Today, November 30th, is the Feast of the Holy and First Called Apostle Andrew. St. Andrew has a special place in my heart as he is the patron saint of Scotland as well as Romania so in St. Andrew we see my birth culture and my adopted culture coming together.
Much has been written about St. Andrew and a simple Google search will take you to many of those places so I am going to go in a different direction and focus on some traditions that have started around the feast of St. Andrew.
The Scots Charitable Gate at Mount Auburn Cemetery Boston
Last Saturday night I attended the 356th St. Andrew’s Day Celebration sponsored by the Scots Charitable Society of Boston. The Scots Charitable has the distinction of being the oldest Scots Group in the United States being founded in 1657. The main purpose was to provide aid for needy Scots, “after proper investigation” and today the Scots Charitable funds a Scholarship that provided much needed aid to college students from the area.
I enjoy reading history and I was presented with a copy of the Constitution and By Laws of the Scots Charitable at last week’s dinner and I really have enjoyed thumbing through it. The opening pages reveal the reasons for the starting of such a group and I quote it here, in the original Scots:
At a meeting of the 6 of January 1657 we whose names are underwritten being all or the most part present did agree and conclude for the releefe of our selves and any other for the which wee may see cause.
And with that the Scots Charitable Society of Boston was formed and continues the work of bringing relief to those in need and also continues to keep the spirit of philanthropy and the traditions of our Nation and that of Scotland alive in New England.
Over the next few days Americans will spend upwards of $60 billion dollars in retail sales on stuff that they think will make them happy. That works out to about $423 per person over the next few days. The big question is how much of that $60 billion will not add to the debt that each American carries?
You would think that by now people would know you cannot buy happiness, as happiness does not come from things for from WalMart but from inside and living a life that is balanced both spiritually and mentally. The acquisition of stuff does nothing but enslave us more and more to those we owe money too, and that in turn makes us unhappy.
Now don’t get me wrong, I am all for showing our live for family and friends by giving gifts, after all the Magi brought gifts to Jesus, but they did not sell their souls to the retail establishment to do it. They gave from what they had, they did not borrow today on the promise of paying it off tomorrow ad they would have received a blessing now matter they gave gifts or not.
We are conditioned, dare I even say brainwashed, that the level of love we have for people in the size of the gift we purchase. What is wrong with making a gift or even give a gift to a charity in the name of the person, show love for someone by helping other, very Biblical I would say.
Rather than engage in the craziness of Black Friday and Cyber Saturday, why not take a step back and consider what it we are doing and the harm that we cause our souls when we focus only on the things we can buy. Stop and think about the gift that God gave us, that tiny baby, born in the humblest of conditions with nothing. That is the gift and that is the reason for the season.
Thanksgiving offers each of us the chance to count our many blessings — the freedoms we enjoy, the time we spend with loved ones, the brave men and women who defend our Nation at home and abroad. This tradition reminds us that no matter what our background or beliefs, no matter who we are or who we love, at our core we are first and foremost Americans.
Our annual celebration has roots in centuries-old colonial customs. When we gather around the table, we follow the example of the Pilgrims and Wampanoags, who shared the fruits of a successful harvest nearly 400 years ago. When we offer our thanks, we mirror those who set aside a day of prayer. And when we join with friends and neighbors to alleviate suffering and make our communities whole, we honor the spirit of President Abraham Lincoln, who called on his fellow citizens to “fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty hand to heal the wounds of the nation, and to restore it, as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes, to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility, and union.”
Our country has always been home to Americans who recognize the importance of giving back. Today, we honor all those serving our Nation far from home. We also thank the first responders and medical professionals who work through the holiday to keep us safe, and we acknowledge the volunteers who dedicate this day to those less fortunate.
This Thanksgiving Day, let us forge deeper connections with our loved ones. Let us extend our gratitude and our compassion. And let us lift each other up and recognize, in the oldest spirit of this tradition, that we rise or fall as one Nation, under God.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim Thursday, November 28, 2013, as a National Day of Thanksgiving. I encourage the people of the United States to join together — whether in our homes, places of worship, community centers, or any place of fellowship for friends and neighbors — and give thanks for all we have received in the past year, express appreciation to those whose lives enrich our own, and share our bounty with others.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-sixth day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand thirteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-eighth.
By the President of the United States of America, a Proclamation.
Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and — Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me “to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:”
Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favor, able interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquillity, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted; for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.
And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations, and beseech Him to pardon our national and other trangressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally, to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.
Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.
Prior to 1863 the National Holiday of Thanksgiving that we know in US did not exists. Each state would set their own dates for a general time of giving thanks mostly because the states still thought of themselves as individuals. It has been said that prior to the Civil War people said “the United States is” and after “the United States are” one word change but the sentiment that went along with it changed forever.
The US was in the midst of the Civil War and the President had just dedicated the military cemetery at Gettysburg a few short months after the great battle there. With the words of the proclamation, written by Secretary of State William H Seward, the last Thursday of November was set aside as a time of National Thanksgiving.
By the President of the United States of America.
A Proclamation.
The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consiousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.
Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the Unites States the Eighty-eighth.
Each time we gather for worship it is an act of Thanksgiving. We remember all that God has done for us, and for us Christians, that includes the giving of His Son for our sake. The very act of worship and praise is thanksgiving or of giving thanks in season and out of season.
We gather around the table, the Holy Table, and we offer the perfect sacrifice. It upon this altar that our gifts of bread and wine, the simplest of all the gifts, is made sacred and becomes for us the healing that we all need.
I think when you do something over and over we tend to stop thinking about the mystery that is behind it. As a priest, each time I stand at the altar and offer the prayers on behalf of all the people I am thankful for all the God has done and is doing in my community. We bring those prayers to the altar and we can rejoice in the answering of those prayers.
It is an awesome responsibility that we priests have.
Well this is what I get for not looking ahead to what the topic of the 40 Days of Pastoral Blogging would be for today. I have previously written on Vestments and although I do not just want to link to previous posts I am going to so today.
In case you missed them I will post the links below.
It is part of the history of America that one of the founding fathers liked the Turkey over the Bald Eagle as the symbol of the America. I find this a very interesting a curious tale. The hint of this comes from a letter he wrote to his daughter Sarah Bache on January 26, 1784. The main subject of the letter was concerning the Society of the Cincinnati and his objections to it but in the letter he has this to say about the Bald Eagle and it’s representation of America:
Others object to the Bald Eagle, as looking too much like a Dindon, or Turkey. For my own part I wish the Bald Eagle had not been chosen the Representative of our Country. He is a Bird of bad moral Character. He does not get his Living honestly. You may have seen him perched on some dead Tree near the River, where, too lazy to fish for himself, he watches the Labour of the Fishing Hawk; and when that diligent Bird has at length taken a Fish, and is bearing it to his Nest for the Support of his Mate and young Ones, the Bald Eagle pursues him and takes it from him.
With all this Injustice, he is never in good Case but like those among Men who live by Sharping & Robbing he is generally poor and often very lousy. Besides he is a rank Coward: The little King Bird not bigger than a Sparrow attacks him boldly and drives him out of the District. He is therefore by no means a proper Emblem for the brave and honest Cincinnati of America who have driven all the King birds from our Country…
I am on this account not displeased that the Figure is not known as a Bald Eagle, but looks more like a Turkey. For in Truth the Turkey is in Comparison a much more respectable Bird, and withal a true original Native of America… He is besides, though a little vain & silly, a Bird of Courage, and would not hesitate to attack a Grenadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his Farm Yard with a red Coat on.
So as you prepare your bird for the table, this Thanksgiving, just remember that if Franklin had his way you would be serving up the symbol of America!
Today, in the 40 Days of Pastoral Blogging, is bloggers choice. This is a day that Fr. John has given us to write about whatever we want, sort of freestyle if you will. So today I am going to write about a recent trip I took to Florida. Not that Florida.
One of the many hats I wear is the hat of Animal Control Officer in the Town of Dudley Massachusetts. Appointed on July 1st of this year it is my job to pick up stray dogs, investigate abuses claims and also inspect barns and livestock in the Town, this is the part I like best about the job. We also, from time to time, have to deal with residents who, for whatever reason, need to surrender their companion animal. Without going in to much detail I took in a senior dog that I knew was going to be hard to place. I also do not like to keep animals in the shelter any longer than I have to as the dog really starts to deteriorate.
I needed help to place this dog so I started calling other shelters and I came across the Berkshire Humane Society in Pittsfield Massachusetts. They are a nonprofit shelter and they were will to take Dakota into their shelter and place her in a good home. Larger shelters usually have a network that they can reach out to in cases like this. So on Friday I loaded Dakota in the truck and headed west to Pittsfield. I arrived and got her all settled in without incident. I decided that on my return trip I would take a little detour and head to Florida Massachusetts.
