Reading for Thanksgiving
Day: Mt 6:25-33
November 27, 2003
The Rev. Karen Siegfriedt
St. Jude the Apostle Episcopal Church, Cupertino,
CA
Jesus said: "Seek first the kingdom of God and its righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." [Mt. 6]
We have just heard a familiar and life-giving passage read from the gospel according to St. Matthew. The subject matter of this gospel reading is about how to get over anxiety. Jesus is offering us a universal truth on how to put an end to that constant, debilitating, and habitual practice of worrying. This kind of worrying about material things is fruitless. It does not add one day to our lives. In fact, it can shorten our life-span by making us sick. Excessive worrying does not solve problems, accomplish goals, or overcome difficulties. It just saps away our joy and makes us feel uncertain in this changing world.
Jesus says, a more fruitful alternative to worrying is to take one's mind off oneself and to look around at the bounty of God's providence. Begin with nature and look at the abundance of growth and beauty around us. God has provided us with so much that is not of our own doing. The grass and flowers grow, not because we worry about them, but because God has created an ecology of the world where birds are fed, grass turns green, and flowers are decked in beautiful outfits.
Another way to put an end to worrying about the endless tasks and burdens that we have created, is to orient our lives, first and foremost, to the approaching kingdom of God. The values of the kingdom of God are life giving and provide creation with all of its basic needs. People who are committed to the kingdom of God focus on organizing their personal lives and society in a way that promotes harmony, justice, peace, compassion, and the dignity of every human being. There are enough resources in this world to provide for food, clothing, and shelter. All of us here today are blessed with these basic needs. Unfortunately, these resources are not well distributed and so some people have too much while others have too little. Being committed to the kingdom of God and its righteousness, encourages sharing and a better distribution of the bounty.
Finally, one of the best ways to put an end to worrying is through the practice of gratitude. As anxious thoughts come into your mind, think about the blessings in your life. Then consciously give thanks throughout the day for all the blessings God has bestowed upon you. Meister Eckhart, a famous 14th century mystic, said that if you don't know how to pray any other prayer, then pray the prayer that has one word: Thank you.
The prayer of Thank you goes a long way in deepening relationships, improving our mental health, relieving anxiety, feeling safer, experiencing God, and promoting the sharing of goods. Today is that holiday of Thanksgiving. The word holiday, comes from a combination of two words: holy and day. What makes this day holy, is not how much turkey we will eat. What makes this day holy, is our willingness to step out of ourselves, and to say Thank you to our Creator from whom all blessings flow.
| Updated 11/18/03 |
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