Thanksgiving
Thursday, November 25, 2010 -- Week of Proper 29, Year Two
Thanksgiving Day
To read about our daily commemorations, go to our Holy Women, Holy Men blog:
http://liturgyandmusic.wordpress.com/category/holy-women-holy-men/
Today's Readings for the Daily Office (Book of Common Prayer)
EITHER the readings for Thursday of Proper 29, p. 995
Psalms 131, 132, [133] (morning) 134, 135 (evening)
Zechariah 12:1-10
Ephesians 1:3-14
Luke 19:1-10
OR the readings for Thanksgiving Day, p. 1000
Morning Prayer: Psalm 147; Deuteronomy 26:1-11; John 6:36-35
Evening Prayer: Psalm 145; Joel 2:21-27; 1 Thessalonians 5:12-24
I chose the readings for Thanksgiving Day
Our reading from Deuteronomy offers Moses' instructions to the people for a feast of the first fruits. We are to remember the story of our sojourn from slavery into freedom. We are to bring the first fruit of the ground and celebrate with God in thanksgiving. Included in the celebration is the whole community as well as "the aliens who reside among you." Everyone is included.
And in John we read about the bread from heaven which Jesus gives for the life of the world. It is the spiritual bread which truly satisfies, which fulfills our deepest hungers and thirsts. Elsewhere in Jesus' stories he offers food to all and gives water to that great symbol of outcasts, the Samaritan woman at the well. The spirit of love, forgiveness and compassion which is the food of Jesus is for all. Everyone is included.
Out of these great traditions we inherit a religious practice that is grounded in feasting and thanksgiving. The word "eucharist" means "thanksgiving." The Eucharist is the most characteristic act of Christian life. We feast with the body and blood of Christ, heavenly food and drink -- received and given with thanksgiving. To give thanks is to bless. To receive and give life with thanksgiving is to bless life.
I am reminded of a passage from David Steindl-Rast's book "Gratefulness, the Heart of Prayer: An Approach to Life in Fullness." He writes:
"Our heart's most comprehensive vision shows us that all is gift -- blessing. And, in response our heart's most spontaneous action is thanksgiving -- blessing.
"But here my ...question arises. What if I cannot recognize the given as a blessing? What if it is not sunshine that pours down on us, but hailstones like hammer-blows? What if it is acid rain? Here again, the gift within the gift is opportunity. I have the opportunity, for example, to do something about that acid rain, face the facts, inform myself about the causes, go to their roots, alert others, band together with them for self-help, for protest. By taking each opportunity as it is offered, I show myself grateful. But my response will not be full unless I respond also to the ever-present opportunity to praise.
"W.H. Auden has helped me see this by his poem "Precious Five," especially by its last stanza. " I could," says Auden there,
Find reasons fast enough
To face the sky and roar
In anger and despair
At what is going on,
Demanding that it name
Whoever is to blame:
The sky would only wait
Till all my breath was gone
And then reiterate
As if I wasn't there
That singular command
I do not understand
Bless what there is for being,
Which has to be obeyed, for
What else am I made for,
Agreeing or disagreeing?
"To bless whatever there is, and for no other reason but simply because it is -- that is our raison d'etre; that is what we are made for as human beings. This singular command is engraved in our heart. Whether we understand this or not matters little. Whether we agree or disagree makes no difference. And in our heart of hearts we know it.
"No matter how hard you strike a bell, it will ring. What else is it made for? Even under the hammer blows of fate the heart rings true. The human heart is made for universal praise. As long as we pick and choose, making praise depend on our approval, we are not yet responding from the heart. When we find our heart, we find that core of our being that is attuned to reality. And reality is praiseworthy. With clear vision the heart sees the ultimate meaning of all: blessing. And with clear intent the heart responds with the ultimate purpose of life: blessing." (p. 80-82)
To bless is to give thanks. Happy Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving Day
To read about our daily commemorations, go to our Holy Women, Holy Men blog:
http://liturgyandmusic.wordpress.com/category/holy-women-holy-men/
Today's Readings for the Daily Office (Book of Common Prayer)
EITHER the readings for Thursday of Proper 29, p. 995
Psalms 131, 132, [133] (morning) 134, 135 (evening)
Zechariah 12:1-10
Ephesians 1:3-14
Luke 19:1-10
OR the readings for Thanksgiving Day, p. 1000
Morning Prayer: Psalm 147; Deuteronomy 26:1-11; John 6:36-35
Evening Prayer: Psalm 145; Joel 2:21-27; 1 Thessalonians 5:12-24
I chose the readings for Thanksgiving Day
Our reading from Deuteronomy offers Moses' instructions to the people for a feast of the first fruits. We are to remember the story of our sojourn from slavery into freedom. We are to bring the first fruit of the ground and celebrate with God in thanksgiving. Included in the celebration is the whole community as well as "the aliens who reside among you." Everyone is included.
