"DO I HAVE THE GRACE TO BE THANKFUL" r
ALL OVER OUR LAND, THIS EVENING AND TOMORH
CELEBRATE "THANKSGIVING." A LARGE NUMBER OF THOSE W

OCCASION WILL BE REMINDED OF HOW MUCH MORE FORTUNAT:

STARVING MILLIONS IN INDO CHINA.

DAY AN OCCASION FOR COMPARING THEIR MATERIAL WEEL-BEI

IN PAST, OR WITH LESS FORTUNATE FOLK THE WORLD OVER.

5
a]

EFFORTS THIS EVENING TO RECALLING HOW WELL-OFF WE AR

(| 23/60

DW AMERICANS WILL

HO GO TO CHURCH ON THIS

THEY ARE THAN THE

PEOPLE EVERYWHERE WILL FIND IN THANKSGIVING

NG WITH THE POORER YEARS

FOR ME TO DEVOTE OUR

WOULD BE SILLY*-FOR

iT IS A FACT WE CANNOT ESCAPE. WHAT AMERICAN ISN'T juan THAT HE HAS THE

HIGHEST STANDARD OF LIVING IN THE WORLD. WHO DOESN!

MORE DOLLARS, DRIVE MORE AUDMOBILES, CONSUME MORE S17
— —

HAVE IMAGINED. YOU KNOW THAT OUR FREEDOM, DEATH RA
ARE JUST A FEW OF THE VAST NUMBER OF THINGS AN AMERI
WE MUST GIVE THANKS, I SERIOUSLY DOUBT WHETHER THER

HERE TONIGHT THAT DOESN'T HAVE A TURKEY IN SOME STAGE

KNOW THAT WE SPEND

EAKS THAN ANYONE COULD

NUMBER OF HOSPTTALS

ENJOYS AND FOR WHICH

IS ONE HOME REPRESENTED

OF PREPARATION, AND

WHO ISN'T LOOKING FORWARD TO TOMORROW AS A TIME FOR FAMILY RHJNIONS, RELAXATION,

AND ONE OF THE BEST MEALS IN THE YEAR. I AM CR TAINI

{ ONE OF THAT NUMBER.

260

BUT BEFORE THE DAY COMES AND GOS I WOULD |

Tw IDEAS, THE FIRST 1S CONCERNED WITH TWO DATES IN

LIKE YOU TO CONSIDER

HISTORY REALTED

WX TO THANKSGIVING AND THE SECOND AND MOST IMPORTANT
INVOLVED IN BEING THJ LY THANKFUY/ AND DO WE ACHIEVE I
YOU ALL KNOW THE STORY OF THE FIRST THANKS

IN MASSACHUSETTS FOUGHT THE ELEMENTS, BRAVED THE NEW

HOSTILE INDIANS, HOW THEY TOLLED ROCK

CHL EBRATED IN A FEAST OF PRAISE AND THANKFULNESS. T

Y_AND WEATHER

IS WHAT ACTUALLY IS
r?

BIVING, HW THE SETTLERS
ENGLAND WINTERS AND

SOIL AND HOW THEY

Hi POPULAR PICTURES OF

THAT FIRST FEAST THAT ADORN MAGAZINES AND HIGH SCHOO

QUITE A JUBILANT OCCASION—CHILDREN ARE HAPPILY PLA
eS

ABOUT w1ty/ RADIANT PURITY GLEAMING OUT FROM UNDER T
/

TABLES ARE LADEN WITH FOOD--IN THE BACKGROUND ARE LOI

HISTORY BOOKS INDICATE
G, WOMEN ARE BUSTLING
THE

EIR BONNETS.

