Thanksgiving Breathing Lessons

 

 Breathe on me, Breath of God,
Fill me with life anew,
That I may love what Thou dost love,
And do what Thou wouldst do.

Edwin Hatch

Don't give up
'Cause you have friends
Don't give up
You're not beaten yet
Don't give up
I know you can make it good.

Peter Gabriel 

Many Americans are struggling to express gratitude on this, their celebration of Thanksgiving. The President of the United States posted a self-serving sentiment this morning on Twitter with no sense of the irony of doing so on a day which expresses gratitude that the first European settlers survived because they were welcomed and aided by Aboriginal peoples. A couple of days ago he admitted that the Saudis may have brutally murdered a resident of the United States, but what are ya gonna do? The States needs Saudi oil and they buy lots of US armaments.

If those who are worn down by the mean-spirited tone of the nation claim that they're having trouble breathing we Canadians would understand. It seems that justice and mercy are on life support with our neighbours to the South and we're seeing signs of it here. The political tone is shifting to grievance rather than gratitude and generosity.

It's interesting that a couple of Thanksgiving reflections for the day by American Christians I respect use the imagery of breathing. 

Father Greg Boyle has walked alongside gang members in Los Angeles, described as the largest gang intervention, rehabilitation and re-entry program in the world. On Twitter this morning he offered an antidote to He Who Shall Not be Named saying "Today may we choose to ventilate the world with tenderness and a thankful spirit. Best wishes and Happy Thanksgiving."

Ventilate. I like it. 

 Then Parker Palmer, the Quaker Yoda, asked:

 And where does generosity come from? Perhaps from another life-giving virtue, the one called gratitude. When I take the time to breathe in my life and breathe out my gratitude for the gifts I’ve been given, only one question arises: “How can I keep these gifts alive?”

So we choose to breathe as the followers of Jesus, the Holy One who appeared to breathe his last on the cross only to be raised to new life. We don't give up as people of faith, do we?

"So when Jesus shows up at that table on the evening of the empty tomb in the room where a feast had become a funeral, a new table is set. It’s a table of gratitude – the gifts of God for the people of God – with the power to drive out fear.”

Grateful -- Diana Butler Bass