And Thanksgiving is....

Definition of appreciation: a feeling or expression of admiration, approval or gratitude [Merriam Webster online dictionary]

We have all been part of an event meant to express appreciation to someone else - often volunteers for their efforts. [I have also been guilty of boycotting these evens as being boring.] Such events have even made it onto the 2017 calendar with Employee Appreciation Day, [March 3], Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week [May 7-12], along with more general designations of Certified Nurses Day [March 19], National Doctors’ Day [March 30], National EMS week [May 21-27] and Perioperative Nurses week [Nov. 5-11] to name just a few. Saying ‘thank you' in a public and impersonal way seems meant to enhance the support that is sometimes lacking in other areas be they monetary, societal respect or support.

Then we have National Thanksgiving [celebrated in Canada, the United States, some of the Caribbean islands, and Liberia] which began as a day of giving thanks for the blessing of the harvest and the preceding year. Thanksgiving, according to an online dictionary, means the expression of gratitude, especially to God. So perhaps we could call it National Appreciation Day???

While Thanksgiving is not an official feast day in the church, like Christmas or Easter, most churches hold a Thanksgiving Sunday service near the time of the National Thanksgiving when the church is decorated with fruits of the harvest. The familiar hymns ad prayers giving thanks for the harvest are voiced and then the people disperse to enjoy the fall afternoon.

When we recognize people with appreciation and ‘God’ with thanksgiving, these two events sound remarkable similar!

There is however one difference. Showing appreciation to other people for their contribution or help, normally involves giving them something concrete like a dinner, something that demands we do something for the person. But apparently Thanksgiving just involves lip service, saying the prayers, singing the hymns and enjoying for ourselves the fruits of the harvest. I do remember a church that asked everyone to put the equivalent amount of money into the collection plate on Thanksgiving Sunday that they spent on their own Thanksgiving meal. That money would then be given to feed the hungry. This is the exception however rather than the rule. We are much more likely to be asked to go home and make list of those tings we are thankful for.

If however we truly believe that God is responsible for those things, then as well as saying thank you, shouldn’t we also be doing something to show our thankfulness: something like feeding the hungry, speaking up for the outcast, against racism, sexism, whatever we see in the world around us that goes against the Biblical precepts of love, hospitality and justice for all.

Our society shows appreciation by doing something for those honoured, be it a dinner, flowers, a monetary gift or even a special day on the calendar. Shouldn't this same society do something for the 'God' they honour on National Thanksgiving Day, showing it's appreciation by freeing the prisoners, helping the outcasts or feeding the hungry?

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