+ CABINS THAT LOOK

MUCH LIKE A WISCONSIN TOURIST RESORT AND THERE ARE ALWAYS A FEW QUITE NOBLE

wr

SAVAGES CHATTING # THE MEN FOLK .NEXHQUETXXRGEE WITH

—$——

WELL MEANING ARTISTS, CONSIDER FOR A MOMENT ACTUALLY
How mEeaqge™ Yok

HAD TO BE THANKFUL FOR. CE?TAINLY THEY ENJOYED THEI

THRILL OF CONQUERING A NEW LAND|BUT| 1H ERE WAS HARDLY

NOT SEEN ONE OR MORE OF HIS FAMILY PERISH FROM STARV
—

Yeas

ALL DUE REPECT TO THE
R NEW FREEDOM AND THE
A PIRSON THERE WHOHAD

MTL ON, FROM EXPOSURE,
=:

st

36

or more horribly at the hmds ofthe inlians. THBRE

WHO FORGOT A HOME AND LOVED ONES THOUSANDS OF MILES |

NEVER SEE AGAIN. AND YET THEY WERE mare FAR

OBSERVANCE IS FROM THEIRS ie

CONSIDER ANOTHIR DATE IN HISTORY, THIS ONE

ABRAHAM LINCOLN, IN A MOVING MESSAGE DECLARED 'H ANKS

A PAR CRY OUR TYPE OF TH

WAS NOT ONE PRESENT

\WAY THAT THEY WOULD

PRY OUR THANKSIGIVING

t

ANKFULNESS.

NEARLY 200 YEARS LATER.

GIVING A NATIONAL HOLIDAY.

AND WHAT WAS FOREMOST IN HIS umf A SON WHO HAD DI

D, A_WIFE WHO WAS, TO SAY

THS LEAST, DIFFERENT AND MOST OF ALL/A NATION THAT BECAUSE OF HS PROCLAIMATI ON ,

WAS DIVIDED BY CIVIL WAR. WHATEVER IT WAS THAT THE

IT SEEMS LINCOLN HAD A LITTLE WO. IN BOTH INSTANCE

FROM BEING BRIGHT AND ENCOURAGING AND IN boty MEN WH

PILGRIMS HAD IN MIND

5 THE SITUATION WAS FAR

Ris LY

ALONG THE SAME LINE IT SEEMS LIKE IN OUR OBSERVANCES) WE HAVE FALLEN QUITE

SHORT OF THAT SOMETHING.

THAT SOMETHING IS THE SECOND IDEA I HOP T

ee

GRACE TO BE THANKFUL.

MY TEXT IS FROM THE 17TH CHAPTEROF LUKE. (

‘oN OUR WAY TO JERUSALEM HE WAS PASSING ALONG BE
AND AS HE ENTERED A VILLAGE, HE WAS MET BY TEN LEPER
AND LIFTED UP THEIR VOICES AND SAID, "JESUS, MASTER,

HE SAW THEM HE SAID TO THEM, "GO AND SHOW YOURSELVES

D CONCERN YOU WITH, THE

READ LUKE 1%: 10-19

TWEEN SAMARIA AND GALILEE.
S, WHO STOOD AT A DISTANCE
HAVE MERCY ON US." WHEN

TO THE PRIESTS." AND AS

4e

THEY WENT THEY WERE CLEANSED.
HEALED, TURNED BACK, PRAISING GOD WITH A LOUD VOICE:
FACE AT JESUS! FEET, GIVING HIM THANKS. NOW HE WAS

SAID JESUS, " WERE NOT TEN CLEANSED? WHERE ARE THE

FOUND TO RETURN AND GIVE PRAISE TO GOD EXCHPT THIS F

THEN ONE OF THE, WHEN

HE SAW THAT HE WAS
AND HE FELL ON HIS
4 SAMARITAN. THEN

WINE? WAS NO ONE

DREIGNER?" AND HE SAID

TO HIM, " RISE AND GO YOU WAY, YOUR FAITH HAS MADE YOU WELL."!

TEN LEPERS WERE MADE WELL, ONE RETURNED TO

ae

THANK THE ONE RESPONSIBLE

FOR THIS MIRACLE: TH® OTHER NINE APPARENTLY IMMEDIATELY FORGOT HOW THIS

GLORIOUS EVENT OCCURRED.

THIS ACCOUNT CONTAINS NOT ONLY A DESCRIPTI

AND HIS DIVINE POWER, BUT ALSO REVEALS A GOOD BIT OF
a <a

MEN ARE PRONE TO ACT.

