If we look at the history of our country beginning really at Popham Beach and then Jamestown, Virginia, and then Plymouth Rock – and we look all the way though the struggles of its progress and growth to the present day…
If we look at the family settings that we find ourselves in - either or both as children of parents or now parents of children – and we consider all of what went into making us the family units that we are today…
If we look at this parish (as a part of the greater Church of Portland, Maine) – and we look at its growth and development throughout a 120 year span – and we consider all of the sacrifices and contributions that went into making it what it is today – especially the sacrifices and contributions that had to do directly with faith and its development, celebration and transmission from one generation to the next…
If we look at all of these things – we can only conclude as was prophesied in the first reading today from the Prophet Isaiah: only God could have gotten us through all of this – only God could have saved us over and over again when we needed saving – only God could have given us exactly what we needed when we needed it - to be successful in the ways that really count. The favors of the Lord I will recall and celebrate on this Thanksgiving Day!
The second reading today encourages us to see that brought safely to this moment by God – the only way to proceed from here is to be thankful to God for his great care and love – and to show it – in and by everything we do! If we do everything- out of gratitude to God who gives us everything we need - to accomplish everything that needs accomplishing: then we will have our priorities straight and the blessings of God will continue to overflow upon our country, our families and our church – both today and for as long as God would have it so!
Jesus – in the gospel passage today (in this particular instance) – told the man who was cured by him not to tell anyone about it (because at that particular point in his public ministry not many would have known what to do with the information); on this Thanksgiving Day, however, he would tell us this: if you truly hear my word, if you find healing in me, if you find nourishment in "the bread of angels" – the Eucharist - that I give for your spiritual nourishment, if you experience my presence in one another as you gather here, if you are motivated to go from here to give alms and to help other people: then, by all means tell everyone about it! Everyone!
Everyone needs a home – the Church is meant to be everyone's home! We are grateful from the depths of our hearts today that we have and always will have "a place to come home to!"
O Lord, we thank you for your faithfulness and love!
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