How many times have we heard a parent, or as parents, remind children, that after they receive a gift or a kind gesture, they should say ‘Thank You’? “Now, what do you say?” … “Thank You”, is the often shy or reluctant response. For some strange reason, it appears gratitude and thanksgiving need to be taught.
But even as adults, we often say, ‘Thank You’, more as a matter of social propriety. As we fine-tune ourselves over the years, building up our personal identity and independence, gratitude seems to fall off the map of our awareness. Instead, we indulge in what author, Thomas Troeger, calls, “the illusion of self-sufficiency”. Barbara Ehreneich published a self-help book called, The Selfish Side of Gratitude. She references a psychology professor at UofC, Robert Emmons, who contends gratitude stimulates immune systems, lowers blood pressure, and creates good feelings. Barbara says, “If there is any loving involved in this, it is self-love.” But this has little connection with the earnest prayers of Thanks offered to God throughout scripture. “It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere, to give you ‘Thanks’, Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God, through Christ our Lord.” Troegger, in The End of Preaching, says, “Such gratitude is based not upon how well life is going, but upon the recognition we did absolutely nothing to bring ourselves into existence, that every breath is borrowed air, that to live is to receive and to answer back …: Thank you, Lord, Thank you!” Elijah was too focused inwardly, preoccupied with sorrow and fear. He had to listen outside himself to gratefully hear God’s voice. Peter was too focused inwardly on himself while walking upon the water, and his false self-sufficiency failed him. How grateful he was when Jesus extended his saving hands outwardly to help him. Prayers of confession, supplication, and intercession are prayers of asking, and are definitely critical to nourishing our relationship with God. But prayers of true ‘Thanksgiving’ provide the spiritually healthy balance we need between asking and giving. Receiving our breath, life itself, with intense ‘Gratitude’ to our Creator, is the ultimate act of joyful humility and outward, loving ‘Thanks’ to God, our Father. As we take our breath and feel the beat of our hearts, let us pray together: “Now Thank We All Our God With hearts, and hands, and voices! Who wondrous things has done, In whom the world rejoices; Who from our mother’s arms, Has blest us on our way, With countless gifts of love, And still is ours today!” – Amen – NUN DANKET, by Martin Rinkart (1586-1649). Rev Fr Christopher Tracey, Pastor Saint Joseph Roman Catholic Parish Saugeen Shores, Ontario
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"Prayer As Intercession"
A woman struggling with depression during the Covid-19 lockdown, came to know her neighbours were also struggling, but with job loss, a mortgage and bills to pay, and children to protect, and nurture. She decided to send them a note saying, she would understand, if they didn’t appreciate someone seemingly prying into their affairs, but she simply wanted them to know that in coping with her own struggles, she was asking the Holy Spirit to help her, and was also asking Spirit to help them as well as. She hoped they would not mind.” She had trusted God would nourish, protect, and heal both of them, just as he did the five thousand on the mountain. She later received a Thank You card of great gratitude from the family. They were not really religious, but their spirits had been suddenly lifted by her kindness. She had helped them not to feel so alone. A new confidence emerged in their household, and with the easing of govt. restrictions, they were seeing light at the end of tunnel. As we discussed last week, praying for ourselves is essential, beginning with what St Augustine would call ‘First Things’: food, clothing, shelter. Our wants should be weighed against necessity. Christ knew the 5 thousand needed food before teaching. But praying for ‘First Things’ for others is perhaps the greatest prayer of all! The excellence of this woman’s prayer is that she showed how we can still pray for others while still praying for ourselves. A certain, beautiful, spiritual relationship occurs between both parties. And if our desire is first, and only, to pray for others, writer, Thomas Troeger, in his book, The End of Preaching, says, “The process can also work in reverse: in praying for others, we learn to pray more faithfully for ourselves, because compassion for the other awakens a sense of our common humanity.” I would add, it also awakens ‘compassion for ourselves’. As God commanded, we must also pray for our enemies. C. S. Lewis once wrote, “In praying for people one dislikes, I find it helpful to remember one is joining in His prayer for them.” Indeed, Prayers of Intercession are for all humanity. Thomas Troeger again says, “When we pray for those who persecute us, the category “enemy” begins to dissolve in the waters of the Spirit, revealing the essential humanness of the other, a humanness we share in common.” He further adds, “When we pray for those who ‘are in trouble, sorrow, need, sickness, or any other adversity’, then we open ourselves to the inter-connective tissue of the common creaturehood we share with the whole human family … and [very importantly] with the entire eco-system [on this earth: God’s creation!]” Yes, we must pray for ourselves, for each other, and for all living things on this fragile planet, those remarkable creations which come from our water, air, and earth upon which we depend for survival, and which depend on us for their survival. Life is a circle, turned by the hand of God. What goes around, comes around. Intercessory prayer is prayer of right relationship, the giving and receiving of God’s grace, between ourselves and others, and the whole universe. * Homework: Let us take just one day this week, and pray only for someone else: a family member, relative, friend, or stranger we see on the street. Make it a prayer between you and God alone. Now, let us pray for each other and our entire world, derived from words our Good Father, Pope Francis, wrote in “Laudato Si.” All powerful God, you are present in the whole universe and the smallest creatures. Pour out upon us the power of your love, that we may protect life and beauty. Fill us with peace, that we may live as brothers and sisters, harming no one. Help us to rescue the abandoned and forgotten, so precious in your eyes. Bring healing to our lives, that we may protect our world and not prey upon it, that we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction. Touch the hearts of those who look for gain at the expense of the poor and the earth. Teach us to discover the worth of each thing, to be filled with awe and wonder, to recognize we are profoundly united with every creature, as we journey toward your infinite light. We thank you for being with us each day. Encourage us, we pray, in our struggle for justice, love, and peace. – Amen. Rev Fr Christopher Tracey, Pastor Saint Joseph Roman Catholic Parish Saugeen Shores, Ontario |
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Rev. Fr. Christopher Tracey
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