Thankfulness and Praise

THANKSGIVING DAY

October 9, 2022

AS WE GATHER
The observance of A Day of Thanksgiving is the celebration of a national holiday that is closely linked with some form of religious experience. Thankfulness needs to go somewhere . . . to someone beyond an individual person. The reality of God’s grateful people expressing thanks to Him goes all the way back to the very beginnings of time itself. The biblical record has many accounts of people speaking words of thanksgiving to God. Many psalms are expressions of thanksgiving to the Lord. The letters of St. Paul are filled with expressions of thanks to God as well. Although individual thanksgiving is important, thankfulness finds fullest expression when God’s people are gathered together for the purpose of giving Him their thanks and praise. A day of Thanksgiving helps to bring about that most-appropriate gathering for worship.

Bible Readings

OLD TESTAMENT READING: Ruth 1:1-19a
(Ruth comes from Moab to Bethlehem.)

EPISTLE READING: 2 Timothy 2:1-13
(As a soldier of Jesus Christ.)

HOLY GOSPEL: Luke 17:11-19
(One leper shows gratitude to Jesus.)