During my recent vacation to Scotland, I had one of those travel days that seemed to go on forever. A delayed train ride turned into a long bus journey through the Scottish Highlands. As we drove our way through the mountains, the bus stopped at a famous viewpoint called “Rest and Be Thankful.”
The name immediately caught my attention.
The Rest and Be Thankful is a mountain pass in Argyll, Scotland, sitting 803 feet above sea level. It received its name from a stone left by 18th-century soldiers who built the original military road. After making the difficult climb, they reached that point where they could finally pause, catch their breath, rest—and give thanks.
What a beautiful tradition.
As I stood there looking over the breathtaking Highlands (and enjoying the fact that it was a refreshing 50 degrees while it was about 110 degrees back here in Kansas!), I couldn’t help but think that perhaps all of us need our own “Rest and Be Thankful” moments. Life has a way of keeping us moving. There is always another meeting, another project, another challenge, another concern. Sometimes we become so focused on the next hill to climb that we forget to stop and notice how much God has already given us.
St. Paul reminds us, “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Notice that he doesn’t say to give thanks only when life is easy. He says to give thanks in all circumstances. Gratitude is not based on perfect conditions; it is rooted in recognizing God’s faithfulness, even when life is difficult.
As I reflected on that mountain pass, I realized just how much I have to be thankful for.
First and foremost, I am thankful to God for the gift of the priesthood. Every day I have the privilege of celebrating the Holy Mass, hearing confessions, baptizing children, witnessing marriages, comforting families in grief, and walking with people through every stage of life. It is a gift I never want to take for granted.
I am also incredibly thankful to be your pastor. From the day I arrived at St. Francis, you have welcomed me with kindness, patience, generosity, and faith. Especially during times that have been challenging or confusing, your prayers, encouragement, and love for our parish
have been a tremendous source of strength. Thank you for that.
I am thankful that I don’t serve this parish alone. I have the blessing of working alongside two wonderful brother priests, Father Grant and Father Ed—better known by many of us as “Cousin Eddy.” Their friendship, generosity, and dedication to serving God’s people make our
parish stronger every day.
I am thankful for our parish staff. They work tirelessly, often behind the scenes, because they genuinely love this parish and the people who call St. Francis home. Much of what happens here each week would simply not be possible without their dedication.
I am thankful for our volunteers and every one of our ministries. Whether your service is visible to everyone or known only to God, you are helping build His Kingdom. Our parish is blessed because so many people quietly and faithfully give of themselves.
I am thankful for our outstanding Catholic school. We are blessed with exceptional administrators, remarkable teachers, dedicated staff, and parents who make Catholic education a priority. Seeing our young people grow in faith gives me tremendous hope for the future of our parish and the Church.
Most of all, I am thankful for our families and our young people. They remind us that the future is bright when Christ remains at the center of our homes.
Like every parish, we will have moments of difficulty. We will face challenges we didn’t expect. There will be seasons that test our patience, our trust, and even our hope. But those moments should never cause us to lose sight of the countless blessings God continues to pour upon us.
Perhaps we all need to create our own “Rest and Be Thankful” places—not necessarily a mountain overlook in Scotland, but moments in our daily lives when we intentionally pause and thank God. Before we rush on to the next task, before we dwell on the next problem, we can stop and remember His goodness.
When we do, we begin to see that God has been faithful every step of the journey.
So today, let us stop and be thankful.
Thankful for our faith. Thankful for our parish. Thankful for one another.
And above all, thankful for our loving God, who has never stopped walking with us—even on the steepest climbs.
Father James Schibi, Pastor