Thanksgiving Eucharist Reflections

This year, I've been wrestling to get through Pastoral Care at divinity school (a class with which I have a strong love/hate relationship). I remembered a line from one of the books I read for this class about reclaiming holidays for the Church. One of the holidays the author suggested we reclaim was Thanksgiving. She or he suggested we rename Thanksgiving as “Immigrant Appreciation Day” in honor of the Native American's who welcomed the European settlers to their land. As I began to think about this image in preparation for the homily, I found myself in an uncomfortable space. Were it not for the Native American's generosity, would we be here? And to think of how we have treated this race of God's children is unsettling. My Methodist History teacher mentioned in one of his lectures just a few weeks ago that Tennessee’s mythic hero Andrew Jackson was responsible for this country’s shameful act of "Ethnic Cleansing"--The Trail of Tears. How could I "celebrate" in light of this injustice? Had I not read that book nor heard this lecture, Thanksgiving this year would have been another mindless participation in national egoism, but this year, I found it much harder to enjoy.

I managed to find solace in Christ's invitation to His Table, and in the Epistle Reading that went along with the service:

2 Corinthians 9:6-15 (NRSV)
6 The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work. 9 As it is written, "He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor; his righteousness endures forever." 10 He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God through us; 12 for the rendering of this ministry not only supplies the needs of the saints but also overflows with many thanksgivings to God. 13 Through the testing of this ministry you glorify God by your obedience to the confession of the gospel of Christ and by the generosity of your sharing with them and with all others, 14 while they long for you and pray for you because of the surpassing grace of God that he has given you. 15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

I challenged myself and my parishioners to envision what Thanksgiving would look like if we were the generous host of immigrants today. What would our tables look like? Who would be seated around them? The inclusive language of verse 13 created a spiritual image of a Great Thanksgiving Dinner of which we soon partook! Placing myself as the needy alien in front of the bountiful table of the Lord was a humbling image. Holding out my hands to receive my daily bread was moving. I emphasized that we have received seed and as we put that seed to good use, the supplier of our seed will cause our supply of seed to multiply.

How do we play this out? One small way we are doing it is by bringing canned food items with us to each communion service which we then donate to the local food bank. Hanging from the arms of the cross in front of our sanctuary are plastic grocery bags filled with food for the poor: a powerful icon with the heart of Thanksgiving in front of our corporate face! May our celebrations in lieu of justice form us into prophetic extensions and voices against injustice.

The Start of Divinity School

It's been a little while since I've visited here. So let me give an update of my status. I'm about to finish my third week of divinity school here at Vanderbilt, and I think I've read more in these past 3 weeks than I did in my first year as an undergrad! I'm enjoying my studies, and meeting new people with different perspectives. I'm thankful for the opportunities this experience is going to afford me.

I just finished reading Deeply Woven Roots: Improving the Quality of Life in Your Community for Pastoral Care and Counseling. I am going to write a reflection on it hopefully soon. It has been my best read so far.

I've got to run now. Until next time, Godspeed.

The Gift of Fortitude

I picked up my Daily Contemplative Devotional this evening and this was the title of today's entry. Father Keating says, "The Gift of Fortitude...gives energy to overcome major obstacles in the way of spiritual growth."

I never cease to be amazed at how many times I pick this little book up, and it speaks wisdom straight to my heart. I'm sensing the stress of life and am in need of some Fortitude. I get in the rut of thinking that effort and more effort will help me overcome the major obstacles in the middle of my spiritual path, but Fortitude should come serendipitously, as a result of abiding in God's love. Keating goes on to say that "Little by little, the Gift of Fortitude, in conjunction with the other Gifts, transmutes the energy of anger designed by nature for defensive purposes into zeal for the service of God and the needs of others." The next sentence really brought peace to my spirit..."It sustains difficult ministries and welcomes the vicissitudes of daily life instead of fighting or resisting them or giving way to feelings of frustration."

My, how I have fought, resisted and been frustrated today. I choose to be still with today now. The day was what it was, and this moment of realization makes the hardships of today beneficial.

[Centering Pause]

It's amazing what a little stillness does to your perspective! Thanks be to God.