Welcome to Wisdom Wednesday and a survey of prayers and thoughts for Thanksgiving. We have 30 prayers compiled by the magazine, Southern Living; a Thanksgiving message from Reform Judaism, an American Muslim perspective, greetings and celebration plans from a scattering of countries and traditions. Election reflections evoke “a time to endure” and time to “stand in the gap.”
Thanksgiving Prayers and Perspectives
Thanksgiving Prayers And Blessings To Offer Gratitude For Family And Friends — Give thanks with these messages compiled by the magazine, Southern Living. (You don’t have to be southern.)
The message is from Rabbi Eric Eisenkramer who serves Temple B’nai Shalom in East Brunswick, NJ. Together with the Rev. Michael Attas, he is the author of Fly Fishing The Sacred Art: Casting a Fly as a Spiritual Practice.
Dr. Heather Akou posted this article on November 19, 2023 by IU Muslim Voices. “Although I grew up being told that Thanksgiving was a ‘pilgrim holiday’ which I now see as connected to colonialism, white supremacy, and the erasure of indigenous cultures—and I know people who refuse to celebrate Thanksgiving for that reason—I find it personally meaningful to celebrate something with non-Muslims.” “ I love to eat.”
If Thanksgiving is a festival of gratitude, then Hindus have been preparing for it their whole lives.
While Thanksgiving as it’s celebrated in the United States is not observed officially in Brazil, the country has its own special occasions and regional festivals that revolve around food, family, and thankfulness. Here’s a glimpse of how Brazilians celebrate gratitude and togetherness, along with some of the delicious foods they enjoy.
Thanksgiving is not a holiday in Nigeria, but many Nigerians celebrate Thanksgiving Sundays at church. Some churches hold special Thanksgiving services for members and their families, where they bring gifts, food, and souvenirs to share with the congregation.
In Kenya, Families Warm Up to the American Holiday, Giving It a Local Touch.
Like many American cultural things, the Thanksgiving holiday that originated in the United States is catching on in China — a little. It is mainly celebrated among Canadians and Americans who live in China, and sometimes teachers teach kids about the holiday. But the kids and adults reinterpret the day to be a day for giving thanks to their parents, teachers, friends and other people.
“This tradition has blossomed into something that has become very near and dear to the hearts of all Americans and now in other cultures all the way to Australia.”
We tend to view Thanksgiving as a purely American holiday, but the truth is that giving thanks is celebrated in many cultures around the world.
“Thanksgiving Holiday offers us the wonderful opportunity to thank you once again for your generous gifts in support of a cause important to all of us: awareness of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin and the enrichment he brings to the world. Thank you!”
News, views and a few items from the calendar
USCCB Plenary Assembly was completed earlier in November. Here is link to the bishops website, for information, texts of addresses, and presentations
It is already Advent in the East. On Sunday November 17, Eastern Christians following the Julian calendar – particularly Copts, Ethiopians and Armenians – celebrated the beginning of Advent. In Ethiopia, Advent is marked by the ‘fast of the prophets’. During this period, the faithful refrain from eating animal products and limit their diet to one meal a day, usually taken after 3 p.m.
Once a decade in Goa: The Indian state of Goa attracts thousands of pilgrims and tourists for the exposition of the sacred relics of St. Francis Xavier, once every 10 years. The 18th Solemn Exposition of the Holy Relics commenced on November 21, 2024, at the Basilica of Bom Jesus in Old Goa and will continue until January 2025, according to reports from Catholic Connect.
Post Synod ‘invigoration, challenges’: African Americans from the students’ pilgrimage to Rome speak of invigoration, challenges. The October event stirred consciences and debate, while the few Black participants say they were inspired by a unique moment of synodality.
Sunday came for Tony Campolo: Tony Campolo, an influential Christian pastor, professor, author, speaker, social activist and adviser to President Bill Clinton, died Tuesday, Nov. 19 at age 89. He was surrounded by family at Beaumont at Bryn Mawr, a Philadelphia retirement community.
Catholicism and slavery ‘in the motherland’: “The ancient history of Catholicism in the motherland gives me hope—and gives me pause.”In the Black Catholic Messenger, Alessandra Harris writes about the Kongo Kingdom and its lasting legacy in the Church’s relationship with the Black world—and in entanglement with slavery.
Viewpoints
‘A time to endure’: “As we approach another Trump presidency, I’ve been thinking a lot about Ecclesiastes,” said Valerie Weaver-Zercher, writing in the Christian Century.
Time to stand in the gap: Dispirited Christians must prepare to stand in the gap, said four historians. “We’re obviously in a very different space than we were in the last two times we had this conversation,” Robert P. Jones said to open the third “Faith and Democracy” tour event with historians Diana Butler Bass, Jemar Tisby and Kristin Du Mez. The four spoke Nov. 17 at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Atlanta, 12 days after the election that sent Donald Trump on a path back to the White House.
No such thing as a Bonhoeffer moment: Dietrich Bonhoeffer didn’t choose to be a martyr. He simply tried, as many others did, to be decent in the face of evil. Victoria Barnett writes for Christian Century.
For fun: Some election stress relief
Amid the stress and strain over America’s presidential campaign, you may have missed a novel exercise in grassroots democracy (gone to the dogs, really). Boston’s Seaport neighborhood held a local election in early November. It had all the ticks of modern politics – a crowded primary, social media trolling, outside influence, allegations of voter fraud, even ballot bots.
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