It was not until after I moved away from my home town that my grandmother filled me in on a secret that I never knew until then. My grandfather's ancestors on my mother's side of the family were pilgrims who settled in the Plymouth Plantation and most likely celebrated that first Thanksgiving Day feast together. I am very thankful to God for the heritage that is part of my families legacy. Yet, I also have to be mindful of the fact that there are whole groups of people who perish and experience injustice at the hands of those who prosper.
As a former right wing Christian I used to watch (and now I am ashamed of my previous behavior as I consider myself a progressive Christian) the news clips of Native American's in the First Unitarian Church in Plymouth expressing anger over how the Pilgrims took their land and resources as the Puritans colonized territories not belonging to them. Now that I am Episcopalian I am reminded that my Anglican heritage is full of both Anglo-Catholics and Puritans who shamefully shared in some of the plundering of the Two Spirit Natives. As Americans, we have much to be thankful for and celebrate, but we should also recognize that we have an obligation to include others as well as repent of many evils that are still part of our daily lives.
Deuteronomy 26:1-11 (NRSV)
When you have come into the land that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance to possess, and you possess it, and settle in it, you shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you harvest from the land that the LORD your God is giving you, and you shall put it in a basket and go to the place that the LORD your God will choose as a dwelling for his name. You shall go to the priest who is in office at that time, and say to him, "Today I declare to the LORD your God that I have come into the land that the LORD swore to our ancestors to give us." When the priest takes the basket from your hand and sets it down before the altar of the LORD your God, you shall make this response before the LORD your God: "A wandering Aramean was my ancestor; he went down into Egypt and lived there as an alien, few in number, and there he became a great nation, mighty and populous. When the Egyptians treated us harshly and afflicted us, by imposing hard labor on us, we cried to the LORD, the God of our ancestors; the LORD heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. The LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with a terrifying display of power, and with signs and wonders; and he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. So now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground that you, O LORD, have given me." You shall set it down before the LORD your God and bow down before the LORD your God. Then you, together with the Levites and the aliens who reside among you, shall celebrate with all the bounty that the LORD your God has given to you and to your house.
The reading from Deuteronomy is a reminder that everything we have today is a gift from God. Our land, homes, families, communities, material things as well as our intellect are all part of God's graciousness towards all of us. As Americans we have been given an abundance of goodness to share in. Yet, we like all individuals are effected enough by human nature that we often want to hoard all that we have for ourselves. Thanksgiving is a day to celebrate with festivity all that God has given to us, as well as remember the sacrifices that have been made to bring to us all that we have. As Christians, God sacrificed God's perfect revelation in Jesus Christ to bring salvation to all humankind that will approach God through Christ. Even Christians have forgotten charity towards those with whom God communicates differently through other world religions, Spiritualities, cultural expressions and so forth. God has created and blessed all humankind as unique and diverse so that all of creation can draw closer to God in ways that work for them. This past year, American conservative Christians have demonstrated such hate towards Muslim people, resulting in negative stereotypes that have brought about hateful rhetoric and violence. And the continued rhetoric and behavior towards lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and queer people from Christianists and arch-conservative Catholics/Anglicans and even some Episcopalians cannot be overlooked. As a result of the poor behavior towards LGBTQ people many LGBTQ individuals struggle with isolation from their families during this holiday season. May be some of us need to open our hearts, doors and dinner tables to an LGBTQ person who is lonely this Thanksgiving.
In Paul's letter to the Philippians 4:4-9 we are told:
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.
This Thanksgiving we are called to rejoice in all of the opportunities that God gives us to speak up for and to work for the equality of all who this day are denied their dignity by the Church and society. As Americans we are fortunate to live in a land where we have the freedom to act on behalf of people who are marginalized. Our United States Constitution as well as the Gospel that Christians claim to cling to call on our Government and us to speak on behalf of and do all that we can today for those who are yet waiting for a better tomorrow. Thanksgiving Day is an opportunity to be thankful that there are great voices and individuals among us who are passionate and willing to remind the wealthy and powerful, that their corporate wealth does not rule those who can barely afford a one room apartment and have to go to a soup kitchen. Through out the Bible and especially the Psalms there are countless examples of God viewing the poor as God's greatest friends. Even as corporate powers want to send the middle class into oblivion, God still has the last word. In America, we still have the power to tell corporations NO. Let us rejoice and give thanks, in prayer and supplication that in America we can say no to injustice, inequality and the evils of greed.
