Prayer of the Day/Collect for Thanksgiving Sunday (Canada)

Holy One of heaven and earth, there is always so much to thank you for: our family, friends and colleagues, our home, our work, during this time of the COVID-19 pandemic the gift of life and health, all who have and continue to make sacrifices and place their lives at risk to serve the common good of all society, the beauty of your creation and your bountiful provision of the fruits of the earth, and the list goes endlessly on. In the abundance of our blessings, open our hearts to be generous, kind and loving towards our neighbours next door, across the street and around the world--especially those who are in greatest need. Most of all, we thank you for the gift of yourself, O Triune God, Creator, Jesus our Saviour and Brother and Friend, and Holy Spirit our Advocate and Guide into all truth, who, in love for us all, bestows grace upon grace, now and forever.

The New Year, gratitude, and the longing for peace with justice

The following quote, attributed to Lord Allton, is worth our consideration as we begin another New Year:

   If you have never been in war, imprisoned or suffered from starvation, then you are better off than five hundred million other people. If you can read, then you are better off than two billion who are unable to do so. If you can attend a church without fear of harassment, or worse, then you are better off than three billion people in the world.

   If you have food in the fridge, clothes on your back, a roof over your head and a place to sleep, then you are richer than three-quarters of your fellow human beings. If you have money in the bank or your wallet or purse, then you are among the top eight per cent of the world's wealthy.

   NOTE: This citation is at least a few years old by now, so the exact numbers and/or percentages I expect may have changed since then. However, that being said, there is much prayer, thought, word and action required to change the unjust political, economic and religious systems around the globe for a better, more peaceful, just world in the future. This is especially true for Christians and Jews who live in countries where they are religious minorities. Even in North America and Europe, the growing number of antisemitic and anti-Christian incidents and sentiment are rather alarming.

   As we begin this New Year, may God help us all to pray, desire, and work for: "Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven!"   

Thanksgiving 2015

Today, Monday, October 12, 2015 we Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving. Our country is one of the most privileged and blessed in the world. We Canadians tend to take for granted the basics of life, and all the other added luxuries that the majority of the world's human beings may never have and/or are only a dream. Consequently, with every privilege comes responsibility. Presently we are in the final week of one of the longest election campaigns in Canadian history. The outcome of this election may very well determine how we Canadians will contribute to the peace, justice and well-being of our own citizens as well as those of other nations. So on this Thanksgiving Monday, the following words from I Chronicles come to mind, along with the prayer by Samuel F. Pugh.

Power point graphic by Eclecticity

Thanksgiving Prayer

O God, when I have food,
help me to remember the hungry;
When I have work,
help me to remember the jobless;
When I have a home,
help me to remember those who have no home at all;
When I am without pain,
help me to remember those who suffer,
And remembering,
help me to destroy my complacency;
bestir my compassion,
and be concerned enough to help;
By word and deed,
those who cry out for what we take for granted.
Amen.

(Samuel F. Pugh)

A blessed thanksgiving to all who read this post!

Thanksgiving-Gratitude

On this thanksgiving weekend here in Canada, we take time to remember what we are thankful for, and to show our gratitude to those most important in our lives-God, family, and friends, etc. One of the exercises I highly recommend to assist in remembering how much we have to be thankful-grateful for is to think of someone or something for each letter of the alphabet and express your gratitude.  Here's one simple example:

 

A: Thank you God for the wide varieties of apples.

B: Thank you God for babies, and the joy and hope they give us. 

C: Thank you God for colours, that make our world so beautiful. 

D: Thank you God for doors that open up opportunities for us. 

E: Thank you God for education, giving wisdom and knowledge. 

F: Thank you God for friends whom we can trust. 

G: Thank you God for your goodness, which fills all creation.

H: Thank you God for health, homes, and the promise of heaven.

I: Thank you God for ideas, which make the world a better place.

J: Thank you God for your Son, Jesus our Messiah and Friend. 

K: Thank you God for the countless kindnesses shown me. 

L: Thank you God for your greatest gift-love.

M: Thank you God for mothers, who contribute so much to society.

N: Thank you God for the necessities, which make life possible.

O: Thank you God for oceans, teaming with life. 

P: Thank you God for peace, giving life quality and stability.

Q: Thank you God for questions, helping us to grow and learn.

R: Thank you God for the future hope of bodily resurrection.

S: Thank you God for all of your saving activity. 

T: Thank you God for your truth, which sets us free.

U: Thank you God for this vast, magnificent universe.

V: Thank you God for so much variety in your creation. 

W: Thank you God for your word, which gives abundant life.

X: Thank you God for x-rays when we need them. 

Y: Thank you God for all the years of life you give us.

Z: Thank you God for giving us zest to be enthused with life.