My brothers in Christ,

There are a great number of reasons for all of us to be thankful today. As we gather today with family and very close friends, let us not forget those who do not have. James 1:27 tells us that a pure religion, that is undefiled before God, takes care of the fatherless and the widows in their time of need, and to keep himself unpolluted by the world.

Let us also not forget those that will be away from family today by choice, those that have sworn an oath to serve and protect. For it is by their sacrifice that we are afforded the life that we choose.

Let us also remember in a special way today, those that have seen the worse of the global pandemic in which we live, those that have lost loved ones to COVID-19 complications, and those that continue to fight and work towards controlling and containing the virus.

It is by our actions that we are judged by our fellow man, and our actions as Catholic Men, as Knights upholding the virtues of our faith; that we can bring about a positive change in the world. When we typically hear of the terms orphans and widows, we look at those terms figuratively, those that have lost their parents, their spouses, and have no one to care for them. We should also look at those terms in the light of a priestly people, and ensure our actions take care of those that are orphaned or widowed spiritually, who may have fallen off the path of salvation, or who have never known Christ. Our prayers and our charity towards them fulfill the Gospel message we hear proclaimed on the final Sunday of Ordinary Time, that whoever does for the least of His people, have done for Him, because Christ came for all.

May the good Lord bless and keep you safe, and being one in the Spirit, one day our unity be restored, because they will know we are Christians by our love.