "faith, family, friends, and food," it is a good idea for us to reflect on and thank God for each of those four blessings in our lives.

"Thanks God, for the gift of faith. Faith connects us with You. It helps us to remember that You have created the world and everything in it. Faith helps us remember that You loved us so much that you sent Your Son, Jesus, to take on our flesh, to be born like us and to live like us in all things but sin and to die for us on the cross and rise from the dead. Faith encourages us to know that we are never alone, that Your Holy Spirit strengthens us in good times and in bad. Faith consoles us to know that we belong to a family, the Church, which Jesus Himself established so that he could continue to be with us in a special way. Faith is both the foundation and the road map of life; it lets us know that there is a destination toward which we all hope to travel, to be with You forever in heaven itself.

"Thanks God, for the gift of family. You bring us to life and nourish our every need through our family. By the love of our parents and with the support of our siblings, You teach us the most wonderful lessons of life, especially what it means to love and be loved. Through our family, You make happier times even happier; through the family You make our times of struggle, significantly easier. Through our family, You remind us of our need to be connected with each other, much as You are connected as the Holy Trinity, as Father, Son and Spirit.

"Thanks God, for our friends. You gift us with those special individuals in our lives in whom we place a great deal of trust and from whom we receive an exceptional gift of moral support. Through the gift of our friends and in such a delightful way, You share with us the generosity of Your love. Through our friends You teach us the importance of sharing and holding carefully secrets. Through our friends You tickle us with the gift of laughter. Through our friends You teach us what a privilege it is to wipe away each other's tears.

Sharing a meal at table

"Thanks God, for our food. As we gather together with family and friends on Thanksgiving Day, as we sit down at the table to share a meal with those whom we love most, You especially remind us of how important it is for us to share with those who have so much less. While our bodies are fed with turkey and dressing, yams and cranberries, apple and pumpkin pies, You remind us that the nourishment we receive from that table is a nourishment that gives us energy to become more like Your Son, Jesus. Most especially, You call us to another table where we receive the bread of life, the gift of Eucharist, the gift of Your Son.

"Yes, God, as we approach Thanksgiving 2004, we are grateful for the gift of faith, family, friends, and food.

"Like Bob Hope, we say to You 'Thanks for the Memories' of blessings past. But especially, thank You for the many ways that You call us to be aware of blessings in our midst."

My sisters and brothers in the church of Green Bay, as you and I celebrate this first Thanksgiving together, please accept the genuine sentiment rooted deeply in my heart: Happy Thanksgiving to one and all! Share especially that thanks with God!