Thanksgiving feasts and festivals date back to ancient times. Thanksgiving is not a North American phenomenon only. People throughout time, for thousands of years were prompted to give thanks for the providential provisions of harvest.
People throughout time have known deep down that we are reliant upon forces not of our own doing. People may provide the labor and the planning to bring forth food from the land, but we are also dependent upon the patterns of weather that provide rain, the seasons that allow for more sunshine and growth. It is wise to be humble about just how clever we are in the scheme of all creation. Thanksgiving is a time to remember how much we need this precious resource called Earth. Thanksgiving is a time to remember how much we require relationships of trust and caring with other people for our very survival.
Every Sunday we share a Thanksgiving Feast at the Table of Christ. He invites us to receive a bounty of grace and compassion. He feeds us forgiveness and love. We are wise to be humble about how clever we are to manage the course of our spiritual journey alone. The Table of Thanksgiving provides us a safe harbor to refresh and replenish our spirits. The Table of Thanksgiving connects us with the body of Christ, the church, reminding us that we do not have to journey alone.
Come to the Table of Thanksgiving and count the blessings of your harvest.