Reflection - Thursday - 26 November 2020 - Thanksgiving

   As we approach our national holiday of Thanksgiving, we are probably thinking a lot about our current reality, which is a very harsh reality.  Some aspects of this reality may be distracting us from our call to give thanks.  This has been the year of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the pandemic currently increasing in the US and throughout most of the world, not decreasing. It has been a year of social unrest. of violence in the streets, and of a very tumultuous national election.  I think all of us can admit that we are a country that is very much divided at this point.  For those of us who are Christians, we have seen our religion increasingly come under attack.  We have seen our church buildings burned down and our statues desecrated.  We have heard politician call some of our saints white supremacists.  We have seen politicians defend the right for people to protest, yet, at the same time, some of these same politicians try to deny the right that Christians have to protest in front of an abortion clinic.  This has been a tough year.  And it continues to remain so, as none of this has been resolved.  

      Yes, this past year has been filled with tremendous loss, grief, anxiety, hurt, unrest and fear.  But, in the midst of this year, we give thanks and we celebrate our national holiday of Thanksgiving.  As Paul gave thanks for the joy he had in his heart even in the midst of his difficulties and his incarceration in prison, we are called to give thanks in the midst of our struggles and our difficulties.  We are called to recognize our many blessings in the midst of our challenges.  I found this prayer of thanks on the website of an Anglican Diocese in England.  I wanted to share its spirit of thanksgiving with all of you.  Blessings to all of you as we celebrate Thanksgiving together as a nation.  

Prayer of Thanks: God of all creation, thank you for the wonderful things you have made. Thank you for the universe full of stars and planets. Thank you for our world, full of life. Thank you for making each one of us. Thank you for loving each one of us. Take these gifts we now offer back to you. May they be used to the glory of your name. We offer you ourselves and all the gifts you have blessed us with. Take us and use us to share your love with the world.  Amen.