Thanksgiving Day

Thursday, November 23, 2006 -- Week of Proper 28 (Thanksgiving Day)

"Morning Reflections" is a brief thought about the scripture readings from the Daily Office of Morning and Evening Prayer according to the practice found in the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church.

Morning Prayer begins on p. 80 of the Book of Common Prayer.
Evening Prayer begins on p. 117
An online resource for praying the Daily Office is found at www.missionstclare.com
Another form of the office from Phyllis Tickle's "Divine Hours" is available on our partner web site www.ExploreFaith.org at this location -- http://explorefaith.org/prayer/fixed/index.html


Today's Readings for the Daily Office
either Thursday of proper 29 (p. 993)
Psalm 105:1-22 (morning) // 105:23-45 (evening)
Malachi 2:1-16
James 4:13 - 5:6
Luke 17:20-37

or Thanksgiving Day (p. 1000)
Morning Prayer: Psalm 147, Deuteronomy 26:1-11, John 6:26-35
Evening Prayer: Psalm 145, Joel 2:21-27, 1 Thessalonians 5:12-24

(I used the readings for Thanksgiving Day)

Our text from Deuteronomy gives instruction for the first harvest of the people who have left Egypt to travel to the Promised Land. They are to take a tithe of the first fruits of the produce and bring them to the priest as a sign of thanksgiving. "Then you, together with the Levites (priests) and the aliens who reside among you, shall celebrate with all the bounty that the Lord your God has given to you and to your house." Because Israel remembers what it was like to be an alien in Egypt, they promise not be treat the aliens in their land as they were treated. The text goes on to instruct that every third year, the tithe be given to the poor.

The story is not unlike the roots of our tradition of Thanksgiving, when in gratitude for the harvest of that first year in 1621, the Pilgrims gathered with the much more numerous Indians with Massasoit and celebrated with a great feast. Notice the inclusion of "the alien" in both of these stories. That seems an important commentary in this time of anxiety and hostility toward the aliens in our land.

It is natural to connect these two traditions of thankful feasts with the characteristic form of worship for Christians -- the Eucharistic feast. (The word "Eucharist" is Greek for "Thanksgiving. Every Eucharist is our Thanksgiving feast.) John's gospel anticipates this sacred meal with a dialog about the "food that endures for eternal life," given by Jesus -- "the true bread from heaven." "I am the bread of life."

When we begin each of our Eucharistic Prayers, the presider invites the congregation to "Lift up your hearts." We respond, "We lift them to the Lord." Then the presider announces what we shall do: "Let us give thanks unto our Lord God." We give our consent to share in the prayer of Great Thanksgiving. The the presider begins by saying, "it is right, and a good and joyful thing / it is very meet, right and our bounden duty, at all times and in all places to give thanks to you, Father Almighty."

Thanksgiving is the characteristic stance of Christianity. It can be a challenge to give thanks at all times and in all places. Some times and places provoke resentment or fear. But the resurrection of Jesus announces that God is always present in all times and in all places, especially the ones that look like crucifixion, and God is always bringing new life out of death, the new harvest out of the old seed.

Our yearly Thanksgiving Day reminds us of a story that invites our grateful response. Our weekly Eucharist reminds us of the story that invites our grateful response.

Happy Thanksgiving Day!

Lowell
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The Rev. Lowell Grisham
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Fayetteville, AR