11-27-23<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We in the United States have celebrated, if not observed, another Thanksgiving. Like other holy days<\/s>… holidays<\/s>… long weekends, it has begun to endure the onslaught of secularization. No longer are there widespread expressions of thanks to Almighty God in schools, from the White House, and, yes, even in churches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is beneficial for us to remember that Thanksgiving, as a holiday, is not really traced to the Pilgrims, as thankful as they were \u201c24\/7,\u201d in many ways formal and informal. It was a lowly politician \u2013 in proper view, the closest we have had to a saint in Washington, President Abraham Lincoln \u2013 who conceived the idea of setting apart a day for government and citizenry to beseech God for mercy and forgiveness, and literally count our blessings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
His Thanksgiving Proclamation in 1863 began a tradition that held, until recently. He wrote in part after enumerating some of the gifts God bestowed upon America:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. <\/em>They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens\u2026 to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them\u2026 ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings\u2026.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n We can fast-forward to now, when a supposedly Catholic president dutifully issued a proclamation, but included no mention of God. Even simple logic, if not religion, should have suggested to Biden that if you urge people to be thankful, you should mention to Whom they should be thankful. His 2023 proclamation instead distorted history and denigrated faith by claiming the Pilgrims merely \u201chonored the harvest\u201d and expressed gratitude for the \u201cWampanoag people who made it possible.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The current president then stated that Americans would gather this year to \u201ccelebrate the love they share and the traditions they built together\u2026 grateful for our Nation and the incredible soul of America\u2026. I encourage the people of the United States of America to join together and give thanks for the friends, neighbors, family members, and strangers who have supported each other over the past year in a reflection of goodwill and unity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The current White House surely knows how to pinpoint things it advocates or hates. But \u201cbeing thankful,\u201d a passive, neutered term \u2013 instead of giving thanks \u2013 is a willful avoidance of a worldview that acknowledges God and His role in our national heritage and current affairs. When Biden gives thanks for \u201cFriends,\u201d he might well be talking about the episode where Joey gave Chandler a goat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is a symptom, of course, of the country at large; certainly the popular culture. But also of the Party in power. That party and its allies would be suing or censoring Abraham Lincoln for engaging in \u201chate speech\u201d in the Proclamation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This New Ingratitude trickles down to everyday speech and social interaction. Take note, this coming week, to how people express and receive Thanks. Remembering that words mean things and are significant, listen in stores, food counters, and dialogue on TV programs. \u201cThank you\u201d is still uttered, but usually \u201cThanks\u201d is the grandest form of sincerity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Moreover, these days \u201cYou\u2019re Welcome\u201d is a virtually obsolete phrase. The response, rather, often is something like: Sure\u2026 You bet\u2026 No problem, or No prob\u2026 You got it\u2026 Sure thing\u2026 Back atcha<\/em>…<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Words have consequences. To paraphrase William Butler Yeats, we are slouching toward a society of ingratitude, or, worse, indifference. Americans \u2013 and I include much of the church \u2013 know how to complain; what to hate; whom to resent; when to lose patience. But we have lost the capacity to be grateful; to acknowledge good happenings; to share credit; to\u2026 thank God, not just our own work or luck, for blessings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Almighty God does not demand gratitude and thanks from us\u2026 Well, yes, He does, actually. He is a \u201cjealous God\u201d and through the Bible we are told, by Him and His prophets, that gratitude and thanks are due Him. Our worship liturgies remind us that it is \u201cmeet, right, and salutary that at all times and in all places we give thanks to Him\u201d… \u201cGive thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever\u201d… \u201cRejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God\u2019s will for you in Christ Jesus\u201d… \u201cEnter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name\u201d…<\/p>\n\n\n\n At one time we were a people who knew that God was the source of good things, and that He was worthy of praise and thanks. Now we are a people routinely expecting entitlements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I want to view the Lord and Thanks-giving in one more way. It is proper that we have an attitude of gratitude. But through the Bible, God does not only demand our thanks, praise, and obligation. We should also recognize that Christianity is a two-way street, so to speak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What I mean is this: God thanks us<\/em>, too. His blessings are \u201cthanks\u201d for our faithfulness. His amazing Creation was given, a gift, to humankind. Answered prayers are \u201cthanks\u201d for our devotion and supplications. The Gifts of the Spirit surely are His reaching down to bless us. The very fact that He became incarnate flesh to dwell among us and offer a plan of salvation is a manner of advance-thanks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n God demonstrated His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us <\/em>(Romans 5:8).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Was there ever a more heartfelt \u201cThank You\u201d? The Lord considers us worthy of thanks, this verse says, before we would even deserve it. Thanks for believing on Him; loving Him; serving Him. The challenge to Christians is how we return thanks, how we give life to \u201cYou\u2019re Welcome, Lord.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n But respond we must, with sincerity and purpose. Gratitude. And a spirit of giving Thanks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n