We give thanks…
Scripture lessons:
Psalm 111
Luke 17.11-19
Praise the Lord! I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,
in the company of the upright, in the congregation.
Psalm 111.1
New Revised Standard Version
Americans are strong believers in the power of positive thinking, and with good reason. Looking on the bright side of life can bring a spirit of cheerfulness to even the dullest day.
But sometimes positive thinking is not a potent enough remedy for our ills. Sometimes the dark clouds of tragedy blot out with little difficulty the tiny sun of our happiness. And besides: when does Jesus, or St. Paul or the psalmist say, “Be Happy”? Rather, their advice to people with their backs to the wall is this: “Give thanks. Rejoice always. Lift up your hearts.” Why? Because unlike positive thinking, gratitude is the power not only to survive, but to endure while a new life—a new world—is born through our struggles for dignity and well being.
To give thanks to God is to recognize that another power—more resilient and trustworthy than human strength—is alive and at large in the world. Therefore, it was with great wisdom that the Spanish mystic, St. John of the Cross, said, “One act of thanksgiving made when things go wrong is worth a thousand when things go well.” For while gratitude will not diminish the need for struggle and patience, it will help us to look and long for the God who makes all things new: including us!
Prayer: O generous God, we give thanks for your energy and grace which work through us for the common good, and which give us the strength we need to be a sign of your peace on earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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