My Homily for Thursday Night: "On Being Thankful Anyway"
       Since more of our faithful were absent than present, and because those present responded so positively about an upbeat evening on a downbeat day, I have agreed to present a shortened version of my remarks.
       Knowing that most were unhappy or depressed (and some, from e-mail responses from as far away as Alaska and Ohio) I decided, even before Tuesday, to do a Thanksgiving theme called "On Being Thankful Anyway."
       So I picked out some songs and Bible verses that many would not feel ready to sing or hear. So Paul sang a song called, "Thank You God...I Guess." It was fun. We'll have to request it again. We all sang three songs, "Cheer Up Ye Saints of God, There's Nothing to Worry About!" Some weren't ready to agree with that, but sang it anyway. The other two songs were for Thanksgiving and for right now: "Count Your Many Blessings, Name Them One by One," and "Thank You For Giving Me the Morning."
       My Bible texts for the evening were these:
          From Psalm 95, the "Psalms/Now" version:
              "Let us begin this day with thanksgiving. Whether we feel like it or not.
               Let us make glad sounds and force our tongues to articulate words of thanksgiving and praise."
       From the pen of Paul in Thessalonians:
              "Rejoice always, pray constantly, and give thanks in all circumstances."
       In my going around on Wednesday and Thursday it was not hard to find people who were depressed, and even despondent over one or another of the election results. I tried to imagine how these songs and Bible texts would sound to a granddaughter, sobbing her disappointment. Or to some of the gay and lesbian people we know in the community. Or teachers, facing contract negotiations with the failure of the school ballot measure hanging over them. Or people like Darlene at the Circle of Hope who is already worn down by the increasing numbers of homeless and addicted people she meets every day in a place she intended to run for people dealing with mental illness. Her take on the election was that past policies already hurt and that four more years would be worse.
       The truth is that there are strong feelings and hurts that won't be quoted away by the Bible. In fact, I asked myself whether Paul was serious about giving thanks in ALL circumstances. My inclination is to forget Paul and go back to Ecclesiastes who allows that there is a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance. There are times when I want to weep and times when I want to mourn. How can anyone who cares deeply not weep and not mourn. Don't tell me I can't do that.
       But those words from the ages come to us from our Sponsor. We are called to give them our attention. The Psalmist knew hard times. These words were no doubt spoken in the midst of deep despair. They were a spiritual reminder. "Let us begin this day with thanksgiving, whether we feel like it or not."
       Last weekend we attended the Symposium at OSU on Nature and the Sacred, dedicated by the way to our friend, Franz Dolp. We looked in on an event where Downs and Autistic students were performing. They were playing music and dancing. It was wonderful. If anyone might have reason to give into despondency you would think it might be these folks. But there they were, singing and dancing anyway.
       We attended an art show by three county mental health programs serving those with mental illness. We came away with some lovely art pieces done by people who lived above their dark times to do a joyful and beautiful thing.
       Even Darlene, who deals with despondency and despair every day, and who is definitely overworked with no relief in sight, could smile and be thankful to be in a place where she could offer health.
       If these people can smile and be grateful in all circumstance, so can we all.
       Someone has said, "God is glorified, not by our groans, but by our thanksgivings. It is always a healthy thing to be thankful. The highest form of worship, the best prayer, is thanksgiving. It is what we are called to do in those times when we feel down and defeated.
       The reason the Psalmist urged us to make glad sounds, even when we don't feel like it, is because "God is with us. This world and we who live in it are his." I believe this is behind Paul's admonition to "Rejoice always, pray constantly, and give thanks in all circumstances." He had suffered, been beaten, chased out of town and put in prison again and again. Yet he kept spiritual perspective and learned the wisdom of giving thanks in all circumstances.
       I chose this subject not knowing how the vote would turn out either nationally or locally. I would have offered the same message no matter what happened. History and life teach us that winning does not assure victory, nor defeat mean that all is lost. I learned from the Civil Rights struggle times, as well as other equally difficult times when we thought we were achieving permanent justice, that no cause is permanently won. We are now fighting to maintain or win back what we thought was won.
       The hymn words come to mind. They are relevant today:
"This is my Father's world, O let me ne'er forget,
that though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father's world, the battle is not done..."
       The battle will not be won by a spirit of despair. It will be won by those with spiritual endurance who begin the day with singing, feel like it or not, and who know enough to give thanks in all circumstances.
    --Art Morgan, Nov. 4, 2004