Giving Thanks for Abundance
Thanksgiving and being together go hand in hand. In the middle of the holiday season with Halloween and Christmas on either side, Thanksgiving has in many ways been a moment to pause around the table for a good meal and reflect on all that we have for which to be grateful. For most of us, these past two years have brought limits and challenges to how we could gather. Hopefully this year will bring joyous reunion. For some of us, this year will be different due to loss. The Condons and our extended family certainly feel that poignantly as it was the last holiday we had with Sarah’s parents. And yet…and yet, we have a God we know to be our redeemer. We have a God who has suffered loss and responded with new life. With the awareness of that love, we can not only acknowledge loss, but proclaim hope and gratitude as we gather with so many cousins, aunts, and uncles this year.
This past Sunday night was such a wonderful celebration. As we gathered for a simple communion service and lots of great food, the parish hall was filled with laughter and there were smiles everywhere. While I have known it to be true, I had forgotten the experience of spending this annual evening gathered in thanksgiving. No one has ever asked me why we include a short communion service for this event. I take that to mean that the reason for doing so is intuitive. That said, I want to point out that our prayer book calls the Eucharistic Prayer (the prayer I say at the altar with the bread and wine on behalf of the community) “The Great Thanksgiving.” When we gather, pray, and receive communion, our role is to receive and respond. The grace intrinsic to a sacrament is defined as unearned and undeserved, which is another way of saying that it is a gift. So, when we receive this gift, we respond with thanksgiving. It is a beautiful thing to connect the communion feast with the thanksgiving feast of turkey, dressing, and all the contributions of the community.
I pray that as you experience the holiday this Thursday, you will remember that there is no greater gift to be thankful for than the blessing of God’s grace and love. Happy Thanksgiving, Holy Spirit family.
We love you and God loves you,
Josh Condon+