Gratitude

Now thank we all our God, with heart, and hands, and voices,

who wondrous things hath done, in whom his world rejoices;

who from our mothers' arms hath blessed us on our way

with countless gifts of love, and still is ours today.

If you’ve been worshipping at St. Paul’s since late October — whether in person or via the livestream — you will recognize these words. We’ve been singing them as our Presentation Hymn during the month leading up to Thanksgiving.

The words we sing are a 19th century translation by Catherine Winkworth. The original 17th century hymn was written in German by Martin Rinkart, a pastor and musician. Rinkart lived and worked during the Thirty Years War (1618-1648), mostly in Eilenburg, a sanctuary city for refugees where thousands died from disease and famine. By 1637, Rinkart was the only surviving pastor. That year alone he officiated at nearly 5,000 funerals, sometimes as many as 40-50 per day.

How could one living in such horror write a hymn expressing gratitude for “the wondrous things” God has done and the “countless gifts of love” God has given? I can’t answer that question with any certainty, but I have to believe it came from the depths of Rinkart’s faith. Perceiving the world through the death and resurrection of Jesus, he saw that suffering and blessing coexist.

“When we see problems everywhere, there’s no room to be grateful.” So said Jeff Warren (quoting his wife) during a guided meditation he recorded several months ago on the Calm app.

There are plenty of problems to see in our lives and in the world, don’t we know. How we perceive and experience those problems will dictate the way we live our lives. Seeing only problems can lead us to despair. Seeing only blessings can create an illusion of security and privilege.

Rinkart reminds us we have a third option. As I wrote a couple of weeks ago, suffering and beauty exist at the same time. We can work to heal injustice, distress and loneliness while also giving thanks for the many ways God blesses this world in which we live. Living this way fulfills, I believe, the true spirit of the Thanksgiving holiday.

O may this bounteous God through all our life be near us,

with ever joyful hearts and blessed peace to cheer us;

to keep us in his grace, and guide us when perplexed,

and free us from all ills in this world in the next.