Thanksgiving Day: November 24, 2005.

Deuteronomy 8:7-18

Psalm 65

2 Corinthians 9:6-15

Luke 17:11-19

"If you want to kiss the sky, better learn how to kneel." (U2)

First Reading

Just to summarize, the section of Deuteronomy that we read this day is the section that deals with how one lives in the covenant with God. The land is important in this covenant. Moreover, keeping the land depends on faithfulness to God and God's law. This section follows the section of Deuteronomy in which Moses restates the Ten Commandments and encourages the Israelites to love and fear God. The main message seems to be about repentance. The writer encourages the people to trust God's promise, which will not fail, and--here is the interesting part--the repentance part is God's gift. Psalm 65 expresses such repentance. The whole people (together with the king, presumably) and all creation (the meadows and hills are singing as well), concede their guilt and celebrate God's forgiveness.

In 2 Corinthians, Paul struggles to keep this important congregation faithful. Paul is writing to this congregation because opposition against his ministry developed, instigated by foreign missionaries who invaded the Corinthian church. Ministry is difficult, and Paul shares these relevant words with the embattled congregation: "You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God through us; for the rendering of this ministry not only supplies the needs of the saints but also overflows with many thanksgivings to God. Through the testing of this ministry you glorify God by your obedience to the confession of the gospel of Christ and by the generosity of your sharing with them and with all others" (2 Cor 9:11-13).

Finally, we continue the theme of thanksgiving in the midst of challenge with the passage from Luke--the healing of ten lepers after which only one comes back to thank Jesus. In his comprehensive study of Luke, Fred Danker reminds us of several things. First, this reading from Luke is part of the "journey to Jerusalem" section. Second, this passage is about the faith that is necessary for participation in this climactic phase of God's kingdom action. Finally, this thanksgiving constitutes saving faith (Frederick W. Danker, Luke [Philadelphia: Fortress, 1986]).

Pastoral Reflection

There are many links to contemporary life in these texts. Deuteronomy provides us with some wonderful environmental images. God gives us rich land with expectations. One could write an entire sermon on the trouble in our world around our environmental issues. The challenge, for me, would be to find the grace around that issue. A starting place for the grace is simply in the creation that we get to enjoy, rather than consume. This would certainly be a salient topic as people get ready to face the challenge of consuming on all sorts of levels before Christmas.

One might use the reading from Psalms to add a nonanthropocentric dimension to God's salvific presence. Further, if we are honest, we find ourselves in situations very similar to those of the Corinthians. Who or what is trying to steal you and your flock away from the gospel? In a recent column at www.theooze.com Mike Perschon gets to the heart of the matter. "After working in youth ministry for fifteen years, I have yet to meet a devout Christian turned Satanist. I have, on the other hand, met more than a handful of greedy, materialistic Christian teens whose church experience not only condones their lifestyle and behavior, but reinforces it in the name of ministry" ("Counter Consumer Culture," The Ooze: Conversation for the Journey, July 9, 2005).

Finally, so many in our world look for God but do not find God. Luke suggests that faith begins in gratitude for the healing that each one of us has received in the work of Jesus Christ. Or, as Bono sings, "If you want to kiss the sky, better learn how to kneel." CGM