Readings:
Deut. 8:1-20; Mt 6:25-33; Ps. 65
November 25, 2004
The Rev. Karen Siegfriedt
St. Jude the Apostle Episcopal Church, Cupertino,
CA
"The river of God is full of water." [Psalm 65]
Today's readings speak about God's abundant generosity towards all creation. The reading from Deuteronomy, rehearses for the people of Israel, how God watched over them as they traveled through the barren desert. Working through the created order, God provided them with food (in the form of manna.) Though divine inspiration and guidance, God brought them to the place of the Promised Land, where flowing streams, wheat, barley, vines, fig trees, honey, pomegranates, olive trees, iron, and copper filled the landscape. And what does the Lord expect in return? Faithfulness and Gratitude!
Psalm 65 speaks of the abundance in nature, thus providing food for both people and animals. "You visit the earth [O Lord] and water it abundantly; you make it very plenteous; the river of God is full of water." And what does the Lord expect in return? Faithfulness and Gratitude!
Today's gospel according to St. Matthew (which includes a part of the Sermon on the Mount) speaks about God's care in feeding the birds of the air, clothing the fields with flowers and grass, and providing us with all of the necessities of life. And what does God expect in return? Faithfulness and gratitude!
Faithfulness is an orientation of heart, body, mind, and soul towards God. It is an attitude of confidence that the way of God leads to abundant life and provides us with all of our needs. It is an attitude of trust in God's power and grace to provide. Gratitude is a joyful awakening of the heart, where we become conscious of the many blessings in our lives. Through these two responses- faithfulness and gratitude, we can begin to transition from a place of anxiety and worry to a place of peace and satisfaction.
"Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or what you will wear. Your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." [Mt. 6] In other words, "the river of God is full of water."
The question for the people of St. Jude's living in Santa Clara County in the 21st century is this: "Why do we worry so much when we already have enough to eat and drink and to be clothed? Might it be that we are striving after material things that go far beyond the necessities of life? Might it be that we have little confidence in the providence of God to provide those things that are essential for life? Might it be that we have forgotten about the blessings that we do have and instead focus on what we do not have? Might it be that we live in fear of scarcity rather than celebrate the abundance in creation such as water, food, sunshine, natural resources, relationships, etc? Might it be that we have failed to orient our heart, mind, body, and soul, towards God? Might it be that we are not living in the present moment but are rather grieving the pains of the past or obsessing about the "what ifs" of the future? "Strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
Each Thanksgiving Day, I remember the 44 Puritans and 66 other passengers who sailed from England to America in 1620, on the Mayflower. The Puritans were escaping religious persecution and social poverty while the other passengers on the ship were looking for a better economic situation in the new world. They were unprepared for the long, cruel, New England winter and suffered greatly. But in spite of all the suffering they endured, they held a festival of Thanksgiving following their first harvest in the new land. For three days, they gave God thanks for what they did have. "The river of God is full of water."
What was it that enabled the pilgrims to offer God thanks in spite of suffering incredible hardships and losing 50% of the population during that first winter? The pilgrims were able to offer God thanks (in the face of adversity) because they lived a posture of faithfulness and gratitude. Faithfulness and gratitude do not deny the hardships of life nor excuse the need to plan for the future and to work diligently. However, faithfulness and gratitude give us the internal resources to see life from a place of abundance, confidence, joy, and peace.
Today, as I sit down to a wonderful thanksgiving feast with my friends, each of us will light a candle, and rehearse out loud, all of the blessings for which we are thankful. The river of God is indeed full of water!
"Almighty and gracious Father, we give you thanks for the fruits of the earth in their season and for the labors of those who harvest them. Make us, we pray, faithful stewards of your great bounty, for the provision of our necessities and the relief of all who are in need, to the glory of your Name." Amen. [BCP 246]
| Updated 11/25/04 |
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