Thanksgiving. We immediately imagine pilgrims and natives gathered for a harvest festival following a difficult first year (1621) at Plymouth Colony. Is there more to the story?
Thanksgiving became a traditional celebration in the Massachusetts Bay Colony shortly after 1630. As other colonies were formed, they too would often share in a celebration as the harvest was brought to storeroom.
As the colonies engaged in a war of independence, it was the Continental Congress in 1777 that urged the various governors of these United States to set aside a Day of Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 28th respecting the divine mercy God has shown to the people of this nation. Then in 1789 as the House of Representatives passed the First Amendment to the Constitution, they urged President Washington to proclaim a Day of Thanksgiving for 'the many signal favors of Almighty God.' Washington did issue such a proclamation setting aside Thursday, November 26th as such a day of giving thanks.
Most of us, however, are likely most familiar with the Proclamation of Thanksgiving signed by our 16th President in the midst of the American Civil War. The last Thursday of November 1863 was designated as a Day of Thanksgiving. His Secretary of State, William Seward, drafted the document that closed with the following sentiment:
I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and Union.
Maybe this is a side of Thanksgiving we need to remember. While giving thanks for the blessings that are ours, may it be a reminder as well that gratitude is intended to lead to generosity. May this indeed be a season where we are generous with our assistance to those who are in need knowing that none of us is deserving but all are blessed. May this be a time when we might be generous in the gift of forgiveness, healing the wounds that divide us and reconciling with others knowing that all will benefit from this choice. May this be a time when we are generous with our hearts as we minister to those who are suffering, knowing that one day it will be our hope someone will do the same for us.
As we see throughout the history of this land; these holidays are intended to be a gateway into a deeper understanding of who we are and what we are called to be. May we be a people who do more than celebrate Thanksgiving, but may we be a people who are engaged in Thanks-Living.
Peace,
Pal
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