Thanksgiving Day: November 25, 2004.Deuteronomy 26:1-11 Psalm 100 Philippians 4:4-9 John 6:25-35 First Reading Those who were with Jesus by the sea are like people in every time and in every place: always wanting more. They had just received their fill from the loaves loaves n. Plural of loaf1. loaves Noun the plural of loaf1 loaves loaf that Jesus had provided to feed the crowds (v. 26), and yet they asked Jesus for some sign so that they might believe in him. They wanted some bread from heaven like their ancestors Ancestors See also father; heredity; mother; origins; parents; race. archaism an inclination toward old-fashioned things, speech, or actions, especially those of one’s ancestors. Also archaicism. — archaist, n. had received in the wilderness. I wonder what was wrong with the bread they had just received from Jesus! If you did that, Jesus, then we'd know you were from God and we'd give you glory and praise and thanks. We set aside one day per year to remember to give thanks, and that one day ends up being dominated by the procuring Procuring, in general, is the act of acquiring goods or services, usually by contract. It may refer to:
Our Deuteronomy reading provides the biblical background for our talk of stewardship stewardship the occupation of being a steward or custodian. Referring to animals it implies the caring sort of relationship based on an acceptance of the need to include the rights of animals in overall plans to maintain financial viability. and first-fruits giving. The people of God are called to set aside the choicest of the crop for God even before they do any other harvesting at all. Make sure you look at the conclusion of this legal declaration that did not get included in the lectionary lec·tion·ar·y n. pl. lec·tion·ar·ies A book or list of lections to be read at church services during the year. [Medieval Latin l portion: vv. 12-15. The tithe tithe Contribution of a tenth of one's income for religious purposes. The practice of tithing was established in the Hebrew scriptures and was adopted by the Western Christian church. of the produce during the year goes to the Levites (those who serve in the temple), aliens, orphans, and widows, so that they may eat their fill. When we say that we are called to give our first-fruits to God, this passage tells us that we are called to give our first-fruits to those children of God who cannot provide for themselves. That is where God is to be found. Our Philippians reading comes from the closing exhortation to the people of Philippi. Rejoice always. Do not worry about anything. By prayer and supplication let your requests be made known to God with thanksgiving Thanksgiving annual U.S. holiday celebrating harvest and yearly blessings; originated with Pilgrims (1621). [Am. Culture: EB, IX: 922] See : America Thanksgiving national holiday with luxurious dinner as chief ritual. [Am. Pop. . We are called to pray and to trust God to provide for our needs. But that is not all. We are called to pray with thanksgiving, even as we are in need and are making supplication to God. The people who were with Jesus in John's Gospel are making supplication of Jesus: as in v. 34, "Sir, give us this bread always." They are making requests known to God in Jesus: Give us some bread, some bread from heaven so that we'll know that you are from God. What they seem to have forgotten, and we seem to forget, is to make requests known to God in thanksgiving. In thanksgiving for past blessings and in thanks giving in a falling inwards; a collapse. See also: Giving faith knowing that God will continue to bless and provide for our needs. Pastoral Reflection Thanksgiving Day seems a good time to preach preach v. preached, preach·ing, preach·es v.tr. 1. To proclaim or put forth in a sermon: preached the gospel. 2. liturgically--preach about Eucharist. Each and every gathering of the people of God around the table is a Thanksgiving celebration, a Eucharist. Our eucharistic liturgy provides us with the opportunity to live up to the exhortation that Paul provides in Philippians. We surely make our prayers and supplications known to God as we pray for the church, for the world, and for all those in need. And we do it in the context of thanksgiving, just as Paul says is proper. Our Great Thanksgiving (Eucharistic Prayer) provides us with the opportunity to call to mind all of God's wonderful deeds and blessings for us and to give thanks for them. We are called upon to lift up our hearts to God in thanksgiving and in praise. And we receive blessing from God's hand once again, in the forms of bread and wine. In our eucharistic celebration we receive the fulfillment of the request that Jesus' companions made of him: Sir, give us this bread (the bread of God which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world) always. We receive the bread of life, Jesus Christ Jesus Christ: see Jesus. Jesus Christ 40 days after Resurrection, ascended into heaven. [N.T.: Acts 1:1–11] See : Ascension Jesus Christ kind to the poor, forgiving to the sinful. [N.T. . We receive it in thanksgiving and in supplication and in confession confession, in law, the formal admission of criminal guilt, usually obtained in the course of examination by the police or prosecutor or at trial. For a confession to be admissible as evidence against an accused individual, it generally must have been procured of sin. And that is as it should be. We approach the table after having given thanks for all that God has done for us and for the world. We approach the table daring to ask for more, just as the people by the sea asked Jesus for more. And God provides. God always provides more. God provides more each time that we gather and approach the table. The call, the duty, and the joy of the people of God is to give thanks for that--every time we gather, not just on the final Thursday of November. SM-K |
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