After our divisive presidential campaign, we are fortunate to celebrate Thanksgiving, our national holiday that brings us closer together. When we contemplate Thanksgiving from a Christian perspective, we can find much of truth and value to be celebrated and encouraged. Historically, the celebration has been a genuine response to the perception that we have been blessed by God. In 1621, after a severe winter and first harvest, William Bradford, governor of Plymouth Colony, inaugurated a three-day thanksgiving celebration, which included the Native Americans who had helped the Pilgrims survive. It is, of course, this celebration with its clear religious message of gratitude to the Supreme Being which continues to impress itself on the imagination of each succeeding generation of citizens of the United States. When President Washington proclaimed a nationwide day of thanksgiving in 1789, he made it clear that the day should be devoted to prayer and expressions of gratitude to God, and in 1863, when President Lincoln invited all citizens to observe the last Thursday of November as a national day of thanksgiving, it was in order to give “thanks and praise to our beneficent Father who dwellest in the heavens.”
Our Thanksgiving celebrations today continue to manifest a great deal of genuine religious sentiment reflecting authentic Christian values. Extended families gather together, often at considerable personal sacrifice. Individuals sense that this should be a time of harmony, peace and reconciliation. The traditional meal becomes a ritual in which family stories are recalled, shared values are celebrated and hopes for the future are surfaced. Many people respond generously at this time to the plight of the poor who need food, clothing and opportunities to help themselves.
The contrast between the noise, busyness and hype surrounding Christmas and the simpler celebration of Thanksgiving is striking and instructive. Thanksgiving moves at a slower pace, allowing for reflection on blessings received and values treasured. Spared the stress of mandatory gift-giving, we can concentrate on the personal relationships which bring our deepest joys. As Christians, we can wholeheartedly affirm the spirit of gratitude, reconciliation and generosity which surrounds Thanksgiving.
At the same time, honest reflection on Thanksgiving cannot ignore the gap between those who roam freely through our affluent society and those caught in the hellish circle of poverty. Our faith prompts attention to the needy who live on the margins and miss the safety nets. They are our brothers and sisters, who deserve a chance to take charge of their own destiny. The election has reminded us that many hard working citizens feel forgotten and abandoned as they struggle to stay afloat financially. As Christians, we cannot ignore the societal contradictions and the structural injustices which oppress our fellow Americans in this land of abundance.
On this Thanksgiving, let us celebrate wholeheartedly our abundant blessings and offer gratitude to God, the Source of all good gifts. We can all enrich our celebration by committing ourselves to assist the less fortunate; for example, by supporting the annual Catholic Campaign for Human Development, which provides not a handout, but a way out of poverty, a way that empowers more people to share in our national abundance.
About the Author
Fr. James J. Bacik has served as a priest of the Diocese of Toledo since his ordination in 1962. He is a widely regarded theologian, writer, lecturer and pastor who served as campus minister and adjunct professor of humanities at the University of Toledo for more than 30 years. Fr. Bacik is an AUSCP member. Visit his website at frjimbacik.org.