Thanksgiving
“We give You thanks, Almighty God….”
My brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ, let us loose the chains that bind us to this earth that we might give worthy praise to God. In so doing, we admit to ourselves (either consciously or unconsciously) that we are not ultimately responsible for our successes in this world but are, rather, subject to one greater than ourselves.
A good dose of humility cures many ills, my friends. Not only does humility (from the Latin humus, or of the earth) place our own lives in perspective, but it can also free us from the superficial weights that we place upon ourselves. Can we cure illness and poverty on our own? Can we save our business on our own? Can we provide for our families on our own? Can we reach the glory of heaven on our own? The answer to each is no.
Regardless of whether we realize it and/or wish to admit it, we are dependent on each other – and on God, especially – as we traverse this path of life.
So what are some of the things that we can be thankful for during this season of reflection and anticipation of Christ’s coming into our lives? We can be thankful for the dirt that provides us with food; trees that provide us with beauty and shade; air that allows us to breathe; rain that cleanses and replenishes; our lives, that we can live more fully in the presence of God; our families, who have raised us and have given us joy; our spirits, which guide our journey; our bodies, which allow us to navigate; our senses, which allow us to appreciate; the animals of the earth that nourish and enliven our lives; the green grass and blue skies; the sun that warms us, and the night that allows us to rest; a country in which we can worship freely; God’s sacrifice for us on the cross, which opened the gates of heaven before us; the lives of the saints who gave us inspiration on this field.
The list goes on. So I ask each of you – what are you thankful for during this season? What can you do to be a blessing to others so that they might begin their own litany of thanksgiving to Almighty God?
Each day I begin with an offering to God. I then ask for the forgiveness of my sins, the protection of my family and thanksgiving for the many blessings that God has bestowed upon me, an unworthy servant. The prayer then goes on from there. It is in this prayer that I find a grounding perspective for my day’s work.
We are a people in need; but in our daily needs, let us never forget that God has been, is and always will be with us, His children. And this, my dearest brothers and sisters, is a reason to be thankful indeed!
