THANKSGIVING MESSAGE 2001
Fr. Shnork Souin
Glory to you God, Glory to You,
In all things Lord, Glory to You.
St. John the Golden Mouth (Vosgeperan)
God has blessed us with riches and rewards beyond all comprehension and speech. While many of us are thankful for the earthly blessings which we may enjoy here and now, they can not even compare to that which awaits us in our Father’s kingdom. Our earthly rewards are often a result of honest labor and the sweat of our brow whereas our heavenly award is the gracious gift of our All Merciful God who purchased us in his Precious Blood. We have received as St. John says, “Grace heaped upon Grace” (John 1:16). Yes, we have so much to be thankful for not only today but always. Thanksgiving Day is that special Day that invites us to gather with our families to celebrate the gifts that God has given us and to thank Him for all that we have and all that we are.
Dear Beloved in Christ,
Taste and see that the Lord is sweet; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.”
Psalm 34:8
On November 22, an annual tradition will take place that will see more Americans traveling than at any other time throughout the year, even more than at Christmas. It is the day that we all know as Thanksgiving Day. In spite of the fears and distress that many Americans are living with these days, it still promises to be a time of happiness, joy, and family reunions.
One of the best parts about this day, as we all know, is the home cooked dinner. The succulent Turkey, gravy and cranberry sauce, the double helpings of pilaf and home made pies. Who wouldn’t travel long distances to be with family and to enjoy that meal! Of course, this tradition is reminiscent of and similar to the pilgrims who also traveled many miles across oceans, only to settle down and enjoy a meal of Thanksgiving upon settling in the new land. It’s a great time to be reminded of the blessings that God heaps on us. In our prayers of thanksgiving on that day, I urge and encourage all of you to pray this prayer.
O Christ our God, bless this food and this drink of your servants with a spiritual blessing, and grant health to our souls and our bodies; so that enjoying the food our bodies require in the modesty befitting our religious calling, we might share in your good things, and in the kingdom of heaven, together with all your saints. So that in thanksgiving, we might glorify you, with the Father and with the all-Holy Spirit, now and always and unto the ages of ages, Amen.
This prayer is an ancient Armenian prayer used in the monasteries for centuries. It directs our thoughts as Christians toward the blessings God provides and the ultimate destination of our journey and pilgrimage here on Earth. We are invited on a weekly basis to travel a great distance, not only geographically but spiritually, to attend a great Banquet set by our Heavenly Father, so that by eating we may “taste and see how sweet is the Lord.” The Badarak from ancient times has been called the Eucharist, from a Greek word meaning Thanksgiving. Early Christians, understood that Holy Communion in the Badarak was THE Thanksgiving meal for all Christians, given for the Life of the World.
Every time we eat and drink at the Lord’s Table, we give thanks to God for bringing us into His new world, His heavenly kingdom, a Land flowing with milk and honey where we remain in Communion with Him and through Him with all the saints who dwell in His house forever, Amen.
I want you all to know that I have a great deal to be thankful for this year, my new parish, the continuing mission of this Church celebrating 75years and the faithful who have been so kind and generous during this period of transition. On behalf of Yeretsgin, Nicholas, Conner and Elizabeth, I wish you all a very happy and blessed Thanksgiving.
In His Love with thanksgiving
Der Shnork
