An American Tradition
Historians tell us the first recorded thanksgiving took place in Jamestown, Virginia. The winter of 1610 had been harsh at Jamestown. Many settlers died. The group that once totaled 409 had been reduced to 60. Tradition tells us the survivors prayed for help, without knowing when or how it might come. When help arrived, in the form of a ship filled with food and supplies from England, a prayer meeting was held to give thanks to God, and the tradition continued.
The Thanksgiving Day we recall annually occurred in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1621. The Pilgrims wanted to go to Virginia, but they arrived in New England in November 1620. There was no time to build permanent shelters, so they survived that first winter in crude temporary housing. In time, disease and death came, only 51 of the original 102 saw the arrival of spring. When the warmer weather came, the Pilgrims were forced to make a painful choice. Their ship, the Mayflower, was a rented ship. They could stay in the New World or return to England. Obviously, they stayed and their fortunes began to change. Friendly Native Americans helped them plant 30 acres of wheat and build permanent shelters. By the fall of 1621, their homes were built, and their crops were harvested. They decided to observe a day of thanksgiving to thank God for His blessings. The tradition of gratitude continued.
In 1783, George Washington (1732-1799) declared a “Thanksgiving Day” because the Revolution was over. In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) proclaimed the last Thursday in November 1863 as “a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father.” Each year afterward, for 75 years, the President formally proclaimed that Thanksgiving Day should be celebrated on the last Thursday of November. In 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945) set it one week earlier to help the struggling economy. Expressing gratitude is an American tradition. That takes us to our scripture reading.
Our reading is Luke 17:11-19, the traditional Gospel lesson for Thanksgiving. Jesus was traveling near the border of Samaria and Galilee. As he travels, he encounters various people, including ten lepers. The disease still exists in the world today. In the United States approximately 100 cases of leprosy are reported annually. Leprosy is a highly contagious skin disease caused by a certain bacterium. Today, it is treatable. In Jesus’s day, it was not.
In Jesus’s day victims of leprosy were forced to live in isolation, away from family and friends, in leper colonies. That is the story of the ten men in our reading. They are living with leprosy without any hope of a cure. Their only hope is Jesus, because he was known for his healing power. The law prevented them from having contact with Jesus, so they yell at Jesus as he passes. Their plan worked and Jesus heals each one. They are inspected by a priest and reenter society. However, the story does not end there. Only one of the ten returns to Jesus to say, “thank-you.” The other nine resume their lives. That fact does not escape Jesus. Never underestimate the power of gratitude. How many truly grateful people do you know?
History tells us the multimillionaire, Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919) gave a distant relative a one-million-dollar gift. At the same time, Carnegie gave $365 million to various public charities. The relative cursed Carnegie because he only received one-million-dollars. That is like receiving $17 million in our world today. He wanted more. Maybe that is the story of our time? God has given us so much, but we complain because we want more.
In this blog, I want to help you cultivate a grateful spirit. I am going to ask you three questions. These questions are not original; they come from the Japanese self-reflective practice called Naikan. There is a balance between these three questions. If you answer these three questions honestly, you will find yourself more grateful. In the end, you will be like the one leper who returned to Jesus to say, “thank-you.”
Thanksgiving is rooted in hardship. One of the perks of being a pastor was sharing sacred moments with my parishioners. Sometimes, a joyful experience like a wedding, birth or baptism. Sometimes, it is rooted in some of life’s most challenging moments. I talked regularly about others’ health and diseases. I visited nursing homes and visited people who didn’t remember me. I heard about their broken relationships and their disappointments. Those things never wore me down. They had the opposite effect. Daily, I would return home and think, “I have no problems.” Other people’s challenges made my little problems disappear. Years ago, I learned hard times make you appreciate the good times. That is what makes this Gospel story so perplexing.
This is question number one: what have you received? In the story, all ten received healing, but only one came back to express gratitude. How much have you received in your life? The list is endless, so think of the basics. God has given you life, free will, providence, relationships, and the opportunity of salvation. When was the last time you said, “Thank you!” for the basics of life.
Henrietta “Hetty” Green (1834-1916) was a stockbroker. Some called her called “The Witch of Wall Street,” because she was a stockbroking legend. When she died in 1916, her net worth was $200,000,000. Today, she would be worth $4 billion, but she hated spending money. There is no other way to say it, she was cheap. Her only piece of clothing was a long flowing black dress. She lived in her office and abandoned her apartment to save money. People hated going to her office because she turned off the heat to save money. For a long period of time, she only ate cold oatmeal because heating it cost too much.
W. Clement Stone (1902-2002) was an American businessman and philanthropist. He once said, “If you are really thankful, what do you do? You share.” That is exactly what he did. Over his lifetime he gave away over $275 million. He gave to civic groups, mental health groups, Christian organizations, the Boys Club of America and the National Music Camp. He once said, “All I want to do is change the world.” Can I ask you a question? Are you more like “Hetty” Green, the cheap-skate? Or are you more like W. Clement Stone, the philanthropist?
This is question number two: what have you given? You don’t have to give a million dollars away, but you must give something away. It is all part of being in a community. It is all part of being a Christian. You can give financially. There are many non-profits who need help, including your local church. You can give your time and talents. In other words, volunteer and use your skills. You can give tangible goods, like some homemade items or care packages. You can give away kindness by helping a neighbor or listening to a friend. What are you going to give away to help someone else this Thanksgiving?
Several months ago, the FBI released the hate crime statistics for 2024. The numbers aren’t pretty. There were 11,679 incidents reported that year, creating 12,443 victims. The crimes were rooted in racism, religious intolerance, sexual orientation, and gender identity. Things are not getting better. The number may be worse at the conclusion of this year. If you are reading this blog, there is a good chance you are not guilty of a hate crime. However, that does not mean you are completely innocent.
This is question number three: what harm have you caused? Romans 3:23 says, All have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God.” That means you and I are sinners. What sins have you committed? The Seven Deadly Sins are a grouping of major vices within the teaching of Christianity. Do you remember them?
1. Pride
2. Greed
3. Lust
4. Envy
5. Gluttony
6. Wrath
7. Sloth
Which one of those seven do you relate to the most? What harm have you caused? How grateful are you? How did you answer the questions? I hope you are cultivating a grateful spirit because expressing gratitude is part of the American tradition.
Expressing gratitude is an American tradition. The question is, are you going to continue the tradition? Thanksgiving is more than a meal. It has been said many times, Thanksgiving is not a holiday, it is an attitude. How grateful are you?
Russ Adams 