Thanksgiving: An Act of Worship
We all are aware that Thanksgiving, the great American
holiday, happens tomorrow. It seems, though, that the cultural awareness of the source of this celebration has been lost in recent years. The first celebrants of this
ritual gathered at table during shortly after the harvest season because of the gratitude
in their hearts. They were grateful for God's grace that allowed them to
survive their first harsh winter in the New World; and for the assistance of
their fellow man (native American Indians, specifically) in cultivating the
crops and produce. These were reasons for gratitude, indeed.
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| Jennie Brownscombe, The First Thanksgiving at Plymouth (1914) |
Over the last three-plus centuries, the ritual has changed
slightly. There probably wasn't a grand exhibition of sport (like
football) before, during, and immediately after the big meal. It is very
likely that folks didn't pack up for brief cross-country trips but, rather,
they remained within their year-round communities. It is also certain that there were no "Door Buster" sales at the local co-op, beginning
in the mid-afternoon on Thanksgiving Day. The consumerist-materialist culture has encroached and transformed this day into something that the earliest American settlers never would have intended.
Despite the negative trend, there is still evidence that goodness is present in our culture. Many, if not most, Americans still reserve Thanksgiving Day to be grateful for
something. Many are probably grateful for the
presence of family and friends, for homes and employment (and for the corresponding vacation day), and for the abundance
of material blessings that God grants. Moreover, those who have received
in abundance find even greater blessings in reaching out and sharing with
others who haven't received in such measure. It would be wonderful if these good acts and emotions would spill over into other days and seasons so that gratitude might increase throughout our culture.
Yet, there is something more that we can do to express our gratitude. There is a more perfect and fitting response than gathering with family and friends to eat, socialize, and relax; more perfect even than performing acts of charity. The most perfect response to our deep gratitude is an act of worship, because the communal relations that we keep and the comforts of home that we enjoy in America all are granted to us by the Divine Provider.
There is one act of worship that is appropriate and fitting
above all: the Eucharist. The word "Eucharist," in fact, means
"thanksgiving" in Greek. The Eucharist, that communal banquet
table at which Catholics share, is the perfect ritual celebration of our
gratitude for what God has done for us and provided to us. After engaging
in the perfect act of worship, we then have the ability to perform an act of
worship simply by being grateful in the normal settings of our lives, even the
"normal" Thanksgiving setting. In this pattern, we gratefully
recognize that all gifts flow from God's providential hand.
The Catholic faith teaches us about the priority of place
that must be given to the Eucharist:"Everything aims at this;
besides this there is nothing greater that one could attain" (YouCat
#208). It supersedes all of the other blessings for which we are
thankful, even during this wonderful season of the year. Thus, it is
important for all of us to re-prioritize, and be thankful first for the ability
to relate to God in such an intimate way. That single recognition will
allow all the other blessings to be seen in their proper light. In the light of that first and greatest blessing, all the other blessings will be prioritized rightly.
