As another Thanksgiving Day will soon be upon us, consider what you will be thankful for this year and how you will express it.

The word “Thanksgiving” is translated in Greek as Eucharistia, and the reception of the Eucharist, the Body of Christ, at holy Mass, provides us with a tangible reminder of Christ’s salvific act for each of us, for which we all can be thankful (Catechism, 1360).

It is through the reception of the Body of Christ that we are given the life of Christ and can collectively go forth and “be” Christ’s body here on earth. The Second Vatican Council’s dogmatic constitution on the Church tells us that the Church is the body of Christ (Lumen Gentium, 7). We are the Church, and we act as Christ’s hands and feet, his smile and caress — in essence, his body — within this world, which is in so desperate need of him.

While on earth, Christ allowed his body to be scarred, bruised and damaged in order to obtain the salvation of the world. In his ascended glory, Christ becomes the mystical head of all of us, the Church, which represents his mystical body here on earth. We, too, can be scarred, bruised and damaged from life, but as Christ’s mystical body, we are also called to work for the salvation of the world, with the empowerment of God’s grace. Our bruises and scars from life do not diminish our ability to be a part of Christ’s mystical body, but rather enable it, because they help us grow in humility.

St. Augustine was asked, “What is the most important thing to the faith?” And he responded, three times, “Humility, humility and humility.” Let us give thanks for our bruises and scars of life because they help us grow in humility, so that we may be true disciples of Christ.

There are many ways to live out this discipleship of love, and, every day, undeclared saints of God live it out all around us. There is the family that gives 24/7 love and attention to their child with special needs; and the family that takes in an elderly ailing parent and devotes all of their free time to providing love and care to that loved one in order to maintain his or her dignity; and the family with 12 kids that sacrifices everything to make a good life for the kids.

There are so many families that are quiet disciples of the Lord who bring his light and love to those around them.

Meet the Gajewski family: Rich and Karen Gajewski and their five children have been ministering to the poor for the past 20 years through the Gennesaret ministry in Akron, Ohio. Rich is a cradle Catholic, and Karen is a convert. Their family has served meals to the poor, encountering them where they live, to share the love of Christ and lighten their loads.

Their children have grown up serving the poor — it’s what they do. In addition to serving meals regularly over the years, their family has faithfully helped with an annual fundraiser called the “Home Run for the Homeless.” It’s appropriately on Thanksgiving Day, providing the community with an opportunity to give thanks for their blessings and help the less fortunate. In 2014, there were more than 4,000 walkers and runners registered.

The Gajewskis’ kids are grown now. Recently, they almost lost one of their sons in a motorcycle accident, during which he was severely injured. Their spirit of compassion and perseverance was drawn upon in heroic portions over the past couple of years as they helped nurse their son back from near death and multiple surgeries. What an example of resilience! They take whatever life throws at them in stride; and while doing so, they have a joyful spirit and an active will to work to lighten the loads of others.

Also meet the Miller family: Tim and Debbie Miller and their now-grown sons have also been serving the poor with Gennesaret for the past 20 years. Their family has been faithfully serving meals to the poor and encountering them with Christ’s love and mercy. When he is serving the poor, Tim exudes an infectious spirit of joy that brightens the day. Debbie has a sweet, gentle spirit of love and mercy that warms the hearts of those she encounters. Their family has also helped with the Home Run for the Homeless, as well as special events. They love the faith, and their witness to this love is clearly evident in how they choose to live their lives.

What is consistent in these families — and all of the quiet saints among us that work with God’s grace to transform the reality of this world — is humility strengthened with a strong faith and a joyful spirit.

May we all have a similar spirit of thanksgiving and joy as we live out our own roles in the mystical body of Christ.

Bob Dirgo writes from

Akron, Ohio.