Paul tells us to celebrate what is good, noble, pure, pleasing, commendable, holy to think on those things. Love is excellent, whether shared by individuals of the same-sex or opposite sex. Marriage equality is pure, holy, good, noble, pleasing. Inviting someone who would otherwise be alone with no one to care about them to share our Thanksgiving Day meal, warm home if only for a few hours is good, noble, pure, pleasing and commendable. Serving Thanksgiving meals at a place where people who would otherwise go hungry for the day is a good and praiseworthy thing. Spending a day in silent gratitude is praiseworthy.
Last but not least our Gospel for this Thanksgiving Day is John 6: 25-35.
When the crowd found Jesus on the other side of the sea, they said to him, "Rabbi, when did you come here?" Jesus answered them, "Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal." Then they said to him, "What must we do to perform the works of God?" Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent." So they said to him, "What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, `He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" Then Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." They said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always."
Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty."
I am very thankful that on Thanksgiving Day that our Gospel is about Jesus feeding us. God promises us through Jesus that all who come to him will not hunger or thirst. For those who are poor, without work, homes, heat, health care, or dignity through the misconceived notions of the Church and society hearing that Jesus won't leave us hungry or thirsty is a big problem. Many people are hungry and thirsty. Many people today are with out justice, such as individuals denied proper medical attention because of health insurance companies mismanagement of their wealth. How then is God feeding and nourishing us?
As Episcopalians and Catholics we understand that Christ is Really Present in the Eucharist. For Episcopalians we are reminded that we must allow Christ's presence to be Real through us if Christ is to truly feed all of us with Christ's Body and Blood. The word Eucharist means Thanksgiving. We give thanks to God when God's presence is made real as we celebrate, include others marginalized by society and the Church and repent of our sins for marginalizing other peoples in the first place. Giving thanks is an opportunity to reflect that "immeasurable love in Jesus Christ, our Lord" through our service of those who really are hungering and thirsting for the Goodness of God through the Church's ministry. God nourishes others with the Real Presence of Christ when we may Christ Real as we serve others who need to know that they are loved, cherished and part of God's holy family of loved and included persons.
This Thanksgiving I am thankful to God for all of the good that I am able to enjoy because of God's graciousness. I am thankful for the love that Jason and I share together as a devoted Christian gay couple. I am thankful for our Spiritual home of St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral and the Episcopal Church. I am thankful for the ability to sit and write these lines that may give some encouragement to someone who might need one today. I am thankful for the heritage of my family. I am thankful that my mother has done so much for me and that we are still able to talk on the phone while we cannot be together in person. I am thankful to all who read my blog and find it helpful. I am thankful to all who read my blog and have different opinions. I am thankful that though we as LGBTQ people we are far from achieving full equality in the Church and society that we are moving ever closer and closer. I am thankful for all of the great activists both secular and religious who are part of the work for equality and caring for those marginalized. I am thankful that God sees fit to allow me to know so many wonderful people, many whom I cannot name, but are an important part of my life. I am most thankful that God loves me as much as God does, that I have been made a good gay person who loves Jesus Christ and that writing this blog is a means by which I can share that love. I am no better than anyone else. I am a man of many faults, sins and even some disabilities. But I know that God loves me as a gay Christian because in Jesus God has redeemed me as one of God's own. I am thankful that over these past two years God has been transforming me in ways that I could not be not that long ago. I am also very thankful that this Friday, marks two years since I left the Catholic church's ex-gay ministry called Courage that was started by Cardinal Cooke, and that I now have a terrific life, a loving man and so much love in my life because I can be who I am and know that only better things are yet to come.
I wish all of my blog readers, whoever you are and where ever you are, what or who ever you believe in a Happy and Holy Thanksgiving.
Almighty and gracious Father, we give you thanks for the fruits of the earth in their season and for the labors of those who harvest them. Make us, we pray, faithful stewards of your great bounty, for the provision of our necessities and the relief of all who are in need, to the glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (Collect for Thanksgiving Day, Book of Common Prayer, page 246)
Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen. (General Thanksgiving, Book of Common Prayer, pages 101 + 125)
Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so move every human heart, that barriers which divide us may crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease; that our divisions being healed, we may live in justice and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Prayer for Social Justice, Book of Common Prayer, page 823).
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