Almighty and gracious Father, we give you thanks for the fruits of the earth in their season and for the labors of those who harvest them. Make us, we pray, faithful stewards of your great bounty, for the provision of our necessities and the relief of all who are in need, to the glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Psalm
65
The Readings
Deuteronomy 8:7-18 + II Corinthians 9:6-15 + Luke 17:11-19
You crown the year with your goodness, and your paths overflow with plenty.
~Psalm 65:12
You crown the year with your goodness, and your paths overflow with plenty.
~Psalm 65:12
There are a few instances in which church and civic calendar overlap, and Thanksgiving is one of them. It's not surprising that Thanksgiving is observed by the church, given the long history of harvest festivals across cultures and religions. And even though Thanksgiving in America has long been a cultural event celebrated by all and sundry, with a slew of "secular" observances and traditions, there remains an underlying religious assumption--for to whom are we giving thanks for all the blessings of our lives, if not to God?*
The appointed Scripture readings overflow with images of God's abundance: from the promised land of Deuteronomy "where you will eat bread without scarcity, where you will lack nothing," to the Psalmist's poetic song of God the joyful Gardener of the earth, to St. Paul's assurance that "God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance" and its critical qualifier: "so that by always having enough of everything, you may share in every good work."
When we get to the Gospel lesson, this theme seems to shift as we read the story of the ten healed lepers. Of the ten, only one returns to thank Jesus. Two verses of this Gospel, in particular, provide a pretty good microcosm of what we do in the liturgy of the Eucharist: "One of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him." It is important, certainly, that we respond to God's gracious abundance toward us by remembering God and seeking to keep God's commandments, by being good stewards of God's bounty, and by sowing abundantly and sharing in the work of blessing others. But it is of first importance that we simply and truly turn to God and give thanks. With a grateful heart, with humility and honesty, we thank God who is the giver of every good gift, and the source of life itself.
The word eucharist, after all, is Greek for thanksgiving. To be a disciple of Jesus is to cultivate a life of thanksgiving. And for most of us, that kind of life does indeed take some cultivating, some "soul-gardening." As Christians, we are helped in this work not only by taking and setting aside one Thursday every November to be intentionally thankful, but every Sunday when we come together again for the church's central act of worship, the Holy Eucharist, offering our very selves to God in thanksgiving.
The appointed Scripture readings overflow with images of God's abundance: from the promised land of Deuteronomy "where you will eat bread without scarcity, where you will lack nothing," to the Psalmist's poetic song of God the joyful Gardener of the earth, to St. Paul's assurance that "God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance" and its critical qualifier: "so that by always having enough of everything, you may share in every good work."
When we get to the Gospel lesson, this theme seems to shift as we read the story of the ten healed lepers. Of the ten, only one returns to thank Jesus. Two verses of this Gospel, in particular, provide a pretty good microcosm of what we do in the liturgy of the Eucharist: "One of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him." It is important, certainly, that we respond to God's gracious abundance toward us by remembering God and seeking to keep God's commandments, by being good stewards of God's bounty, and by sowing abundantly and sharing in the work of blessing others. But it is of first importance that we simply and truly turn to God and give thanks. With a grateful heart, with humility and honesty, we thank God who is the giver of every good gift, and the source of life itself.
The word eucharist, after all, is Greek for thanksgiving. To be a disciple of Jesus is to cultivate a life of thanksgiving. And for most of us, that kind of life does indeed take some cultivating, some "soul-gardening." As Christians, we are helped in this work not only by taking and setting aside one Thursday every November to be intentionally thankful, but every Sunday when we come together again for the church's central act of worship, the Holy Eucharist, offering our very selves to God in thanksgiving.
Closing Prayer
Almighty God, thank you for the blessings you continually give; thank you for every new breath of life. Help us today and every day to make our lives an offering of thanksgiving to you, that your abundant goodness may overflow from grateful hearts and wash over your world. Amen.
*If you don't already have a prayer for your own Thanksgiving table, or are looking to start a new tradition, consider praying A Litany of Thanksgiving, found on page 836 of the Book of Common Prayer.
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