Pongal: A Day of Thanksgiving

Dear brothers and sisters,

Today, as we gather to celebrate Pongal, we celebrate more than a cultural festival. We celebrate a spiritual attitude—the attitude of gratitude. Pongal belongs deeply to Tamil culture, yet its soul reaches beyond culture and touches faith. It is a moment when humanity looks up to God and says:“Everything we have comes from You.”

Pongal teaches us that life is not self-made; it is God-given.

Gratitude Acknowledges God’s Presence and Role

Gratitude begins when we recognize that God is not distant from our daily life.The sun, the rain, the soil, the seed, the harvest—all speak of God’s silent yet faithful presence.

In Pongal, when the first harvest is offered to God, we proclaim a profound truth:

God is the source before we are the laborers.

Faith grows when we acknowledge God not only in prayer, but in the fruits of our work.

Gratitude Connects Life to God in Dependence

Gratitude reminds us that we are dependent, not independent.Modern life often teaches us self-sufficiency; Pongal teaches us God-sufficiency.

To live with gratitude is to say:

I am not alone.

I am not the master of everything.

I live because God sustains me.

Such dependence does not weaken us; it grounds us in humility and trust.

Celebration Carries Meaning When It Is Directed Toward God

Pongal is joyful, festive, and colorful—but its meaning is lost if God is forgotten.

True celebration:

rises from thanksgiving,

leads to worship,

and ends in generosity.

When celebration is disconnected from God, it becomes empty noise.When celebration is offered to God, it becomes a prayer in action.

Celebration Must Touch Life

A genuine celebration transforms the way we live.

Pongal challenges us:

Do we share what we receive?

Do we care for the poor, the farmer, the worker?

Do we respect nature, creation, and one another?

If gratitude remains only in rituals, it fades.If it touches life, it becomes a way of living.

Pongal: A Beginning to Live the Year with God

Pongal is not only a thanksgiving for the past; it is an entrance into the future.

It invites us to begin the year:

with trust in God,

with responsible living,

with hope rooted in faith.

When the year begins with gratitude, life moves with meaning.

A Feast of Human Society: Togetherness and Integrity

Pongal is also a feast of community.Families gather.Villages unite.Differences fade.

It reminds us that human life is fulfilled not in isolation but in togetherness.Gratitude strengthens relationships, heals divisions, and restores harmony.

Conclusion

Dear brothers and sisters,Pongal teaches us a simple but powerful spirituality:A grateful heart sees God everywhere.

As we offer this Eucharist, let us place on the altar:

our harvest,

our labor,

our joys and struggles,

and our hopes for the year ahead.

May Pongal help us live this year meaningfully with God, joyfully with others, and responsibly with creation.

Amen.