Catechesis Notes for the Week — Thanksgiving Day Prayer for the Christian Home — Almighty God, we give thanks for all Your goodness and bless You for the love that sustains us from day to day. We praise You for the gift of Your Son our Savior, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. We thank You for the Holy Spirit, the Comforter; for Your holy church, for our congregation and Academy, for the preaching of the Gospel, for the holy Sacraments; for the lives of all our brothers and sisters in Christ, for the fellowship we share with them, and for the hope of the life to come. We thank You for every spiritual blessing in Christ, and for the abundant gifts of daily bread You shower upon us each day. Help us to treasure in our hearts all that You have done for us and enable us to show our thankfulness in lives that are wholly given to Your service, especially in times of suffering, persecution, and need. Save and defend Your whole church, purchased with the precious blood of Christ. Grant Your wisdom and heavenly grace to all pastors and to those who hold office in Your Church. Sanctify our homes with Your presence and bless them with joy. Restore those who have wandered from Christ and denied the faith. Keep our children and our grandchildren in the covenant of their Baptism and enable us to bring up our children in lives of faith, devotion, and loving service to others. Let Your blessing remain upon the seedtime and harvest, the commerce and industry, the leisure and rest, the arts and culture of our nation. Take under Your protection those whose work is difficult or dangerous and be with all who put their hands to any useful task. Give them the just rewards for their labor and the knowledge that their work is a blessing in Your sight. By Your Word and Spirit, comfort all who are in sorrow or need, sickness and adversity. Be with those who suffer persecution for the faith. Have mercy on those to whom death draws near. Bring consolation to those in sorrow. We remember with thanksgiving those who have loved and served You in Your Church on earth, who now rest from their labors. Keep us in fellowship with all Your saints and bring us at last to the joys of Your heavenly kingdom. We commend all our needs, sorrows, and joys to You with thanksgiving, knowing that You love us in Christ, and have promised to work in all things for our good. Bless our thanksgiving feast today and the fellowship we share; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.CP231119