November should be a month and season of thanksgiving that culminates on Thanksgiving Day. We are grateful to God for those saints and sinners who are now with our Lord and who have enriched our lives. We wouldn’t be here without them. We also should be grateful to God for the various family, friends, fellow students, and co-workers who are part of forming the person we are today.

This week let us also thank God for the spiritual mentors and leaders, the priests and other individuals dedicated to God who have been channels God used to send light and grace to our souls. These dedicated souls—not to mention our guardian angels!—may have been priests, religious, or laity who introduced us to Jesus and who accompanied us during our journey to Christ.

We can thank God for the priest that baptized us, gave us our first confession and First Holy Communion, and the bishop that confirmed us in the faith, empowering us in the Spirit to bear fruit in our lives. Consider how God used imperfect instruments to bring us these manifestations of his love for us. Let us thank God for all the priests and deacons who have preached God’s Word to us over the years and who have administered the Eucharist to us, as well. I am particularly grateful for those priests who have administered God’s mercy to me in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, challenging me to love God more faithfully.

Some spiritual leaders may have been ordinary Christians—family members or friends—whom God used to touch our lives and grow closer to him. They may have been examples of faith and charity for us to imitate, teachers of the faith, mentors to guide and encourage us, discerners of spirits to help us see God’s will (I think of my classmate at Notre Dame who introduced me to Opus Dei and who God used to channel the grace for my vocation. Thank you!)

St. Paul describes the various ways God give gifts to others to bless us and the Church:

And his gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God (Ephesians 4:11-13).

Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, then healers, helpers, administrators, speakers in various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way (1 Corinthians 12:27-31).

Of course, the higher gifts and more excellent way is the way of charity, so we can thank God for all those who have brought Christ to us by their acts of kindness and love. How many individuals have influenced and strengthened our faith, made his life come alive in us, and in our families and other faith circles. Now is a good time to remember the specific individuals who have impacted our relationship with Jesus Christ—perhaps a priest, family member, or friend—and how they have inspired you. Then show your gratitude, both by praying for them and perhaps in a little note or word of thanks. In this way Thanksgiving Day will be much more than a party of delicious food and treats. Instead it will be a great family gathering, a wonderful step on our spiritual journey that will culminate in the heavenly banquet where we can truly thank God for these individuals.