Florida Welcome Sign
Florida Massachusetts is in the upper western corner of Massachusetts on the Vermont boarder in Berkshire County at the highest point on the Mohawk Trail. Florida was settled in 1783 and given the name Florida, some believe, because Spanish Florida was a topic of conversation at the time. Florida is a farming community producing maple syrup, wool, and potatoes. In 2010 Florida had a population of 752, not the smallest community in Massachusetts but close.
I like small towns, I like the feel of them and I like to see what happens to be around. Usually steeped in history there is something that one can find that is out of the ordinary. You never know what you will find as you take the next turn and that sense of adventure drives you forward in the hopes of discovering something.
Friday was a rainy day and up in the mountains the fog had begun to settle in. The road was winding along, following the contours of the mountain, when all of a sudden there it was a giant bronze elk standing right there atop Whitcomb’s Summit. The summit is actually the top of the Hoosac Mountain, at 2272 feet, but it is called Whitcomb’s Summit because that is the name of the hotel that is right there at the top.
Back to the elk. I was amazed and almost caused an accident trying to get across the road to see what this magnificent creature was doing perched at the top of this mountain. The bronze elk was behind a black fence standing on top of a large rock. On the face of the rock was a dedication plaque giving a bit of history.
Dedication Plaque
The Elk on the Trail in Memory of the Brothers of the Massachusetts Elks Association who died in the World War. Erected by the Association 17th June 1923.
Tradition tells the story that the summit was chosen because it is the highest point along the Mohawk trail and with all of the visitors, with their new automobiles, coming by each year it was a fitting place for the memorial. I was amazed! Who knew!
I stood there, shivering in the cold, and pondering all of this and giving thanks for what these men had done, given their lives in the service of their country. Seemed somewhat fitting since it was the 50th Anniversary of the assassination of President Kennedy and the next day was the 150th anniversary of the dedication of the military cemetery at Gettysburg.
I will have to return on a clear day and take in the view that the Elk has each and every day. If you ever find yourself driving along the Mohawk Trail, take a moment to stop in Florida and check out the Elk on the Summit. You will not be disappointed.
Each of the days during Advent Fr. John Peck is giving us words or concepts to blog about as part of the 40 Days of Pastoral Blogging exercise. This is day nine, and I have to say that most of the past eight days have been a challenge to blog but also a challenge to blog on the topic he has selected. I usually just open a blank page and write. I am not sure where it is going to go or how it will end, I just write. Today will be no different.
Sabbath is one of those hotly debated items in the Church. Not really the day of the Sabbath, as Christians we have moved this day to Sunday as the day of resurrection, but the original meaning of the Sabbath was a day of rest. This was a day free of all work, some can take that to a high degree as we see in Scripture when the leaders heckle Jesus because his followers picked a head of grain whilst walking through the fields, or it can go the other way where Sunday is just another day of the week.
Some call Sunday the Lord’s Day and it is a day that is given to worship and family. Most do not worship any longer and the view of family has changed. Sitting in room together tapping on the latest electronic gadget is not really communication, but I guess the object is being together.
The problem, as I see it, is that nothing in American culture is sacred any more. For some, church is something that we do when there is nothing else going on. “My child is involved in sports and they practice on Sunday.” Well that is a choice we make. If we are true to our faith then the choice is simple, we attend Church. Practice happens on Sunday because we let it happen. Stores opened on Sunday because, we the consumer, wanted stores to open on Sunday. If we did not shop the stores would not be open.
There is a point in Orthodox Worship, just before the priest enters the Holy Place with the gifts that are about to be offered, when the sing “lets us lay aside all the earthly cared of life.” We come to worship to forget about all that is going on in the world. For those few moments a week our focus should be on nothing but the Holy and how we are living our lives. The question we should be asking is “are we living the life God wants us to live?” If we do not know the answer to that question, ask Him!
But what about after worship? How do we spend the rest of the Sabbath day? Are we involved in worldly pursuits, and by that I mean are we working at or profession. Some people have to work on Sunday because of their jobs, medical folks, people in emergency services, and because of us, those in retail all have to work on Sunday. But what of the rest of us? Sunday is a time for rest, and this time of year watching football!
It is hard to listen to the voice of God when we are so busy that we do not take the time to listen. Stop and listen, take Sunday to rest and restore your body. Hang up that phone if you are talking about work, there are six days in the week for labor and one for rest. Use that day as it was intended.
