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A Thanksgiving Thought
Nov. 26th, 2014 09:35 pm(This did not start out as a sermon—honest.)
Many of my English friends who know that tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day in the United States ask me, "Don't you feel a bit homesick?" or "Do you make yourself a turkey dinner with all that stuff Americans eat?" The answer's "No" to both, I fear. I can be thankful without setting aside one day for it. I know now that I am English. I am thankful for being allowed to move to London, become naturalised, and be a citizen of the United Kingdom. I am thankful for my husband, who puts up with my increasing dotage with patience and love. I am thankful for the National Health Service, which began and continues as one of the most unselfish government acts in history. I am thankful for the Church of England, which, with all its faults, is my spiritual home. I try to be thankful for all these things and more each and every day.
I trust that all my American friends will be thankful for everything they have. I hope they will also recall the Native Americans, who have no reason to be thankful for the events commemorated tomorrow. I trust that they will remember all the men and women, young and old, who have been injured or killed by guns, who can no longer be thankful for anything. I am certain that they will be thankful for the food they place on their tables, remembering the birds and animals who gave their lives for this dinner and also those who brought the food to market and those who prepared it.
And finally, can we not only be thankful for whatever we have, but also be mindful that many have little or nothing at all this day? May our thankfulness for what we have stir up righteous indignation in our hearts and minds, so that we join the fight against injustice, want, violence, and inequality. We will then be able to be truly thankful for all that we will have and that all will be fed, clothed, and housed.
And so to the One who taught us to be thankful and told us that whatever kindness we do to the least of our brothers and sisters we do to Him, be ascribed all might, majesty, dominion, and praise both now, and evermore. AMEN.
Many of my English friends who know that tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day in the United States ask me, "Don't you feel a bit homesick?" or "Do you make yourself a turkey dinner with all that stuff Americans eat?" The answer's "No" to both, I fear. I can be thankful without setting aside one day for it. I know now that I am English. I am thankful for being allowed to move to London, become naturalised, and be a citizen of the United Kingdom. I am thankful for my husband, who puts up with my increasing dotage with patience and love. I am thankful for the National Health Service, which began and continues as one of the most unselfish government acts in history. I am thankful for the Church of England, which, with all its faults, is my spiritual home. I try to be thankful for all these things and more each and every day.
I trust that all my American friends will be thankful for everything they have. I hope they will also recall the Native Americans, who have no reason to be thankful for the events commemorated tomorrow. I trust that they will remember all the men and women, young and old, who have been injured or killed by guns, who can no longer be thankful for anything. I am certain that they will be thankful for the food they place on their tables, remembering the birds and animals who gave their lives for this dinner and also those who brought the food to market and those who prepared it.
And finally, can we not only be thankful for whatever we have, but also be mindful that many have little or nothing at all this day? May our thankfulness for what we have stir up righteous indignation in our hearts and minds, so that we join the fight against injustice, want, violence, and inequality. We will then be able to be truly thankful for all that we will have and that all will be fed, clothed, and housed.
And so to the One who taught us to be thankful and told us that whatever kindness we do to the least of our brothers and sisters we do to Him, be ascribed all might, majesty, dominion, and praise both now, and evermore. AMEN.
