I wish all of my fellow U.S. citizens a very happy Thanksgiving Day.

The naysayer and skeptic will probably say, “What is there to be thankful for this year?”

As I updated our church sign tonight to read: “Thanks be to God for every gift” I could not help but reflect on the tremendous suffering endured this year. At the same time we sit with one of our parishioners in the final days of his earthly pilgrimage.

Thanks be to God for every gift, including and especially for the gift of suffering.

Help me to reflect more intently on the fact that You shared our joys and celebrations as well as our tears and sufferings. In the end you suffered beyond all suffering and died completely alone, abandoned. You tied yourself completely to us for our salvation.

Help me to be thankful for each gift given for our salvation. Help me to remember that Your good gifts include things that are both joyful and sorrowful.

Amen.