And in John we read about the bread from heaven which Jesus gives for the life of the world. It is the spiritual bread which truly satisfies, which fulfills our deepest hungers and thirsts. Elsewhere in Jesus' stories he offers food to all and gives water to that great symbol of outcasts, the Samaritan woman at the well. The spirit of love, forgiveness and compassion which is the food of Jesus is for all. Everyone is included.
Out of these great traditions we inherit a religious practice that is grounded in feasting and thanksgiving. The word "eucharist" means "thanksgiving." The Eucharist is the most characteristic act of Christian life. We feast with the body and blood of Christ, heavenly food and drink -- received and given with thanksgiving. To give thanks is to bless. To receive and give life with thanksgiving is to bless life.
I am reminded of a passage from David Steindl-Rast's book "Gratefulness, the Heart of Prayer: An Approach to Life in Fullness." He writes:
"Our heart's most comprehensive vision shows us that all is gift -- blessing. And, in response our heart's most spontaneous action is thanksgiving -- blessing.
"But here my ...question arises. What if I cannot recognize the given as a blessing? What if it is not sunshine that pours down on us, but hailstones like hammer-blows? What if it is acid rain? Here again, the gift within the gift is opportunity. I have the opportunity, for example, to do something about that acid rain, face the facts, inform myself about the causes, go to their roots, alert others, band together with them for self-help, for protest. By taking each opportunity as it is offered, I show myself grateful. But my response will not be full unless I respond also to the ever-present opportunity to praise.
"W.H. Auden has helped me see this by his poem "Precious Five," especially by its last stanza. " I could," says Auden there,
Find reasons fast enough
To face the sky and roar
In anger and despair
At what is going on,
Demanding that it name
Whoever is to blame:
The sky would only wait
Till all my breath was gone
And then reiterate
As if I wasn't there
That singular command
I do not understand
Bless what there is for being,
Which has to be obeyed, for
What else am I made for,
Agreeing or disagreeing?
"To bless whatever there is, and for no other reason but simply because it is -- that is our raison d'etre; that is what we are made for as human beings. This singular command is engraved in our heart. Whether we understand this or not matters little. Whether we agree or disagree makes no difference. And in our heart of hearts we know it.
"No matter how hard you strike a bell, it will ring. What else is it made for? Even under the hammer blows of fate the heart rings true. The human heart is made for universal praise. As long as we pick and choose, making praise depend on our approval, we are not yet responding from the heart. When we find our heart, we find that core of our being that is attuned to reality. And reality is praiseworthy. With clear vision the heart sees the ultimate meaning of all: blessing. And with clear intent the heart responds with the ultimate purpose of life: blessing." (p. 80-82)
To bless is to give thanks. Happy Thanksgiving.
Lowell
__________________
| Audio podcast: Listen to an audio podcast of the most recent Morning Reflections from today and the past week. Click the following link: -- Morning Reflection Podcasts About Morning Reflections "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 missionstclare.com -- Click for online Daily Office 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 -- Click for Divine Hours Discussion Blog: To comment on today's reflection or readings, go to http://lowellsblog.blogspot.com, or click here for Lowell's blog find today's reading, click "comment" at the bottom of the reading, and post your thoughts. |
| The Mission of St. Paul's Episcopal Church is to explore and celebrate God's infinite grace, acceptance, and love. See our Web site at www.stpaulsfay.org Our Rule of Life: We aspire to... worship weekly pray daily learn constantly serve joyfully live generously. Lowell Grisham, Rector St. Paul's Episcopal Church Fayetteville, Arkansas |
posted by Lowell @ 7:30 AM
1 comments
1 Comments:
Your reflections are morning blessings. This one is superb blessing! Thanks Lowell.
Peace, Janet
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