This week’s readings seem to serve as reassurance, and as a reminder to us that all power and glory belong to the Lord God in Heaven. What stands out most to me is the first reading, in particular the final sentence from the reading which proclaims, “His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not be taken away, his kingship shall not be destroyed.” I think it is important not to underestimate the significance of these lines. Someday, the world will come to an end and all that is in it will be destroyed. All the kingdoms and governments of the world will no longer exist. But God the Father’s kingdom will last forever. These last lines are also meaningful in that, not only will God’s kingdom last forever, but His Church here on earth will remain until the end of time. Throughout history and even today, the Catholic Church has suffered many attacks and faced many challenges. Despite this, the Church has always prevailed and it will continue to do so. This is why it is so important that we live our lives for God and love Him each and every day, so that we may enter into His kingdom for eternity. Life on Earth is beautiful and God has given us so much. In the end, however, it is only a temporary life. The way we choose to live this life will dictate whether we will gain the happiness of eternal life with God in Heaven.

This week is also the week of Thanksgiving, which is one of my favorite holidays. It is a wonderful time of year when families and friends come together to spend time with one another and be thankful for all that they have (not to mention the food and football games). Thanksgiving is also a time for us individually to reflect on our lives and give thanks to God for all of the blessings he has bestowed on us. Personally, I remind myself on this holiday that God has blessed me with a wonderful family. He has surrounded me with such kind and caring people throughout my life, and I do not thank Him enough for that. There are so many people around the world who do not have a family to go home to, or are struggling to provide for themselves or their loved ones. Whenever I experience hardships that stress me out in regards to school or work, I find it helpful to remind myself of this. The challenges that I face on a daily basis are nothing compared to the struggles and hardships many others are faced with every day. It is important to reflect on this on Thanksgiving as well as throughout the entire year. Not only should we give thanks to God for our blessings, but we can also take time to pray for those in poverty, the sick, the homeless, and all those who are less fortunate than we are.