Thanksgiving Gratitude

 Of course, there is great gain in godliness combined with contentment,  

for we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it,  

but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these.

1 Timothy 6:6-8 NRSVue

"The medieval mystic Meister Eckhart once suggested that if the only prayer we ever said was “thank-you,” it would still suffice."

Yesterday we had coffee with one of Ruth's step-sisters and her husband who are in Canada to celebrate a family birthday. She was born in Canada, he is an American from the deep South, and they have lived in Israel for the past 35 years...are you keeping up here? Their kids all live in the US now and they will retire there, so they are strongly connected in many ways. We touched briefly on the fact that today is Thanksgiving across the border, a celebration as big, if not bigger than Christmas in the States.

While our October Thanksgiving is now in now just a speck in our collective rearview mirror it can't hurt to ponder giving thanks.We are living in a time when scarcity is the zietgeist rather than abundance. The stock market has taken a dizzying tumble this year. The phrase "supply chain issues" has become part of our vocabulary and we all shrug our resignation. There aren't enough medical personnel to staff our hospitals or medications for our kids. Even the Earth seems to be in deficit with the ominous prospect of environmental collapse. The term "glacial" used to mean "slowly" but the actual glaciers are disappearing at alarming speed. 

To be grateful is a radical choice these days, so why not serve up another, hopefully generous, helping of Thanksgiving today in solidarity with our American cousins and people around the world? The writer of 1 Timothy encourages us to consider contentment in simplicity as Godly, and we need much more of this sort of godliness rather than the resentment and privilege version which is so prevalent.  

Advent is just around the corner with this Sunday marking the beginning. In many congregations the theme of Hope will be emphasized, the light which shines into the dark places. This is a season of mindful preparation for the coming of the Christ, the child born into poverty by just about any standard. Perhaps these four weeks can open us to seek out the opportunites for practical generosity and gratitude, gratitude, gratitude.