11-15-24

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
November 15, 2024
“God wants to bless you, and your genuine gratitude is the key that releases those blessings from heaven.” Those are the words of a minister who will remain unnamed, but I believe he offers an insight into two very different ways of thinking about gratitude. Maybe you were not as selfish and self-centered as I was in childhood, but I was expected to sit down on the morning of December 26 and write thank-you notes for Christmas gifts I had received. It was not something I enjoyed, in part, because it took me away from my new toys. Though I do not believe my mother ever implied it, I reluctantly wrote thank you’s with the unspoken belief that a good thank you would help with future gifts. Whether there is some truth to that when it comes to unlocking the generosity of Uncle Tony and Aunt Gertrude, when applied to God, I find it a rather shallow understanding of the Holy Other. Does God hold back the divine blessings of goodness, love, and kindness until we’ve shown some gratitude? If so, what does that teach us about the nature and character of God? Or is God’s love, mercy, and kindness never ceasing, and gratitude simply the genuine human response to these unconditional and limitless gifts? Are our words and songs of praise a response that truly acknowledges how there is no quid pro quo in the divine/human relationship? In that moment of gratitude, one finds a deeper and more profound understanding of God’s gifts to creation. They are given with no strings attached, for that is who God is. Thanks be to God!

We are full of gratitude for all the many ways you give to us, O God, of immeasurable and unconditional love. Sometimes our gratitude is expressed in speechless awe, but even then, we hope it honors you. Amen.