Homily for Thanks Giving, 2012

It is truly is a good and proper thing for us to give thanks to God today.  After all it is from God that we ultimately have our very existence. Every thing on our earth (including ourselves) is from God's creation. And truthfully all of our physical needs are met from the earth's abundance because God set up the world as a home for humanity. 

Even in our present struggles we can be grateful that we have the security and blessing we do have.   We can be grateful for the food on our tables and the food programs our parish has to support those who are suffering.  We can be grateful that the wars of our country have not brought violence to our town and that we are able to give assistance to thous who are suffering because of the conflict.We can give thanks to the many Law Enforcement personnel who stand between us and the drug smuggling that tries to pass through our county.  

We can also give thanks for the many new babies baptized into our faith this year and for all who have gone from our midst into God's Eternal Kingdom.

Miles Lowell Yates, left us with a simple and powerful poem that sums up the spiritual dynamic of this day of expressing our thanks to God: 

AN ACT OF THANKSGIVING TO GOD FOR GREAT BLESSINGS

Miles Lowell Yates 1890-1956

O God, it is good to be alive, and numbered with

the people whom thou hast made:

and

I thank thee for thy gift of life.

O God, it is good to have the power of thought, and

to seek and learn and know:

and

I thank thee for thy gift of mind.

O God, it is good to dwell beneath the sun in the

world which is thy handiwork:

and

I thank thee for earth's beauty, and thy rule

within its laws.