FIRSTLY, THE MAN WHO RETURNED TO HANK JBSI

As was

SAMARITAN, A FORELG\ER--iime LUKE HIMSELF. ALTHOUGH

“

IS MXWE MORE THANKFUL IN OUR LAND THAN WE SHEM TO BH

THIS SECONDARY THEME LEADS INTO ONE OF THE

TIONS OF THE ST@Y.

OF THE STORY IT POINTS TO A REALITY IN ALL OF mre

ONE MAN_RETURNED, NINE D1) NOT-

DN OF JESUS COMPASSION

TRUTH ABOUT THE WAY

US AND PRAISE GOD WAS A

THIS IS JUST A SIDE-LIGHT
pot"

A FOREIGNER OR IMMIGRANT 4
vkes weoawmu Aor poms \é Sais owl is clpac ews Failed ko
MICH realize We ‘se qurte e- ty @ ye oe tohumned

MAJOR AND DEEPER IMPLICA*

WHY? WHY DIDN'T THE NINE

GIVE RECOGNITION TO THE BBVIOUS? WHY DIDN'T THEY ci ] THANK JESUS?

wer
he
GRATITUDE, OR THE ABILITY TO BE GRATEFUL I

5.

AND THANKSGIVING ARE THE NATURAL REACTLON TO THE CREATIVE LOVE OF GOD.

BABY SOON REALIZES WHICH PERSGY WILL PROVIDE FOR ITS

FRIENDLINESS OR A SMILE. EVEN A DOG OR CAT KNOW WHO

AND SHOW GRATITUDE IN THEIR PARTICUIAR WAYS. BUT TH

DOSS NOT COME READY MADE, BUT RATHER IS IN SEED FORM IN ALL OF US,

———

SEED IN THE GROUND IT NEBDS TO BE NURWRD, IT NEEDS

RAIN AND SHINE TO DEVELOP FULLY.
—— ————

S IN EVERY MAN. PRAISE

A

N&EDS AND COMPLI“S wiTH
THEIR FRIENDS ARE

BE ABILITY TO 5& THANKFUL
LIKE A

BOTH DARKNESS AND LIGHT,

AS A SEED RESPONDS GVLY IF NURTURED WITH CERTAIN AMOUNTS OF

R

SUNSHINE AND RAIN, SO THE ABILITY TO BE THANKFUL IS

VARIATIONS. HOW LITTLE THE SUN MEANS TD THE RESID

' e

ms: ¢
ot alse

EPENDENT UPON THE SAME

T OF A DESERT--BUT HOW

WARM IT FEELS AND HOW WONDERFUL IT MUST SEEM TO PD P

UNDER A THREE MONTH SEIGE OF MONSOON WEATHER.

HOW WONDERFUL LIFE SHHMS AFTER A CLOSE CAL

——=—<—_—o

THE OCCASION OF THE DEATH OF A LOVED ONE WE AUTOMATI

HAS LIVED. HV DELICIOUS A MEAL TASTES AFTER WE HAV

—_—"

LE WiO HAVE JUST HSEN

L WITH DEATH. EVEN AT

PALLY FEEL THANKFUL THAT He

i
s

EXPERIENCED HUNGER.

HOW EXCITED AND ECSTATIC ONE MUST BE WHO FOR YEARS HAS UNDERGONE THE HIDEOUS

CREEPING GRAYNESS OF LEPROSY AND SWDEVLY FINDS HIMSELF CURED.

THE STORY OF

THE LEPER WiO HA TURNED POINTS TO Mal

bee.
pire Wn CAN BE THANKFUL FOR COMFORT. IN THIS ASPH

T THE STORY IS VERY

APPROPRIATE FOR US-—-WE HAVE NEVER ENCOUNTERED REAL TRAGEDY COMPARE) TO

—_—"=_S

OTHERS .

OUR GOOD FORTUNE.

THE POTENTIAL FOR PRAISE AND TH ANKFULNESS

ITIS A REAL DANGER THAT WE DON'T HAVE MISFORIUNE T COMPARE WITH

IS INHERENT IN ALL OF

US, WE ARE NATURALLY RESPNNSIVE TO SOMEONE WHO DOES SOMETHING NICE FOR US.

