Finding Gratitude in Thanksgiving
Happy Thanksgiving! As we celebrate, I want us to reflect on the deep human need to express gratitude. Brené Brown defines gratitude as “an emotion that reflects our deep appreciation for what we value, what brings meaning to our lives and what makes us feel connected to ourselves and others”. While positive emotions can wear off quickly, the practice of gratitude allows us to better appreciate the value of our blessings, helping us extract more benefits and preventing us from taking them for granted.
Ancient Roots: This modern practice is rooted in ancient traditions, like the Israelites’ command to offer the first fruits of the promised land as a thanks offering.
Modern Celebration: The Anglican harvest festival was popularized in 1843, and the wisdom of incorporating it into the church calendar recognized the increasing disconnect people had with the land.
The Thanksgiving of Eucharist
Our worship today centres on the Eucharist, the Greek meaning of which is “thanksgiving”. This is rooted in the New Testament accounts of the Last Supper, where Jesus gave thanks over the bread and wine. Jesus not only exemplified gratitude but commanded us to practice it, not just for bread and wine, but for himself—the bread of life.
He challenged his followers not to “work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life”. We cultivate gratitude in the Eucharist, where we give thanks for the gift of himself.
Frederick Buechner once said, “The place God calls us to is the place where our deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet”. St. Paul advises us to lean into our deep gladness, relish our unique gifts, and utilize them to feed people’s deepest hungers for love, dignity, reconciliation, and God. By committing our lives to this work, our hearts will swell with gratitude for God’s countless blessings.
Call to Action: Find Where Your Gifts Feed the World
Identify your place of deep gladness, and commit to using your unique gifts and passions to respond to the world’s deep hunger—for shelter, safety, love, and God—cultivating a profound gratitude in the process.
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Experience the warmth and support of a community of faith at St. Barnabas. We invite you to join us in worship, fellowship and service as we seek to live according to the Way of Jesus.
Watch the full sermon to learn more about how you are being sent.