Grateful While In the Rain

Passages: Is. 36:1-9; 1 Thess. 1:1-10; Lk. 12:13-31
Ընթերցուածքներ՝ Եսայ. ԼԶ 1-9; Ա Թեսաղ. Ա 1-10; Ղկ. ԺԲ 13-31

In the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Amen!

One day, a man walking home during a rainstorm, sees a stray dog huddled under a bench, whimpering and shivering in the cold. As he walks past the dog feeling sorry for it, he is struck by compassion, and without hesitation turns back, removes his coat draping it over the dog to help keep it warm. He kneels down and gently pets the animal, as he pulls out a half-eaten sandwich, he had from lunch, offering it to the dog. As the rain continues to fall, the man recognizes that the storm will continue to get worse and decides to lead the dog to a shelter ensuring it has a safe place to stay, where it will receive warmth and nourishment.

My dear brothers and sisters, this week we are preparing to celebrate Thanksgiving; a wonderful holiday that brings together friends and family around a blessed dinner table filled with all sorts of goodies. In the midst of thanksgiving traditions, we are also given the opportunity to take pause and remember the things we are grateful and thankful for. Our homes, our freedoms, our friends, family and opportunities; of course, most importantly our faith in God, through whom we recognize our thankfulness. All beautiful! The author Darielys Tejera wrote in her book Absolutely Nothing, “Be nice to everyone you meet because they are fighting a battle you know nothing about…” These words which perhaps many of us have heard in other ways recognizes that everyone of us, here in this Church, in the pews, outside these doors, in our schools and workplace, even around our Thanksgiving tables is dealing with something difficult in their life; is perhaps caught in a rainstorm. This does not mean we should not have a thankful spirit or be filled with hope. Rather, this begs us to ask after we pause and think about how grateful we are, what next? After that pause, what do we do?

How often do we take pause to remember those who do not have; those who are struggling; those who are left in the rain? When we express our gratefulness or share what we are thankful for, does that feeling end with those words or does it translate into something more tangible. The story of that man, who had compassion on the dog, wasn’t just that he saw the dog and could have been thankful that he had a coat or maybe just throw the sandwich in his pocket towards the animal as a “act of charity.” Rather, true Christian compassion, and gratefulness extends beyond feelings, and it doesn’t end with people but all living beings. In the Gospel we read of a man who tries to store up material wealth, food and gain for his benefit. Yet, Christ tells us, that all those things means nothing for we take nothing with us when we pass from this life. But the Gospel continues with the contrast of animals who don’t store up food, or the fields who don’t worry about what they look like. And Jesus Christ reminds us that if all of creation, which is Gods handiwork is taken care of, why do we fear that we ourselves will not be taken care of? Where is our faith?

Some of us might say we have faith, and we are not afraid or anxious, as that’s the word in the Gospel. Yet, anxiety is not about panic attacks, and fear is not about being scared, and faith is not just a feeling. Rather, Christ is focusing our attention to ask, what do we value more, material gain, what we have and for things we can say “we are thankful for” or do we use what we have to build love, compassion and faith in this world to and with those around us. Christ’s warning to not be bound by materials is not because material or this physical world is evil. Often times we read of St. Paul calling “the flesh” evil or sinful. Yet, God created this flesh and all this material world. What is evil therefore my dears, is the carnival desire or our human frailty of making the material more important than the immaterial such as mercy, compassion, hope and faith. Creating gods out of what God made for us.

In this season of Thanksgiving leading into Christmas and New Years, we are bombarded with sales, and commercials and all the latest tech or vacations ideas. We are invited or inviting loved ones over for banquets and sit around eating and drinking as we celebrate all that we have. This is all well and good but what about using this time, our means, our money, our technology, or dinner tables not for outlandish dinners but opportunities to share love and mercy with one another? To fill not just our material homes but our spiritual home, this Church. What about focusing not on what is on our dinner table but on the Holy Table of our Lord, the Body and Blood, Christ Jesus, who knows about the battles we are each facing? Yes, we should enjoy the life we have, be thankful for the blessings it is filled with but let us not forget those stuck in the rain; let us not ignore that even if we don’t see it with our eyes, we are all caught in some kind of storm and we are worried. A worry only God can heal; a worry only God can forgive; a worry that only through God will be protected and receive nourishment.

As a priest and pastor, I am grateful to all of you; I am grateful to have you in my ministry and Church family but you and I have our battles. That is why we are called to pray for one another. To look with eyes of compassion and perhaps kneel down, offer our coat, something to eat and maybe even a warm embrace. How often do we pause to do more with our faith? Assuredly my dear brothers and sisters, our faith if it manifests, when it goes beyond just words and feelings and turns into actions will lead us, and others to Christ Jesus in a more real way. It will lead us to the Divine Thanksgiving Banquet table. This is why God came to be with us. Just like the story of the man who saw, had compassion and turned to help the animal, God our Heavenly Father, hears our prayers, sees us and with compassion turns to be with His creation. Our Lord removes His coat and places it upon us to keep us safe; God feeds us from His table and leads us to a place we will be protected and nourished. And we are called to be like our Heavenly Father in Heaven is, compassionate in acts, merciful in words, loving in faith and always thankful not just for what we have but for the opportunities to help those who do not have. We are all stuck in the rain.

The mission and purpose of the Holy Church is this, to invite us to come and grow in faith and by the Grace of the Holy Spirit, through the Death and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ recognize the love of God. I am grateful for this opportunity of Thanksgiving, where we together are gathered around this Holy Feast, which is given to all who seek Him, yesterday, today and forevermore, Amen!