BUT TO BE THANKFUL FOR ALL OF LIFE, TO HAVE AN ATTIT

REQLRES ANP EFFORT, IT REQUIRES NUTURE AND SiRIOUS

—<—<—<——

I HAVE TWO EXAMPLES WITH WHICH I HOPE TO A

OF THANKFULNESS OR THE GRACE TO BE THANKFUL.

UDE OF TH ANKFULNESS

CONSIDERA TION.

DINT OUT THIS ATTITUDE

SAMUEL LEIBOWITZ WAS A FAMOUB AND WEALTHY beew YORK CRIMINAL LAWYER.

A LARGE PART OF HIS CAREER WAS DEVOTED TO INVESTIGAT

Reereved Stu Wee Se
HAD BEEN OONVICTED AND SSNPENCED-TODIE.

——

<

rere BA fuer tend |

OF SEVENTY ELGHT MEN WHO HAS-BEEN-SENTENOSD TO THE H
—

NOT FOR HIM, THESE MEN WULD HAVE DIED. AND HOW MAN

ING THE CASES OF MEN WHO

IN HLS LIFE TIME HE SAVED A TOTAL

,ECTRIC CHAIR. WERE IT

‘4

¥ D@ YOU THINK THANKED HIM,

NOT A ONE! NOT ONE MAN OUT OF 78 EVER WROTE A LETTER OR IN ANY WAY EXPRESSED
—_—-"

APPRECIATION FOR MR. LEIBOWITZ'S EFFORTS. SURELY TH

BY WSHE GLAD THEY HADN'T DIED.

Te
BUT WHAT WAS MISSING IN THEIR LIVES UNANIM S

A FEW YEARS A@ A YOUNG JAPANESE STUDENT A

LEFT HIS DQRMITORY ONE EVENING TO MAIL A LETTER 70 HIS PARENTS.

WAY HE ENCOUNTERED A STREET GANG WHO BEAT HIM BRUTAL

HOSPITAL THE NEXT DAY.

——$—_

——

UNIVERSITY. THE UNITED STATES EMBASSY IN JAPAN SENT

THE GRACE TO BE THANKFUL.

[ A BIG EASTERN UNIVER ITY

ON THE

LY: HE DIED IN THE

THE EVENT SHOCKED AND EMBARRASSED THE CITY AND THE

+ ay,

NOTSS, AND PERSONAL

REPRIEVEMEN TS TO HIS PARENTS. THE YOUNG MEN THAT CO
MURDER WERE QUICKLY ROUNDED UP AND PUT IN JAIL PEND

HEARD FROM THE YOUNG STUDENT'S PARENTS. AND NOW SIX
AND SADDENED PARENTS HAVE WRITTEN A LETTER, TD THE Mj

UNIVERSITY AND TO THE ENTIRE NATION. THE LETTER DO

TTED THIS SENSELESS
G TRIAL. NO WORD WAS
YEARS LATER THE CRUSHED

KYOR OF THE CITY, TO TH

5 NOT ATTACK A CULTURE

RESENT

HTAT HAS BRED JUVENILE DELINQUENTS, IT ISN'T FILLED WITH THE RE&SMEK AND HATRED

WE WOULD EXPECT. INSTEAD THE WiOLE PNE OF THE LETT]

THAT THERE IS A LAND THAT WELCOMES ROREIGN STUDENTS,

eR IS ONE OF THANK FULNESS,

THAT PROVIDES THEM WETH

FINANCIAL AID. THAT THERE IS A PLACE WITH HIGH CALIBER UNIVERSITIES OPEN TO

I
ALL. ON TOP OF THIS a SENN THELR SYMPATHIES T THE MOTHERS AND FATHERS

OF THE BOYS HO MURDERED THEIR SON, AND WITH A = OF KINSHIP ACKNOWLEDGED

THAT THEY ALL HAD LOST SOM: THI NG,

8.

