THOUGHTS TO PONDER

On the fourth Thursday of this month Americans will celebrate the feast of Thanksgiving – the commemoration of the survival through the first winter of the seventeenth century Pilgrims who sailed from England in ‘the Mayflower’ in search of a New World. How initially anxious and fearful they must have been at the prospect of weeks crossing a till-then uncharted ocean, not knowing how – or whether- they would survive in their new territory.  They faced all kinds of potential threat – from illness, hunger, cold, and from the native people whose land they were hoping to share (if not to appropriate)… Equally how much they must have eagerly anticipated their new life with religious freedom for all, a new beginning, and new possibilities.

This morning I was reminded of that by a line in Timothy Dudley-Smith‘s hymn ‘Lord, for the years’.  ‘Past put behind us, for the future guide us…’ In a way it seems a fitting anthem for this time of year when we’re about to start the liturgical calendar again. Thanksgiving is about looking back with gratitude for whatever has been good about the past year (at its most basic for survival), accepting whatever has been painful or difficult, and moving on towards the future, aware that we move ever deeper into the mystery of God.

I well remember the great anticipation of the approaching Thanksgiving when I was a chaplain in America. Everyone who could, headed home to celebrate with family – the day was, of course, a holiday.  I spent it three thousand miles from mine, but with friends who guaranteed that I had no chance to be homesick! A feast similar to that at Christmas was provided, with turkey, cranberries and pumpkin pie majoring on the menu. It seemed to me to rank up there with Christmas in quantity, quality - and significance!

Here we celebrate Harvest Thanksgiving, which is broadly similar, but given the abundance of food in our countries we are rightfully reminded at that time of the needs of the hungry, the starving, and this year especially those lacking clean water in developing countries. It’s not so big a step, given that our physical needs are met to then move towards what we are thankful about in other parts of our lives. For most of us, the briefest of ponders should produce a fairly lengthy list!

Mary McMahon