In All Circumstances

One of my favorite scriptures is Philippians 1:3 “Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God.” Let us all apply this to family, friends, and the chapel goers here.

German theologian, philosopher, and mystic Meister Eckhart said, “If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough.” When we consider how long ago, he said this - we realize the powerful impact of gratitude has been known of for a long time. Meister Eckhart was born in 1260 and died in 1328.

In the United States, we have officially celebrated a national holiday of Thanksgiving since 1863 when it became a federal holiday under the leadership of Abraham Lincoln. Prior to that, it was nationally celebrated on and off since 1789, with a proclamation by George Washington after a request by Congress.

Some of us were taught a rather idealistic version of the first Thanksgiving. Much is just not known about how it was 400 years ago. What we do know is in 1621, the pilgrims, who were religious separatists originally from England, celebrated a successful harvest with a three-day gathering that was attended by members of the Wampanoag tribe.

How they wound up feasting together is unknown. Unfortunately, it was quite the exception, not the norm, of interrelations between settlers and people indigenous to North America.

I like to take time on Thanksgiving to give thanks for the members of the Wampanoag tribe that aided the settlers, for surely the climate and terrain was difficult for the settlers to adjust to.

All this to say that gratitude, and its ability to improve the quality of our lives, has been around for a long time.

It is also a rather universal spiritual idea. In Islam, Imam Shafi’i is quoted as saying, “To be able to thank the Almighty for a blessing is a blessing within itself.”

Vietnamese Zen master and teacher Thich Nhat Hanh suggests we, “Walk as if you are kissing the earth with your feet.” One can practice this by allowing one foot to represent the word, “thank” and the other foot to represent, “you” with each footfall.

In the Christian scriptures, the is an often-misquoted thought about giving thanks. It is often thought that the scripture says we are to give thanks for all circumstances. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 actually reads, “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”

It might be reasonable to wonder if giving thanks in all circumstances is even possible. I have wondered about that myself; I’ve been in some pretty lousy circumstances.

That changed for me when I became a monthly guest teacher in a spirituality class once a month at Haven for Hope in San Antonio, Texas.

For those of you who don’t know what Haven for Hope is, it’s a place that gives comprehensive supports to those experiencing homelessness. And in this class the students are given one weekly assignment. To create a list of 10 things they are grateful for. The lists are read aloud by each student at the beginning of every class. It is a most inspiring and humbling experience to listen to the them. Listed items often include things like bedding, sunshine, toiletry items, air, God, family, love, prayer, and on and on.

From the first time I witnessed this spiritual practice of gratitude lists, I deeply understood that to give thanks in all circumstances is not at all an unreasonable request.

And now neuroscience tells us that gratitude is good for us! In a recent study, it was found that those who kept a record of things that they were grateful for experienced less health issues, slept better, and experienced less anxiety and depression than those who did not.

With all this in mind that I uphold for you a most happy Thanksgiving and safe travels if you are gathering with loved ones. One of my favorite scriptures is Philippians 1:3:

“Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God.”

Let us all apply this to family, friends, and the chapel goers here.

Regardless of how we spend the holiday, alone or with others, gratitude is indeed something to celebrate, and if we are wise - to practice frequently.

I thank you for reading and be blessed this day.