THESE TRULY GRACIOUS PEOPLE CLOSED THEIR L

BETTER BY AGAIN THANKING

ALL WHO HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH THEIR SON: PLEASD@D MERCY FOR THEIR SON'S

MURDERERS AND ENCLOSED A LARGE CHECK TO BE THE FIRST
TO S)MEHOW CORRECT THE EVIL THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR «

THESE ARE PE) PLE WHO WHOLE ATTITUDE IS THAI

SURELY HAD THE GRACE 10 BE THANKFUL.

I COULD GO ON INDEFINITELY CITING EXAMPLES

EITHER GRACIOUSLY THANKFUL OR UNGRATEFULLY. PILGRIMS

DONATLON IW A FUND

JUVENILE DELINQUENCY.

’ OF THANKFULNESS, THEY

OF PEOPLE WHO WERE

$, ABRAHAM LINCOLN, THE

78 CRUCINALS, JAPANESE PARENTS AND THE LEPERS ARE IMPORTANT BUT OF GREATEST

IMMEDIACY IS OUR INVOLVEMENT IN THE CELEBRATION OF H

QUESTION WE JUST ASK OURSELVES I6 DO I HAVE THE GRACI

ANKSIGIVING DAY. THE

RARELY A DAY GOSS BY THT WE DON'T FORGET TC

HELPING HAND, OR A SPECIAL FAVOR. THE GUILT FEELINGS

| D BE TRULY rer
TH ANK SOMEONE FOR A

} THAT RESULT WHEN WE SUDDENLY

——

}e
REMEMBER, I FORGOT THANK SO AND S
“TFORGOT THANK SO_AND |

oa A COMMON EXPERI
NO MATTER HOW PROFUSELY WE THANK THAT PERSON LATER We

THAT MOMENT OF NEGLIGENCE. WE ARE ALI/PLAGUED WITH A
i

ENCE TO ALL OF US, AND
CAN NEVER MAKE UP FOR

LACK OF GRATSFULNESS.

BEING TRULY GRATEFUL INVOLVES MORE THAN THE

RECEIVING A GIFT, IT IS MORE PROFOUND THAN A TYPICAL

SATISFACTION OF

ANKS A LOT. I? Is

IN THE TRUE SHNSE A RETURNING OF SOMETHING g- AN OUT P

OURSELVES. TRUE THANKFULNESS INVOLVES A DIMINISHING

OURING OF PART OF

OF OUR PARTICULAR

Fe
PLEASURE AND SATISFACTION AND A REALIZATION OF WHAT IS INVOLVED IN THE

ACT OF GIVING. TRUE THANKFULNESS MUST BE A GIVING BACK OF PART OF OURSELVES,

AN INNER PROJECTION BETWEEN ONE PERSON AND ANOHER. |THIS IS THE GRACE TO BE
THANKFUL.
OUR PRIME EXAMPLE IS SHEN IN JESUS CHRIST, |WHO A FEW HOURS BEFORE HIS ARREST }
RETIRED TO A GARDEN AN) POURED OUT HIS HEART FOR HIS|DISCLPLES AND FOR ALL
OF MANKIND; WHO THE EVENING BEFORE HIS ARREST BROKE BREAD AND GAVE THANKS.
HIM WE SEE THE GRACE TO BE THANKFUL.
WHEN WE SIT DOWN AT A LAVISH TABLE TOMORROW LET'S NOT CONFINE
OUR GRATITUDE TOA CASUAL THANKS ALOT * FOR THIS FOOD? OR LET'S NOT FEEL
COMPORTABLE BECAUSE THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THE WORLD LEGS FORTUNATE. RATHER

LET US THINK ABOUT A GOD IN WHOM WE LIVE AND MOVE AND HAVE OUR ale =

une
RE{EMBERING THE PILGRIMS, APR LINCOLN AND te JAPANESE PARENTS, LET

US CELEBRATE, BUT WITH THE TOTAL ATMOSPHERE FILLED WITH GRATITUDE. LET

—_—

US PRAY TO GOD TO GIVE US THE GRACE TO BE THANKFLUL!

——4

AMEN,

Let ue se lack gart ol evcselugs cw areola |
atlivads & halen g

a