Thanksgiving Message from Father Nick
Almighty and gracious Father, we give you thanks for the fruits of the earth in their season and for the labors of those who harvest them. Make us, we pray, faithful stewards of your great bounty, for the provision of our necessities and the relief of all who are in need, to the glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Dear St. Martin's Family,
As Thanksgiving Day comes to us this year, it is obvious that this one will be like no other that we have experienced before. There is much in the world right now that inspires far more fear, anxiety, and sadness than hope and thanksgiving, but rather than making this feast day of the Church less relevant to our current world, this difficulty makes it even more important for the spiritual life.
Anxiety, fear, and sadness have an amazing propensity to overtake our whole consciousness and blind us to seeing the wonderful gifts of God that still exist in our lives and the world at large. God promises us that even in the times that are most difficult, He is never absent and we are never without hope. However, in times like this, it can take far more effort to see these blessings through the haze of everything else that is occupying our lives. As we move through Thanksgiving and begin to enter Advent and preparation for Christmas, Christ asks us to watch for his hand at work as He promises that we will find it if we are willing to look.
I am extremely grateful for the generosity of this community which was shown in the collection of 50 turkeys for the Buffalo City Mission to help those in need of food this holiday. Despite being in this state of shutdown, we were still able to gather a bigger donation than we ever have before. I am truly blessed to be a part of your community, and I am excited to continue to seek and serve God together through these changing times. God has great things in store for St. Martins; it is just up to us to be open to see and enjoy them as we watch for His presence in this world.
To the greater glory of God,
Nick+