November 25th, 2020

From Rev Sue Ann Yarbrough

Thanksgiving blessings to you all.  May the peace of Christ be known at all our tables.  It is perfectly acceptable to have a modest Thanksgiving! 
 
Advent begins on November 29 and Hanukkah begins December 11.  I often think of this  time of year as the season of lights. Advent is truly a sister of Lent in that in both seasons we are consciously clearing and renewing our hearts and minds for the love and light of Christ to shine anew.  Gratitude is an excellent place to begin the journey.  Please know we are  grateful for all of you and that we are keeping you in our prayers.   

Scripture:  Psalm 100 
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness;
come into his presence with singing.
Know that the Lord is God.
It is he that made us, and we are his;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him, bless his name.
For the Lord is good 
his steadfast love endures forever
and his faithfulness to all generations. 

 Meditation 
This is a beautiful Psalm, and if everyone took even just the first line of this Psalm to heart, the world would indeed know peace. Imagine all people being mindful of their words. Let us remember that God hears every word we utter because our souls are of God. 

The image of God as a faithful shepherd occurs often in the Bible, and Jesus referred to it as well.   Even if you have had no experience of tending to a flock, I think we can all  understand that shepherds must pay attention to the creatures in his or her charge.  My father was a cattle rancher, and he spent much time tending to his herds. He made certain every animal was accounted for.  When I would be in his pickup with him, I would see him often stopping to count the cows in a  herd to make sure no animal was missing or seemed to be suffering. It is a memory of good animal husbandry that I do not think I will forget. 

God tends to us as well.  God also asks that we tend to one another.  Yes, it matters how we treat one another.   
None of us are physically going to a church or temple these days, but whenever we gather with one another, whether it is to share a meal in the dining room or to take part in a Zoom worship, we are entering a sacred place.  In truth, all space is sacred, but let us be particularly mindful when we share our space with others.   In Matthew 18:20, Jesus said "For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them."  May we never take the sacred space we share for  granted. 

Thanksgiving Dinner

I have had the lovely old hymn, "We Gather Together" running through my mind.  I always loved singing in our SpiritCare services in November because I love the hymns of Thanksgiving.  May your time of Thanksgiving bring you good food, good company, and good memories.  Let us always remember Meister Eckhart's words, “If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough.” 
"We gather together to ask for God's blessing, 
to turn to a wisdom surpassing our own; 
the pow'rs that oppress us now cease to distress us, 
O God, be present with us, and make your will known." 

 Adrianus Valerius wrote this hymn in Dutch 1597 and it was published after his death in 1626.  The 1981 version, written in the above text, is an adaptation by Ruth Duck  and can be found in the Chalice Hymnal. 

Meister Eckhart was a German theologian and philosopher who was born in 1260. His exact date of death is not known - probably 1327 or 1328. 
--
Rev. Sue Ann Yarbrough, Associate Pastor
San Lorenzo Community Church, United Church of Christ
www.hearthpsalms.blogspot.com