Thursday, November 24, 2005
HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL OF MY READERS
A lot of someones in Northeast Ohio must have been wishing for a white Christmas, because enough snow has been wished up for the excess to give us a white Thanksgiving--which doesn't bring with it quite the same sort of magic.
I was out doing the Christmas shopping this afternoon. Part of the process was scraping the snow off the car windows after each stop, and sometimes scraping ice as well. It's cold. It's windy. It's winter.
Just yesterday the last of the leaves were picked up off the devil strip. Just yesterday it was fall.
I love snow and especially the snow that covers the Christmas lights strung over trees and shrubs. I saw the lights lit and covered in yards here and there as I was driving around. The Christmas spirit has arrived before Thanksgiving. Christmas music in the mall this afternoon confirmed it. The merchants are in the selling season, whether they call it Christmas or Hanukkah or Quanza.
Since I'm not likely to have time to blog tomorrow unless the predicted blizzard and 27 inches of snow moves a few miles further south than the weatherman predicts and we wake up snowed in, I'd like to post a Thanksgiving homily sent to me in email, because it says better than I could what tomorrow is supposed to be about.
Protopresbyter Alexander Schmemann, former Dean of St. Vladimir's Seminary
Final words (Fr. Alexander suffered from cancer)
Father Alexander Schmemann celebrated the divine liturgy for the last time
on Thanksgiving Day. This was particularly appropriate since Father
Alexander had devoted his whole life to teaching, writing and preaching
about the Eucharist; for the word eucharist in Greek means thanksgiving. At
the conclusion of the liturgy, Father Alexander took from his pocket a short
written sermon, in the form of a prayer, which he proceeded to read. This
was a strange occurrence since Father never wrote his liturgical homilies,
but delivered them extemporaneously. These were his words, which proved to
be the last ever spoken by him from the ambo in Church.
Fr. Alexander preaching on May 22, 1983
Thank You, O Lord!
Everyone capable of thanksgiving is capable of salvation and eternal joy.
Thank You, O Lord, for having accepted this Eucharist, which we offered to
the Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and which filled our hearts
with the joy, peace and righteousness of the Holy Spirit.
Thank You, O Lord, for having revealed Yourself unto us and given us the
foretaste of Your Kingdom.
Thank You, O Lord, for having united us to one another in serving You and
Your Holy Church.
Thank You, O Lord, for having helped us to overcome all difficulties,
tensions, passions, temptations and restored peace, mutual love and joy in
sharing the communion of the Holy Spirit.
Thank You, O Lord, for the sufferings You bestowed upon us, for they are
purifying us from selfishness and reminding us of the "one thing needed;"
Your eternal Kingdom.
Thank You, O Lord, for having given us this country where we are free to
Worship You.
Thank You, O Lord, for this school, where the name of God is proclaimed.
Thank You, O Lord, for our families: husbands, wives and, especially,
children who teach us how to celebrate Your holy Name in joy, movement and
holy noise.
Thank You, O Lord, for everyone and everything.
Great are You, O Lord, and marvelous are Your deeds, and no word is
sufficient to celebrate Your miracles.
Lord, it is good to be here! Amen.
The Orthodox Church, Vol. 20, No. 2, February 1984, p. 1:1
